Our Quick Take: If you're traveling I-75 through southeast Tennessee and need an easy overnight campground, Chattanooga North/Cleveland KOA worked well for us. We arrived late, received a friendly welcome, plugged in the van, cranked up the AC and got a comfortable night's sleep before continuing south the next morning.
Traveling in the van gives us the ability to boondock but we prefer staying where we feel comfortable and welcomed. Often times, that means a quick KOA search on the map for something along our route.
Thus was the case a few nights ago when we were headed from Knoxville, Tennessee to Lithonia, Georgia. We decided to stop for the night at the KOA just north of Chattanooga. Not the half way point by any means, but a perfect pit stop to get a quick morning adventure in before hitting the road to our destination.
This KOA was open until 9:30 so we were able to get that friendly greeting upon our late arrival! We hooked up the electric to crank that AC for a good nights sleep and continued the nightly routine of closing up the van for some shut eye.
When morning came, we showered in the clean facilities, made some coffee and headed out! It might not seem worth it to pay the price of an overnight stay at the KOA when we just needed some sleep, but for us - there is a comfort comes with staying at the campground that helps for a better nights sleep! Not to mention a clean shower!
Why This Stop Worked for Us
Sometimes you don't need your campground to be the adventure.
You just need it to make the adventure possible.
That's exactly what we needed from this stop.
After a day of traveling, being able to pull in, plug in and get comfortable made a huge difference. We weren't interested in unpacking half the van or setting up an elaborate campsite—we wanted an easy evening and a good night's sleep so we could wake up ready to explore.
That's something I've come to appreciate about road trips: where you sleep doesn't always need to be the destination. Sometimes it's simply the little pause that lets you keep going.
Know Before You Go
Campground: Chattanooga North/Cleveland KOA Journey
Location: McDonald, Tennessee
Convenient to: I-75
Our stay: One night
Travel style: Camper van
Why we chose it: A convenient overnight stop between Knoxville, Tennessee, and Lithonia, Georgia
Best for: Road trips, overnight stays, camper vans and RV travelers passing through the Chattanooga/Cleveland area
One important note: campground amenities, rates, office hours and policies can change seasonally, so I always recommend checking directly with the campground before your trip.
Turn an Overnight Stop Into a Tiny Adventure
One of my favorite things about road trips is realizing that a travel day doesn't have to be a lost day.
If we're stopping somewhere overnight, I like to look around and ask:
Is there one little adventure we can fit in before we leave?
It doesn't need to be an all-day excursion. It might be a short trail, a scenic overlook, a waterfall, a quirky roadside attraction, a local coffee shop or simply somewhere beautiful to take a morning walk.
That's part of the philosophy behind Pen Pal Adventure Book.
You don't always need a vacation or an elaborate itinerary to have an adventure. Sometimes you just need to leave yourself an extra hour before getting back on the highway.
One Adventure. Once a Month.
KOA North Chattanooga/Cleveland, 648 Pleasant Grove Rd, McDonald TN
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Don't Just Stop. Have an Adventure.
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