- The World Traveling Mom
In My Backyard: Shelby/Mansfield KOA Resort
First of all, I'd like to say THANK YOU to KOA, as well as the Shelby/Mansfield KOA for having us out to your amazing resort, we truly had an outstanding time!
Last Thursday, Thomas, Hailee and I had the opportunity to drive up to Shelby, Ohio (about a 4 1/2 hour drive), to visit the Shelby/Mansfield KOA Resort. None of us had ever stayed with KOA before, so we were very excited for the opportunity!
Upon arrival, we checked in with Amy, the Mansfield KOA manager, who was SUPER friendly, and made the check-in process very easy. During our stay, we stopped in to ask her questions, and she always had the answer! After check-in, we were then escorted by another member of the staff to where we'd be staying, The Buckeye Cabin. I had no idea what to expect, as we had only stayed at a cabin once prior, but we immediately fell in love. It was much larger than we had expected on both the inside and outside.
Let's start with the outside..
In the Buckeye Cabin, which sleeps 6, we had both a covered patio, and a wrap around deck with a propane grill (propane included), fire pit, picnic table, outdoor table, and porch swing. More than enough seating for a larger group, or a family who just loves having a lot of space (like us!). There was also an incredible view of the pond, where you can rent all different kinds of one or two person boats (I'll get to that later).
The inside was quite spectacular as well as spacious, clean, and homey! In the first room (the living room/dining room/kitchen), there was a futon, a kitchen table, a t.v. (complete with cable!), a full sized refrigerator, a stove top, a sink, cabinet's filled with dishes, a Kurig, a crock-pot, and even things like dish soap, trash bags, and coffee are provided!
In the hallway, before you reach the main bedroom, there are also bunk beds right across from a full sized bathroom! Hailee had tons of fun deciding which bed she wanted to sleep in, and ultimately chose the bottom bunk. Thankfully, sheets, blankets and pillows were also provided!
The bathroom, like the rest of the cabin was very generous in size. There is a full size shower (complete with shampoo and body wash), a sink (which had hand soap and makeup wipes), and of course a toilet. Towels, wash clothes, hand towels and a shower mat are also provided.
The main bedroom, where Thomas and I slept, had a queen bed as well as storage for us to put our clothes. Let me first start out about the bed...
It. Was. The. Most. Comfortable. Bed. Ever.
It was so soft that both Thomas and I slept so well on it that we didn't want to leave it in the mornings! Like the bunk beds, it came with high quality sheets, pillows, pillow cases and blankets. It also had the perfect view of the boating pond, which was stunning during sunrise and sunset.
As well as this resorts many different types of cabins, they also have spaces for RV hook-ups, Yurts, and even a "Glampsite"! They also have laundry facilities, a massage spa, and golf cart rentals, which we got the chance to explore all of the different kinds of campsites on. They definitely thought of everything when designing the resort!
Let's move on to some of the other amenities!
There are SO many things to do at the Mansfield/Shelby KOA Resort! These are the amenities that are included with your stay (as long as your wearing your wrist bands):
-Swimming Pool
-Hot Tub
-Kiddie Pool
-Playgrounds (all 4 of them!)
-18 Hole Mini Golf
-Jump Pillow
-Jump Pad
-Pedal Carts
-Shuffleboard
-Tennis
-Dog Park
-Horseshoe Pit
-Corn Hole
-Wagon Rides
-Firetruck Rides
-Train Rides
-Kids Crafts
-Planned Activities
-Kids Games
-Family Movie Nights
-Scavenger Hunts
-GAGA Ball
-Paddle Boats
-Fun Boats
-Corcl Boats
-Paddle Boards
-Fitness Center
-Volleyball
-Basketball
-Kids Zip Line
-Catch and Release Fishing







There was definitely never a dull moment, because there were SO many fun things to try!
Another amazing thing about this resort was the Kafe and Ice Cream Shop! We visited multiple times to try different items, and every time were left impressed by the quality of the food. Our favorites were the fresh cinnamon sugar donuts in the mornings (MUST TRY!), the Chocolate Moose Tracks Ice Cream, and Thomas really liked the pulled pork sandwich. Literally everything we tried was delicious!
They also have a great "Kamp Store" which sells all of your favorite camping essentials, including lots of food (dry, cold and frozen). We purchased smoked sausages, buns, mustard, chips, drinks and all of the items to make s'mores. We also found amazing "fire starters" and wood we needed for our camp fire that night. It turned out great, if I do say so myself!

All in all, I'd say this was our favorite trip of the year so far. It was everything we could have hoped for; relaxing, fun, lots of fresh air, and lots of good food and I'd highly recommend taking your family here. It truly has something for all ages, and it will help you go back to the basics of family fun.
It was the perfect family getaway, and we can't wait to go back soon!
