Onawa KOA Review

Stop 2 on our Epic 2023 Western Adventure brought us to Onawa KOA located in north western Iowa about an hour north of Omaha. Onawa was a perfect place to stop after covering 400+ miles through Illinois and Iowa. Plus we knew after we crossed into South Dakota our options would be limited. Check out our Onawa KOA review for our quick stay over in Iowa!

Location, Location, Location

The Onawa KOA boarders Blue Lake and is conveniently located about 2 to 3 miles from Interstate 29. Blue Lake looks very nice, when at full summer pool. The dry conditions are really depleting the water. That is too bad because this lake looks like a super fun place to hang out on a warm summer day!

Campground Overview

Onawa’s KOA has nearly 100 sites including massive pull through full hook-up sites down to lake front tent sites. By massive I mean they can accommodate up to a 90+ foot rig. Turning that bad boy would be a headache. Watch for low hanging branches. The large shade trees seemed to have some “widow makers” so watch where you park your rig! Sites were mostly level gravel pads. We noticed some weeds growing. A bit of TLC could revive this campground.

Don’t have a camper? No Problem! Onawa KOA offers cabins for rent! Enjoy the campground and weekend at the lake with your friends while having your own space.

During the hot afternoon, you can go for a relaxing swim in the pool. Which stays nice and cool thanks to a couple of huge shade trees. Speaking of trees, this campground offers shade everywhere. So much that my Starlink had trouble getting good signal. But, hey we’re roughing it, right?

As dinner time draws near, campers will also enjoy relaxing at their campsite with the picnic table and smores by the campfire. Be warned there are bugs in the area and some look like floating dog hair. Crazy bugs.

If you forget some essential item at home, the well stocked camp store probably has you covered. Or if you need propane, they will refill your bottle for a nominal fee. Heck they even delivered my full bottle back to my camp site.

Your kids will enjoy the state of the art playground, awesome basketball court or taking a ride on the 3 wheeled bikes (small additional charge for these). We didn’t bike, but they looked fun

Time in Heaven

In the classic movie, Field of Dreams, a character asks Kevin Costner, “is this heaven?” Costner replies, it’s Iowa. So, we always think of Iowa as heaven. In all seriousness, this great state is very important to our great country. The farming that takes place here is remarkable. The farmers and their families do a lot for America and the world. They should be thanked more than they are!

What else to do in Onawa?

We did not check out the local scene, but a quick Google search revealed Onawa is home to the Eskimo Pie. That’s probably not politically correct anymore, but that is a claim to fame. So, get you some! Also, Lewis & Clark’s expedition wandered through these parts on their way out west. Maybe take in the Loess Hills which were created from the retreating glaciers? In any event, we were only in Onawa for a few hours before continuing onto South Dakota and the Black Hills.

Overall Rating

We would rate the campground a 2 stars out of 5. The shade and location (close to lake and interstate) were excellent. The bathhouses, which probably get a lot of use, weren’t great (cold water and not super clean; my wife got out of the shower because it was that bad). The location was perfect for an overnight stop!