Wednesday, December 23 Through Sunday, December 27, 2020
Port Lavaca / Matagorda Bay KOA Holiday is on Vaes Bay which empties into Matagorda Bay which has a barrier island between it and the Gulf of Mexico. The park’s bay front faces north-north east. To some, it might feel a bit misleading to use Matagorda Bay in the park name. Not to worry. The park is definitely on the coast in every way that matters.
This park was chosen with the expectation of a quiet, warm and easy holiday on the coast. On arrival early in the afternoon, the weather was in the low eighties with a gentle coastal breeze. Comfortable humidity and no bugs made for a pleasant carefree evening.
Overnight a severe storm blew through shaking the camper for hours. Awakening to howling winds and pounding rains, thoughts drifted uncomfortably toward figuring out how to find a storm shelter.
At daybreak, the last remnant of the storm, a frontal line, was moving off shore. It had cooled considerably. The air was clear, crisp and clean.
The overnight winds had blown down our portable dog kennel/fencing. This isn’t exactly storm damage but it was the first time the fences been knocked down by a storm.
The coast is normally breezy. During hot summers, cooling breezes are most welcome. The day after the storm, flags flew freely. The breezes became calmer, more tame in the days following the storm.
The road to the campground entrance didn’t have much traffic on it. The campground is quite a ways from the road. Road noise in the park is nearly non-existent.
Access into the KOA is controlled. On arrival, patrons need to hail a person in the office to open the gate.
After check in, guests can use a card with a barcode or magnetic strip to enter. This is only the second KOA visited that uses this security arrangement (or similar) during the DAY and the night.
There are a number of petrochemical plants along the Texas coastline. Some spectacularly tragic plant accidents have occurred over the years affecting the communities around them. Fortunately, whatever happened here wasn’t serious enough to make the news. Seeing something like this, even in the distance, is worth paying attention to just in case it becomes newsworthy. The smoke appeared to be coming from the direction of a Formosa Plastics Corporation plant.
Some KOA Holiday parks seem better at providing great vacation experiences than others. This park better matches our sense of holiday vacations than others have. The above panorama, taken from a two story high observation deck, shows much of the common area between the clubhouse and the bay.
There is a dock for guests. A number of guests had boats tied up at the shoreline or pulled up on the beach. For water use, the park rents kayaks, canoes, paddle boats and other toys. They also have bicycles and pedal carts for kids to ride around on land with.
One of the most pleasurable and simplest activities is sitting out in the evening and watching the sun set over water. The nightly colorful sunsets did not disappoint. Although over land, the sunrises were also good.
The park staff were good hosts. Everyone was helpful and responsive to guest needs. The park’s owner stopped by one afternoon to say hi. The store is fairly well stocked and had ice cream and other essentials we liked. Bathrooms and showers were spotless and in new condition.
The clubhouse had a variety of arcade games for children. On the back of the clubhouse was an observation deck that was built as high as the clubhouse’s roof peak. Look above the clubhouse in the above picture. The observation deck provided some amazing views of the area. Some of the cabins, like the one on the right, had their own personal observation deck.
The laundry facilities were great. New modern machines. The park is small for a KOA Holiday. Three washing machines paired with six dryers is probably enough to support the campground.
One of the propane bottles needed refilling. It is really convenient when parks can refill propane bottles onsite.
This park has all of the important touches that make for a better extended holiday.
We will stay here again.
Hope to see you on the road ahead!