Adventureland Campground, Altoona, IA

Adventureland Campground, Altoona, IA is 13 miles northeast of Des Moines, IA off I80. A word of caution driving into the park since the signage is erroneous, misplaced and missing. Quite an accomplishment to commit such a fauxpas. When exiting I80 take NE Hubbell Ave West and turn onto Adentureland Dr. East (do not turn at the LED sign for Adventureland Inn which will take one into the parking lot with no maneuvering room and a sign that erroneously directs one to the Inn and its 12’ overhang) and continue toward the first traffic light(opposite Jethro’s ‘n Jakes Smokehouse), just before the traffic light and the traffic island turn right into the Adventureland Campground on NE Simpson Rd. which will take you straight into the campground and the office (exiting is as convoluted as the entranceway). This was brought to the attention of several employees who all professed no knowledge of this problem and stated that this was management’s accountability.
The park is part of a large amusement park, water park, circus, restaurants, and show venues with a hotel, adjacent to which is the old rv park and accordingly with these amenities does qualify as a resort. There are numerous dining options in the amusement park. The roads are paved as are the very narrow pads with no patio. The pads are fairly level and there is abundant green space between sites. Turning into a pad without running over the grass is not possible in a 45’ motorcoach. There are also numerous ‘buddy site circles’ which appear to only accommodate rv’s less than 22’ feet in length. The trees are well trimmed up so our 13’ height did not become an issue and the well established grass between sites is due to the regulation that no coverings are allowed on grass areas, a welcome condition. Be aware that sections of the park easily flood as we witnessed during our rainy stopover. Garbage dumpsters are few and a long distance from most sites. Bath houses/shower facilities are dispersed among the park in old cement block buildings. Adventureland describes them as ‘modern showers and rest rooms’...probably back in the 60’s! They are relatively clean and require updating to make them more inviting. Although the pool was not open it appeared fine and the adjacent clubhouse contains a comfortable lounge area with tv, a game room with pool table, small arcade, and laundry facility.
The FHU was in operable condition and the 50 amp electric was stable. The included WiFi provided standard streaming (not in HD) and was nominally successful with occasional buffering when watching movies. We did receive numerous over-the-air tv  HD channels on our antenna.

The Takeaway: an older campground, dominated by permanent residents, with close and easy access to/from I80 (once the entrance and exit route challenges are overcome). A very reasonably priced campground offering resort amenities at the adjacent Adventureland Amusement Park. Good for a stopover or a vacation with children to enjoy the amusement, water park, circus, etc. as well as the diverse food stand offerings. A Midwest resort in prairie country. We visited May 2019. Go to  www.rickpicks.com for other reviews, critiques and essays.