Best Discount Camping RV Clubs
(Camp Addict does NOT accept payment from any company to review or endorse their products.)
By Kelly Beasley
Last Updated: February 4, 2023
RV clubs and associations that offer discount camping are all the rage among RVers. Let's face it, camping's not cheap anymore.
With more RVs sold yearly in record numbers, we have way more people hitting the road than ever before.
This means camping is getting more crowded and expensive, so RV club discounts are very appealing!
What Is The Best RV Club To Join?
Camper clubs all have different rules, and they all have various benefits. So which one is right for you?
Is it reasonable to become a member of several RV clubs? It depends on your RVing style, wants, and needs. You'll figure it out!
Best Camping Discount Clubs
The primary benefit of these camping membership clubs is to camp at a discounted rate in a park.
Each has its perks and drawbacks. Up to you to figure out which ones will benefit you most in your RV travel.
Escapees RV Club
Escapees (SKP) RV club has celebrated over 40 years in business (Founded in 1978).
That said, Escapees Discount RV clubs offer much more than campground discounts and are well known as an RV lifestyle club.
They offer mail-forwarding services, campground membership and discounts, RVer advocacy, Xscapers club, rallies, meetups, CARE, educational offerings including a boot camp program, and more.
Escapees members can benefit from their three different types of RV 'parking'.
- Rainbow Parks
- Co-op parks
- Discounts on 800+ commercial parks
They have 7 of their own 'Rainbow' parks and 11 'co-op' parks. Your membership provides a 15-50% discount at 800+ other commercial parks.
Escapees Rainbow Parks
The Rainbow Parks offer four types of parking: short-term, long-term, leases, and deeded lots.
These parks are also open to non-Escapee members, but Escapee members receive a substantial discount.
Some of the Rainbow Parks available
Escapees Co-op Parks
The co-op parks are owned and operated by the co-op members. (Separate and independent non-profit corporations.)
Memberships are only available for purchase by Escapees members. These are lots that can be leased and used only by the lessee.
Lessee's must maintain their Escapee's membership for their lease term.
Lessee's may choose to rent out their lot while they are away on trips, but they may ONLY rent to other Escapee's members.
Some of the co-op parks available
The lease continues as long as the member wants. Then it is sold back to the co-op (or another Escapee) when no longer wanted or needed.
If you want to own without some of the hassles of ownership, and you want a home base but also want to travel and not lose your spot, an SKP co-op lot may be good for you.
Escapees Commercial RV Park Discounts
Escapees have partnered with over 800 commercial RV parks to offer discounts ranging from 15 to 50% off.
Each park has its own rules and limitations as to how many nights you can stay and how much of a discount you will get.
Who Should Join the Escapees Discount Camping Club?
This is a MUST-HAVE membership if you are looking for a travel club with an active community, fellowship, and camaraderie.
Especially if you are a full-timer, the people you meet may become like family.
However, if simply getting the best deal for as many spots as possible for a few nights at a time, you'll want Passport America.
(Sorry, whoever took this pic. I know we used a few different cameras. Let me know if you know that it was you and you would like credit!)
Fees
Escapees memberships cost just $49.95 per year.
This gives you access to the Escapees and Xscapers communities and all of their other services, resources, and programs.
Pros and Cons of the Escapees RV Discount Camping Club:
Passport America Discount Camping Club
Passport America has to be one of the best deals available as far as a high percentage (50%) camping discount card program goes.
Before you choose, you must know how you camp to tell if their campground deals will work for you. For probably 90% of traveling campground campers, it's a no-brainer.
Remember that the discount camping sites aren't always the most desirable ones to stay in (this goes for most memberships).
Campsite Discount Percentage, Stay Duration, Rules
The typical discount for using your Passport America membership is around 50%. But some deals aren't that good.
The parking duration time is almost always limited. Some RV parks only offer deals seasonally or during certain days of the week.
Each one varies with its rules regarding discounts. You must read the rules of the particular place you would like to stay.
The Passport America app and website make it easy to find out what each partner offers. They use icons to identify what amenities are available easily.
Screenshot example below.
However, there are no reviews on any campgrounds within the Passport America app or website.
It will be your job to look up reviews on any particular campground elsewhere. Passport America has over 1,450 participating campgrounds in its network.
It's one of the best RV clubs for the steepest discount.
Pros and Cons of Passport America:
Thousand Trails Discount Camping Club
Boy, oh boy.
Here's where you can potentially sit back and get your popcorn out to enjoy the online disputes! What are we speaking of? It's a love-it or hate-it club.
Love Or Hate?
This membership is either loved or hated.
It works best for those who want to stay in RV parks full-time and love the area(s) in which they are located.
There are horror stories on the Internet (and in-person) about this RV discount club, and there are great stories on the Internet (and in-person) about it, too.
We have heard from people, and have read about, painfully harsh stories of people having the worst customer experience trying to GET and UNDERSTAND the membership.
Others say it went smoothly for them.
Trying to get information about their membership for this article proved very challenging.
Benefits of Thousand Trails
Here's what I understood from my tooth-pulling chats with their customer 'support':
- Membership is $575/year.
- This is for one camping 'zone.'
- There are five zones to choose from.
This gives you 14 days max to stay in-network at a spot in whatever zone you bought into.
Then you must be out for seven days somewhere else before you can stay in one of their locations in that zone again.
You can buy more zones for an additional $49. You can stay in-network indefinitely if you move every four days or less. But that's probably pretty hard to keep up with.
Still, it's an option.
They also have a 'Trails Collection.' These are Encore Campgrounds which are also open to the general public (non-members).
If you are a TT member, you can stay in these campgrounds for 20% off.
If you buy the Trails Collection membership, you can stay in them for free or for about $20/night.
Not sure if there is a limit on your stay duration or not.
Yes, it is complicated. It's a bit like a time-share.
In conclusion, if you are willing to do a lot of research and also buy an after-market membership, this campground club may be worth your while.
If you search around a little on the Internet, there are other camping memberships available, such as VIP, Elite, etc.
Why they don't advertise this on their website is beyond us.
Once again, knowing if this RV membership club would benefit you depends on how you camp and where you want to stay.
Pros and Cons of a Thousand Trails Membership
Good Sam Discount Camping Club
Easily the most popular and well-known of the clubs, Good Sam RV Club offers much more than just campground discounts.
However, the discount on Good Sam-approved parks is nothing to write home about- you only get 10% off the 2,100+ campgrounds in their network.
The Good Sam Club also offers discounts on RV-related items.
They discount propane at Camping World, free dump at select Camping World stores, discount on gasoline and diesel at Flying J stores, discounts on Camping World purchases, roadside assistance, and much more.
Also, they boast over 1.8 million members, and the membership fee is only $25.
So, depending on your style of RVing and how often you take to the road, this camping membership can easily pay for itself quickly if you use the benefits they offer.
Good Sam Club Products
Good Sam offers several other products besides the Good Sam Club membership described here. Visit our Good Sam Membership page to learn more about these other products and services.
Pros and Cons of Good Sam Discount Camping Club
FMCA (Family Motor Coach Association)
General Benefits
A couple of years ago, FMCA finally opened its doors to towable RV owners, people with travel trailers, fifth wheels, and such, as opposed to only people with a motorhome.
This means lots of great benefits to those who join.
Benefits include tire discounts, discounts on a temperature measuring device for pets, mobile Internet, roadside assistance, mail forwarding services, and many more.
FMCA Camping Discounts
Among many benefits, they do have some camping discounts to be had.
KOA
First, only NEW FMCA members (your first year) receive a KOA 'value card', which offers 10% of all KOA parks.
ALL KOA campgrounds are active in participating in this discount. You only receive this perk for your first year. It does not apply again when you renew.
Passport America
Second, you get more out of a Passport America membership.
There's a small amount knocked off of your fee. Plus, you get a few extra months, depending on the number of years you buy once.
Michael Stegner from FMCA quoted these Passport America benefits (when purchasing through FMCA) to us.
This is as of May 2019:
- 1 Year for $41 (includes a free 3 months)
- 2 Years for $74 (includes a free 3 months)
- 3 years for $104 (Includes a free 6 months)
The extra months are what makes this worth it. The purchase price difference is very minimal.
Other Participating Parks
Additionally, they have 300+ commercial RV parks that offer 5-50% discounts to FMCA members.
FMCA Members-Only Campground
FMCA has its member-only campground in Cincinnati.
Members also get two free nights per month at this location.
Reservations must be made in advance.
Fees
Membership fees are $60 for the first year, then $50 each year if you buy annually.
As often is the case, the more years you buy at once, the cheaper it becomes.
Auto membership renewal is available.
Pros And Cons Of FMCA
Boondockers Welcome
Boondockers Welcome is pretty much like it sounds. It's an RV club offering places to temporarily dry camp on people's private property.
Rules
Members are asked to follow a few rules.
Most rules are common sense.
That said, limitations might be no hookups, the rig length, or having pets, depending on the host you are looking to park with.
Read their stipulations before you contact the host.
Host Benefits
Member Benefits
Boondockers Welcome Fees
The fee for Boondockers Welcome is a very reasonable $79 per year. They have over 3,140+ hosts in the United States.
There is an option to purchase a plan that also includes Harvest Host locations.
Hosts may or may not have utilities for you to use. (Don't count on it.)
If they DO, the use of utilities may cost an additional amount, which is up to the homeowner.
Marshall and Kelly finally got a membership in the summer of 2019. We enjoyed 4 or 5 different stays without any issues.
One initial concern was that we would have to be ultra social. This has NOT been the case. The homeowners have been very hands-off. Yet friendly.
Perfect!
Pros and Cons of Boondockers Welcome
Use our discount code to enjoy 15% off your membership!
Code: CAMPADDICT15
Harvest Hosts Discount Camping Club
Harvest Hosts is the best RV membership for experiencing, well, experiences!
They offer up unique places to park for the night- primarily dry camping (what is dry camping in an RV?) stays at wineries, farms, breweries, and other attractions.
In exchange, it is implied that you patronize the place you are visiting, if applicable.
However, the bonus is that you get a fun and unique experience and a camping spot for the night.
In fact, they have over 3,300 hosts you can experience, many being east of the Mississippi and a few in Canada.
Group Of RVing Friends At A Brewery Harvest Hosts Location
Rules
There are some rules to be able to stay. For instance, your rig must be self-contained. It MUST have a fully functioning bathroom.
Also, you may not dump your grey tank on their property... these are logical rules that should even be able to go unwritten.
But... you know...(some) people. Additionally, you cannot have/use any type of outdoor kitchen at a host's place.
Harvest Hosts locations
Fees
The membership fee is $99 per year (discount code available) for Harvest Hosts only. There is an option to add Boondockers Welcome locations ($169 per year total). Plus, an all access pass is available that includes Harvest Hosts, Boondockers Welcome, and golf course locations ($179 per year total).
You'll be automatically set up with the auto-renew program. Email them anytime if you want to opt-out of auto-renew.
Harvest Hosts offers a 100% money-back guarantee.
Now that you're here, you get 15% off the membership cost if you use our link below!
Plans Available With Boondockers Welcome Locations
Harvest Hosts acquired the Boondockers Welcome in June 2021 and they now have plans that bundle the two offerings for additional savings (total cost $179 a year).
There is also an All Access plan ($179 per year) that adds over 400 golf course locations.
The first bundled plan gives you access to over 6400 locations, while the second bundle lets you stay at over 6800 locations.
Yeah, that should keep you busy for a while!
Pros and Cons of Harvest Hosts:
Harvest Host Discount Code
When you join Harvest Hosts using the below button, you are offered a 15% discount off the membership.
Just make sure you make note of the discount code that will display at the top of the Harvest Host website.
The discount is good for the first year of membership then renewals will be locked in at the current $99 regular price regardless of any future price increases.
Hipcamp Discount Camping Club
Hipcamp is the 'Airbnb' of RVing.
Founded in just 2013, it has grown to include over 432,000 properties, including public parks, private campground, and private land.
It works just like Airbnb. You search for properties to park your RV (or tent) instead of searching for houses and rooms to rent.
There is no cost to join Hipcamp, but you must register to book.
Hipcamp gets its money from service fees, which is a variable percentage of the amount that you book.
The site is very good at describing amenities on the property, and photos of each property are the owner's responsibility to fill out.
Filters make it easy to find what you need in a camping spot. (Filter for hook-ups, pets allowed, activities, etc.)
Rules
The only rules are set by the homeowner or property owner. Sure, you could get banned if you are an idiot while you stay and get bad reviews.
Pros and Cons of Hipcamp
National Park Service Senior Pass
This is not exactly an RV club membership, but it is such a great deal we had to include it.
You'll benefit greatly if you are a senior citizen (62+ and must be a US citizen or permanent resident).
100% of the proceeds go towards improving and enhancing visitor recreation areas.
The National Park Seniors Pass is a 'senior' version of the America the Beautiful Pass (which is available for anyone to purchase - no age restrictions).
It has additional benefits, including camping discounts at many Federal campgrounds.
Two Versions Of National Park Senior Pass
There are two versions of the National Park Senior Pass that you can purchase - an annual pass ($20) and a lifetime pass ($80).
However, unless there is a compelling reason to only buy an annual pass (good for just 12 months), we don't see a reason to not just spring for the lifetime pass (good for, well, your lifetime).
Free Access Pass For The Disabled
The park's service also offers a FREE access pass for those who have been medically determined to have a permanent disability.
Free if obtained on-site, $10 if ordered online or through the mail.
The National Park Service Senior Pass grants holders access to all of the Federally operated recreation sites (there are over 2,000) in the USA for free.
(Up to 3 additional adults in the same vehicle also get in for free.)
This pass also grants, at times, 50% off of amenity fees such as camping.
Not all camping fees will be discounted, such as the extra cost of electricity.
Still, this is one not to miss if you are a senior and like to stay in Federal parks.
Pros and Cons of a National Park Senior Pass
Processing Fee For Online Orders
There is an additional $10 document processing fee (you have to upload proof of residency and age) for orders submitted online.
So a total of $30 for the annual senior pass and $90 for the lifetime senior pass.
To avoid this additional fee, visit one of the Federal recreation sites that issues annual pass (view location list).
ANNUAL Senior Pass ($20)
LIFETIME Senior Pass ($80)
Explorer RV Club (Canada Only)
If you are a Canadian, this is the club for you. It's the largest RVing discount club in Canada.
They offer up discounts similar to Escapees RV Club in the States.
Some discounts and perks include:
- Campground discounts in the USA and Canada
- Insurance
- RV Dealer discounts
- Emergency Roadside Assistance (additional cost)
Campground discounts are only about 10-15%.
Some also have additional restrictions, such as long weekends or a limited number of days you can stay.
Sample Campground Discount Detail (10% off for max 6 nights)
Prices for competing roadside assistance seem to show that the Canadian assistance program offers the most benefits.
It's also the best price, even offering assistance in Mexico.
Explorer RV Club Roadside Compared To The Competition
Explorer RV Club offers discounts for purchasing membership two years at a time.
They also offer a discount for the Canadian Forces, but it's very minimal.
Explorer RV Membership Options
All in all, there aren't many choices tailored explicitly for Canadians.
Therefore, if you are staying in enough parks in Canada, it could pay off.
Explorer RV Club Pros and Cons:
Other Bonus RV Travel Clubs:
Here are some other good RV camping groups you might have interest in. These are primarily social camper groups.
North American Family Campers Association: This social camping organization has very low dues. They have chapters in New England, Canada, and one in Florida. Anyone is welcome, family, solos, couples, you name it.
Family Campers And RVers: This is an international (including North America and Canada) club for social connection. They hold hundreds of inclusive events every year. They also offer youth, teen, adult, and retiree programs. They also have a discount campground benefit.
RVillage: This is a 'social' platform for full-time RVers or part-time RVers. You can learn about RVing, plan meetups with others, and more.
Conclusion
Did you figure out what is the best camping club to join? Heck, there might even be more than one. There are many RV clubs and organizations to consider.
We hope this helped to clear up some things about the crazy world of RV discount clubs. Luckily there are many options when it comes to camping club memberships.
It's about figuring out which RV camping organizations or RV groups are best for you to join!
Just get out there and start doing it.
You will figure out which RV associations are correct for you as you go.
Camp on, Addicts!
Author: Kelly Beasley
As a seasoned and passionate RVing expert, I have dedicated myself to living the full-time RV life for over 5.5 years, immersing myself in the unique quirks and joys of the boondocking lifestyle and gaining a wealth of knowledge and experience along the way. In December 2020, my business partner and I made the transition to part-time RVing, but in January 2023, we hit the road once again, this time in our trusty vans. My mission is to help others embrace the RVing lifestyle with confidence and excitement, armed with the knowledge and resources needed to make the most of their adventures. I believe that the more you know, the more you can truly appreciate and enjoy the freedom and flexibility of the open road. Join me on this journey and let's make some unforgettable memories.
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Great page and info but seems completely lacking in one area. We want to know what the campsites cost, with it without memberships. We didn’t see a single example and that’s all we were looking for! We will be camping by motorcycle with a nice pull trailer.
Hi Bob,
Glad you liked this page, but sorry you didn’t find what you were looking for! We don’t (as you found out) talk about actual campsite costs. This varies from campground to campground and even varies by season.
You will want to use a website such as Campendium that relies on crowdsourcing reviews (including up to date costs). Simply find a campground you are interested in staying at (or browse areas you are interested in) and see what the going rate is currently.
Thanks for checking out Camp Addict and we hope you have a great trip!
Thanks for all the good info. We are new to the rv experience and this was helpful.
Hi Judy,
Thank you for the kind words! We are so happy to help.
Loved this information!! I’m a new travel trailer owner and am in learning mode. Still trying to figure out my camping style but think I will like a little bit of everything depending on the location. Thank U Kelly and Marshall. Can’t wait for more from you!
Hi Shelley,
Welcome to the travel trailer world! We have enjoyed ours for sure. Got us both through 5.5 and 6.5 years of full-time life! More to come, and thank you for the kind comment!
As for us: Social Security + Pension + Medicare + American the Beautiful Lifetime Senior Pass = Two Happy Campers!
NICE!!!! 🥰
I am just reading this article now. I am so glad it was sent to me. We are new to RV life. In fact we do not get our RV until Sept. We are used to travelling and tent camping on a motorcycle though.
In preparing for RV life we have heard about discount clubs. Not as many as you have listed. Only a couple of the popular ones. This is why Camp Addict is so great. The amount of time it would take me to compile the list and gather the information would be exhausting. With one article I have all the information necessary to make an informed decision! … And presented in an easy to understand format sprinkled with the right amount of humor. Love your style of writing.
Keep up the great work!
Dan
Hi Dan,
Yay! Very happy to hear you found great value in this article! Yes, it took a lot of work to conjure up all of the information in this post!
But that’s why we’re here- why we created Camp Addict. There weren’t many good sites out there when we started this back in 2017. There are more now, but we are still trying to be the best out there!
Thank you for taking the time out of your day to write the kind comment, it means a lot to us!
Cheers!
Really like reading your blogs. Very informative and I enjoy your humor 😁
Hi Jenna,
Thank you for saying that! We certainly enjoy writing them and sharing what we know with people such as yourself.
Take care, and thank you so much for taking the time to leave a nice comment!
Been a Good Sam life member for about 20 years. No yearly cost. Worth it to me. Have long since saved enough to pay for it many times over.
Did Passport America twice. First time it more than paid for itself. Second time there weren’t any campgrounds in our travels that year.
Yeah, I don’t recall ever using my PA membership. Didn’t know how I would RV, and in the first year I spent 8 months on a friend’s property and after that almost exclusively, out of the box, was boondocking.
The memberships either work for an individual or they don’t, mostly depending on how they go about RVing.
Thank you for your input!
Thanks Kelly. Really look forward to your articles. Always interesting. And Marshall, love the reviews. Just the right level of detail and your recommendations / rankings are very helpful. Thank you both!
Hey Rick,
Thank you so much! And it’s so kind of you to take the time out of your day to write that lovely comment. We really do appreciate it and we appreciate the input.
Hope we can keep on helping you out!
Thanks for the article. Very helpful. In future revision consider adding which clubs allow booking online. I find this a PRO as very convenient. For example boondockers welcome online booking excellent, while Harvest host requires calling, waiting on hold, and talking with someone who may not even be familiar with the program.
Hi Ken,
We couldn’t agree more! However, Harvest Hosts is looking to fix their booking system. Though it will likely take quite a long time to implement. (They just received 37 MILLION dollars to implement this.)
Hard to believe it takes over even one million dollars to do such a thing! They must be doing other stuff with it as well. So yes, BW is easy to book. HH, not so much.
Thanks for the tip! Might revise that info in the future.
We are Boondockers Welcome (BW) members for a long time, long enough to be grandfathered in at $30 per year. We use it both for our annual “snowbird” commute between Washington State and Arizona and for some sightseeing trips. On our Arizona commutes we always take the same route and stay with the same BW hosts, who have now become old friends. On a sightseeing trip to Bend, OR, our hosts in Redmond, OR, invited us to join them for cocktail hour! By us, this is the real “no brainer” deal, one stay is going to pay for the membership compared to a typical commercial campground. Although not required, every BW host we have stayed with has provided us 20 amp power via extension cord, and we always offer $5 for the courtesy. Many allow multi-day stays, as did our Bend host. The website for finding hosts and requesting stays is a model of how it should be done. Thumbs up for BW!
Hi Pat!
Yes, Boondockers Welcome has been a really great idea and company! I have used them as well, and the stays were nothing but great!
Amazing to hear you have found friends this way. I have never felt any pressure to ‘hang out’ with the hosts, which was an original (now defunct) fear factors of joining. We also recommend that people use BW as a way to ‘practice’ boondocking before actually going for it.
Cheers to many more amazing stays with BW!
It needs to be mentioned that BW also has a “fully self-contained” rule that includes having a greywater tank in the definition. Alaskan Campers do not have greywater tanks, and I had to do a retrofit on ours. This will eliminate some RVs such as tent trailers and teardrop trailers, and perhaps others. Early on we used a 5 gallon bucket with a lid with a hole in it for the drain hose, and we always disposed of the graywater off-site. No BW host ever complained, but when we renewed, we decided we had better get compliant.
WOW!! THANKS SO MUCH for compiling this list. I will have to store this one away. I’m going through the list slowly and putting it in my “Future Full Time Travel” notebook. I have seen many videos on these memberships…but WOW really thorough list Kelly & Marshall. Hope life in AZ is going well. Your up the way from me. Gotta LOVE this weather lately. Roof top camping for us this weekend down south of Tucson. Thanks again~
Hi Jenny!
Wow, thank you for taking your time out of your day to post this great comment! Glad you got some seeeeeeeeeerious juice out of it! : D
Yep, doing ok here… getting a little hitch itch… but also am enjoying having the time to put into Camp Addict instead of moving so much and planning, etc. And yes, the weather has finally been quite nice! So surprised by the rain! I know that the Tucson area really needs it.
So it’s a blessing. Enjoy this weekend!!!
Kudos to both of you Kelly & Marshall. Very informative. This helps me a lot, and you guys made it a lot easier for me to choose what works best for me & my husband. I appreciate very much the time & effort you spent in collecting all these information. Thank you from the bottom of my heart♥️
Hi Jocelyn,
Thank you for the kind comment! We are so happy to hear you found value in our pages! Hoping it for sure helped you figure out what you did and did not need. : D
Thank you so much for all of the research you did in comparing the pros and cons of each membership. Very well written and well done.
Hi Judy,
Thank you for the kudos! It definitely took some serious digging and research to get everything right. We do hope it helped you figure out what you do or don’t need!
I was helping my elderly Mom with her bills when I discovered she was a member of KQ Ranch / cramembers. We called to try to cancel and it was ridiculous. You can not cancel the membership by phone, email or online. You have to write a letter, sign it and mail it to a random PO box in Arizona. It is scammy as heck and they try to make it hard for you to get out of the membership, I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone.
Ugh, that is so aggravating! Sorry to hear you have had a hard time with them. ‘Customer no-service’ is what it sounds like. We hope you finally got out of it. Companies should make their customer’s lives easier, not harder.
Thanks for the great article, very informative. This helps immensely in determining which of these may be best for us. You have saved me a lot of time! Much appreciated!
Hi Joe,
That’s great to hear! So happy to help and thank you so much for the positive comment and for your appreciation. We love it. : )
We are future RVers, current Ebike owners and new to overnight Tent camping and bike run trips. I was doing a search for best RV/camping discount clubs and stumbled upon your site. FANTASTIC Information!!! Thank you so much. We are about 18 to 24 months from being able to become mobile and are doing the camping tent to RV during this time. I look forward to your newsletter. So glad I found you!!! Again, truly great job! -P
Hi Phaedra,
Well, wow! Thank you so much for the kudos!!! And we are excited for you in that you are going to be mobile soon… RV camping is a totally different world! I don’t consider it camping. To me, that requires a tent. LOL!
It’s going to be so fun though- again, we appreciate you taking the time out of your day to spread your kind words and love! : D
Hi Kelly and Marshall. Thanks for this post. I really enjoyed the read, it is awesome having so much info for each group all in one spot. I’m not a USA citizen and will be touring western states for 3 months using a camper van (with no toilet and black water tanks). I also have a tent. Was so keen to use Boondockers Welcome but the vehicle is not allowed. What group/s would you suggest for me to sign up to? Are they mostly for actual RVs only. I plan to stay out the cities as much as possible.
Hi Evlyn,
When you say your vehicle is not allowed, is it only due to the no toilet issue? Did you contact them about it? You may already know this, but if it’s a homemade van, it may not quality. They only specify to contact them to be approved.
Perhaps you did not qualify as you don’t have a toilet system?
If so, then if you have the room, why not get a composting toilet, or create your own? I know friends who have used the bucket method for their toilet (#2) then use a ‘she-wee’ or the like for urine collection. Be prepared to store your urine, however. We produce about 1.5 liters of it per day. So if you are staying for a week, either know you can store it, or go to a public facility to dump into a toilet.
As long as you have a method to be self-contained (Likely running water, cooking, and toilet facilities), you may qualify to be a legal member. However, some hosts MAY not allow you to stay if you don’t have a traditional composting toilet or built-in toilet.
Odds are, most won’t mind, as long as you aren’t dumping anything on their property. (SOME may allow you to set up a bathroom tent, but not all will.)
BW is great. If you want to stay outside of cities, and you have a van, consider boondocking or simply parking at truck stops/gas stations overnight and then heading out each day to explore.
As far as groups go, you may want to look into the RTR (Rubber Tramp Rendezvous) group. There are a lot of vehicle dwellers in there who may have great tips for you. They likely have periodic casual meetups as well.
Thanks for all the info Kelly, you’re truly a wealth of knowledge in this department. I had already contacted BW and they also suggested getting a portable toilet. That, along with the grey water tank are required to join BW. I will look in to it and also the RTR group. Thanks again, it’s really appreciated. ????
Sure thing, Evlyn, thank you for replying back! Have fun out there. : D
I had never heard of Hipcamp before and really like what it offers. I have a Passport America lifetime membership and use America the Beautiful often. Hipcamp is just what the family and I are looking for now to avoid large crowds and still enjoy the outdoors. The filters are great because I need full hook-ups and want to stay within my camping budget.
Awesome, glad to have introduced you to it. : )
Once you have used Hipcamp, we would love to hear about your experience here.
What would you recommend if you sleep in your suv? I’m just starting my journey by myself of looking for a class C big enough to tow my car on a trailer with. Do you have to actually set up a tent to be camping?
Well, with a vehicle, you can try to do it pretty much anywhere that feels safe. Some campgrounds won’t let you stay in a tent. Some won’t let you sleep in a car. You’d have to find out ahead of time from every campground you went to if that’s what you’re asking about.
Of course, you can try to sleep overnight at places like Walmart or in other public large lots. But as for campgrounds? We pretty much never use them so we may not be the best source of information for you. Good luck!
We Have Never Had An Rv Before. Therefore are looking for as much information as possible. It would be great to spend the winter in a warmer climate!
Hi Peggy,
We agree! Living on wheels gives one that opportunity if they aren’t tied down to a brick and mortar job.
I think personally, I must strive to create my life in a way that always allows for me to travel. Heck yeah!
I enjoyed reading your great impartial reviews and information. Thank you.
Thank you, JH! We are happy you found some value in it. : )
Great and informative article. I knew about some of these, but not all. Thank you!
Hi Laura,
That’s great to hear, hope this helped you out some. Remember, don’t jump into any before you know your personal camping style! Have fun out there. : )
Im deaf need help to find place to stay park our RV motorhome in California riverside please helping me my name karyn
Hi Karyn,
The absolute best resource for finding good campgrounds and even free places to park is Campendium.com. They detail people’s experiences, price, cellular service, what amenities are offered, etc. Good luck in your search!
We had a membership one time, with Thousand Trails, we got it when staying at an Encore location, because of that we got that Encore site as part of our TT membership.. It became our favorite place to go, and it was free with the TT membership.. We had good experience at other TT locations, just a few were slightly undesirable. Thanks for the Blog..
Thanks Kurt, we hope it has been helpful for you!
Hey wonderful article, am a member of Boondockers, and I want to go to florida for next winter, what other club do you recommend?
HI Don,
Thank you, we are glad to hear you found this useful. Thousand Trails and Harvest Hosts both have numerous places on their sites listed in central and south Florida. Worth a look depending on where you are planning to go.
Safe travels!
A colossal thanks Kelly & Marshall. Most grateful for your generosity in sharing these resources with us. Happy 2020 and happy new decade!
Hi Malcolm,
You’re most welcome! It’s comments like yours that make us so happy to have started Camp Addict!! Happy new decade to you as well, friend. We’re happy you found us. ????
Wonderful just what I needed. I did wonder if Hipcamp had any hookups or was pure boondocking.
Hi Kelley,
Great to hear that this helped you out, and thank you for the kind comment! We love hearing the positive. : )
Yes, some Hipcamp properties may offer hook-ups. As you probably already read, just filter your search to include only those properties and you shall find what you are looking for.
Have fun with your travels and drive safe!
Hello looking for work campers jobs on Oregon coast or Pismo Beach area. Any recommendations?
Hey Willie,
Camp Addict isn’t an employment website, but there are some great resources online that may be able to help you. Workamper News is where I’d start.
You can find out other potential websites in the Work on the Road section of the Camp Addict RV Resources page.
I see that Camping World have a lot of discount programs. I even thought maybe I should buy an RV from them because of it, but then I searched for Camping World reviews (https://camping-world.pissedconsumer.com/review.html) over the Internet and found a lot of unsatisfied feedback about this company. There are even a few video interviews where customers are sharing their negative experience with this company. A lot of their customers are complaining about warranty policy.
Hi Mary,
Yep, there is definitely a lot of negative feedback out there about the company (Good Sam/Camping World). We are only sharing what they have to offer. People DO tend to vent online more about negative events than they offer praise. Still, we recommend that you read up on what you can find and make your decisions after doing your own due diligence.
Personally, neither Marshall nor I use Good Sam, except for now I use their roadside assistance for reviewing purposes. (and it’s not off to a good start)
Discount clubs only work for you if they suit your personal needs depending on how you camp.
Good luck out there!
This was a great article camping 101. I had no idea how much I didn’t know. It started with the rv dealer offering a 1yr 1zone thousand trail membership. I have seen some campgrounds and they don’t look that appealing. And neighbors…I’m doing this to escape from people and restrictions. So now I have to learn about Boondocking and grey water tanks lol. Seriously where do you dump this stuff. And how do you know it’s safe to park at your boondock location or if it’s private land. Never been camping but it seems exciting I’m doing all my homework for 2020 spring start date.
Glad you liked the article, Dabula!
You can learn more about boondocking by reading our boondocking guide.
Dumping your holding tanks is a matter of finding a stand along dump station or a campground that allows you to use their dump station. Some dump stations are free, while some charge a nominal fee. Most will have a fresh water spigot you can use to fill up your fresh water tank.
Some gas stations will have dump stations, as will rest areas in some states. You can use Campendium to locate dump stations, both free and paid. Just filter by ‘dump station’ in the area you want to look.
You can also use Campendium to find boondocking spots, to make sure you are camped in an approved area. Just filter by ‘free’ to find free to camp locations.
Good luck on the Spring 2020 launch date!
Dabula, I don’t have an RV yet, but am planning on becoming a fulltimer & have been doing a lot of research for close to 3 yrs on YouTube where I’ve found many videos of fulltimers who boondock all the time. There’s good places & not so good places, but it’s best to research as there are many who’ve been doing this for a long time. Check with Bob Wells of CheapRVLiving. There’s a lady who has tons of videos; name is Robin & her channel is CreativityRV. She’s also written a book with all kinds of tips. Carolyn’s RV Life can give you many tips also. You’ll find many others with videos that will help.
Great information.. thanks..
You’re welcome, Toby! We hope it helped.
Thank you for your comprehensive review of the different options for full time rvers. We haven’t even bought one yet but we’re trying to get our ducks in a row to figure this out. Thanks!
Hi Newtothis,
You are most welcome. Good luck with your search!
Hi K & M,
To date, I am a weekend warrior getting in the groove with my new TT with the plan of FTing when I retire in 2 years (secretly jumping up & down).
I am so naïve I have to chuckle. I was reading a rv forum & they were talking about ways of saving money and “campground memberships”. I think to myself “what’s a cg membership”? So I google it & come to your site.
What great info you have provided for those of us (me) who are clueless. It turns out I have 2 of the fore mentioned membership, but didn’t really understand the extend of said memberships. I knew one would give me discounts at their stores (GS) & the other (Escapees) I thought, “my, these people know stuff I have to glean as much as I can from them” & joined. It’s a good thing I have 2 more years to continue figuring things out! It’s a process but, boy it’s fun! Thanks for spelling it out for me. Really good straight forward info. I think I will go read your ring 101 now…
See you in the boonies
Hi Susan,
So awesome to hear, glad we could help you! “See you in the boonies”- you’ve done your homework! : ) You’ll do well as you have so much time to research. Glad we can help you along the way!
Camp On, Susan!
Hi! all this info is very helpful, my husband and I are looking into RVing full time as we are still in our mid 20s and want to travel the country before settling down. I would love any more input you might have! do you have any recommendations on the type of rv? we have been doing all sorts of research but I would love to hear from someone who has actually been out there!
thanks!
Hey Meg,
Ah, yes, what type of RV should one full-time in. That is THE question, isn’t it? Pretty sure you aren’t gonna like this answer, but it depends…
We have friends that full-time in every type of RV. From a tiny 8-foot teardrop to 42-foot fifth wheels, and everything in between. So there is certainly no one right answer. And we certainly cannot answer for you. It’s all about your particular needs and travel/living styles. Big help, right?
Both Kelly and I have been perfectly happy with our 24-foot travel trailers, but now our needs and mode of travel are changing so we are thinking going smaller and moving into #VanLife. That seems to be the best for us as far as mobility and access (being able to park about anywhere) for our future needs. But that’s just us. And there are plenty of people who would never consider moving into something that small.
So all we can do is show you what we’ve written on the topic here on Camp Addict and then it’s up to you to decide. But you should be visiting a ton of RV dealerships to get familiar with what’s out there. Our advice is go with as small as you possibly could see yourselves in. Other than that, it’s up to you to decided what type of RV works for you.
Here are some pages on Camp Addict you may find helpful:
The Perfect RV For Your Needs
Different Types of RVs Explained
Best RV Brands
Best of luck with your future life on the road!
This information is very helpful as we are headed out for our first year, in our motorhome, traveling across the states and looking for less expensive camping deals.
Glad you found Camp Addict useful, Joan!
Sounds like a grand adventure you are about to depart on. We hope that you love the lifestyle as much as we do!
Have you considered giving boondocking a try? That’s how we camp the vast majority of the time. Not because it saves us a ton of money (it does), but because we prefer the open spaces and not being so close to your neighbor (like most campgrounds).
Enjoy your first year on the road!
Excellent information given, a lot of good and helpful information given, specially for those of us that are new to RVing. Thank you
Hi Luis,
You are most welcome! Thank you for the kind kudos. It’s always appreciated!
We are 12 months away from purchasing our RV trailer. We plan on becoming full-time Rving for at least a year. I have heard many thoughts and opinions about these memberships and Camp Addict has done a nice job with their descriptions and pros and cons. I still have at least a year to make up my mind. If you have any strong recommendations please send them my way. Happy Camping!!!!!
Hi Larry,
Well, congratulations on your upcoming full-time status! Very exciting times for you. My strongest recommendation is to not get any memberships until you figure out your personal style of travel.
Like I said in this article (I think?), I got a Passport America membership right off. Never used it even once. Which plan works best for you will really remain to be seen once you start full-timing. If you KNOW already how you will camp, then you can easily figure out which plan(s) is/are going to be the best for you.
It’s not a super critical decision. Take your time, and have fun with it!
Thanks for the kudos, and Camp On!
Thank you for your helpful research! Just starting our planning for full-time RV living within the next 2 years.
Hi Pamoola,
Sure thing, we are happy we could be helpful. Good luck with your plan and launch!
Out of ignorance, but searching for answers – are minivans or SUVs, setup as camping vehicles allowed in the RV camps previously mentioned? Thanks.
Hi Arica,
Different RV parks vary with their rules. Some only allow Class a’s, for example. However, we would think that at least parks that allow tent campers would allow vehicles to be slept in as well.
Still, we aren’t totally sure about this answer. Perhaps another reader reading this has a better more concise answer for you.
Thank you for your question, sorry we can’t be of more help!
Thank you for the info. We are going to be full-time RVers for the next year or so, and this is awesome info, all consolidated into one location. We have been so overwhelmed, this is super-refreshing. Thank you again.
Thank you for the kudos, James!
Just remember, don’t buy before you figure out what your RVing style will be. Well, one could argue that you can get a Passport America membership either way, as one stay usually pays for the membership, but still. I never used mine!
Congratulations and good luck in your ventures!
This post is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!!! So much information out there and you managed to collate and disseminate it beautifully!! Happy Camping!
Glad you found this post helpful, Jill, and thanks for the kind comment!
Happy Camping right back at ya!
Your information is really helpful. I do have one addition…when we bought our travel trailer, we were given a pass to a group/club called Colorado River Adventures. It is a membership. I thought you might like to add it to your reviews/information. It seemed a bit expensive to us as ‘newbies’.
Thank you,
Hi Sandi-
Thank you for the kudos! I looked at CRA’s website. Strange I see nothing about needing a membership. How much does their membership cost?
It was very expensive… over $1200. When we bought our trailer they said we would get Free stays. As it turned out you do get free stays but only at one location. They have several along the CO river and one in Julian. When we went to Julian for our first stay, we were required to sit through a sales presentation. It was a nice place but you had to decide then and there. We chose not to join as we had no experience anywhere at that time.
Sales presentation? Yikes. That’s expensive- Sounds like Thousand Trails is a much better deal, and no presentation to sit through!
Try the thousand trails camping pass. I’ve had one for a few yrs now . Now at 565 a yr. Get the benefits without the big bucks . Nor bail out. 30 day notice to not buy into the next yr pass
We’re new to RV’ing after retiring and purchasing a 25’ travel trailer. Thank you for putting so much info on the RV ‘club’ options into one place. It’s all a bit overwhelming.
Hi Sandi-
You are most welcome! There is a ton of information out there, and our goal is to make it all easier for people to figure out. Glad to hear this helped!
I’m going to get into RVing soon, at the moment we, my wife and I, are trying to decide on the length of the 5th wheel that we are going to buy. Everyone in the chat rooms have different options. We are looking for under 39’ but the ones that we like are over 40’. Can you help with some good advice on this? Thanks Ron
Hi Ron,
Under 39 feet is still a large RV. Heck, there are times when I think my 24 foot trailer is too big.
And, yeah, you’ll get a lot of comments online about trailer size. I’m guessing that maybe even some of the commenters own a trailer (there are a LOT of armchair quarterbacks online).
Yes, with a fifth wheel, you get the advantage of some of it being over the truck you are towing it with. But still, you have a big, heavy, tall trailer to be towing down the road. Maneuvering into a camp site. Figuring out if you will fit into that gas station. All big pains in the butt!
Our advice is go with the smallest rig you can sanely live in. You don’t mention if you are full-timing, but I’ll assume you will be.
You also don’t mention how you will be camping. Or how your travel style is. Or if you’ve owned an RV before (I’m guessing maybe you haven’t based on the comment).
It’s impossible to know how you will end up using your rig, especially if it’s your first. Your travel style may (and probably should) evolve. You’ll want to take your RV places you hadn’t thought of before. You’ll find that maybe RV parks aren’t right for you and you want to try boondocking.
My point is, get the smallest rig you can live in for a few reasons. It’ll be easier to tow. Easier to park in a camp site. Easier to park at a visitors center. Easier to get into a gas station. Easier to take down that forest service road with the million dollar views. Easier period.
I personally would look for a fifth wheel a lot closer to 30 feet. You’ll thank me later. 😉
Best of luck with your search, and enjoy the open road!
Thank you very much for your reply, yes it will be used for travel at first, later we are going to spend the remainder of our retired life in. I’m already retired, my wife is soon to. Are plans are to travel as long as our bodies an vehicles can take it. This is our first time doing this, so we are taking in as much information as possible before setting off as RVER’s, possibility next year, if everything goes as planed ?? I will be reading your news letters, which are very interesting, an preparing for for our great adventure. Thanks again Ron and a Debbie, from So. Calif.
Hi Ron & Deb,
Exciting! It is very overwhelming, trying to figure out what RV to buy and how to get started in this lifestyle.
The choice of RVs can get confusing as well, as there are soooo many manufacturers. Just today we published a guide to the best RV brands that may help you with this choice.
Have fun with this journey!
Ron,
I’m probably to late to give my input but here goes…
First and foremost, Your first purchase of an RV is just that, YOUR 1st!
If my recollection is correct, most, if not all fellow RVers I have spoke with over the last 3yrs were on their 2nd, 3rd and even 4th different RV during the camping adventures
Now personally I have lived in 2 on 2 separate occasions over the last 20 yrs and now on my 3rd, gearing up for my retirement adventure.
My first was a 24′ travel trailer with no slides, second owner, 4 years old at the time. live it week nights for 6 months… At the time is just a place to lay my head while I was a geographical bachelor so I was not towing it around and Camping. BUT learned a lot… it was Too small but the price was right as a great start up lesson learning RV…
So my second purchase was 37′ fifth wheel, over all length at 45′. Lived comfortably in it for 2.5 yrs… it was expensive, heavier then heck 17000# and a pain to travel with. It was a Monster! So I ended up settling in one spot until I became a full time single parent
My 3rd and current is a 29.9 inside 35′ over all travel trailer, 9000# dry weight, 3 slides, 2 A/Cs, washer dryer hookup Blah Blah Blah
I LOVE IT!
Good luck! G
Thanks for the input, Ron!
You are spot-on with your take. Yes, indeed, most people don’t purchase the right rig the first time. We have many friends that full-time and are on their second, third, even fifth RV.
My sister and brother in law purchased their first travel trailer a few years back, quickly decided to get a fifth wheel, and just put a deposit down on an even bigger fifth wheel.
Kelly and I kind of rare in the buy an new RV all the time space. I’m in my 6th year of full-timing in my very first RV. Kelly is in her 5th year of full-timing in her very first RV. But we are both contemplating new figs. Going smaller rather than larger.
The important part is to get out there and camp!
hi, kelly/marshall, thought i would jump in…. what an excellent blog/ article… great “JOB” with wisdom and insight. the back story on this comment… 1st time snowbird this past winter. planned a once in lifetime alaska trip with the couple we visited this winter… now have a 2002 5th wheel; will tow with the 2001 550; Maybe a need for a great road assistance program. They are now both road worthy… Now to member-up to a couple of clubs to finish out some of those needs… will probably do passport america for the deep discount for overnights… [our traveling co-couple are AAA members]. Then the choice between; Good Sams club { fuel/ propane and retail discount, camp directory} and FMCA [tire, battery, verizon discounts, plus windshield repair or replacement, mail forwarding, and plates} and to top these choice off, they both have a road side assistance program…. whew…..the choices need to be made in next couple of days…… to get up to speed for our July 15th leave date… I will be looking forward to any real-life experience in these choices…. Have a Blessed experience in the camping life!!!!!!! pat/ral
Hi Patricia and Raleigh,
Decisions, decisions, right?
Don’t forget the Escapees RV Club. We do cover this above, but the Escapees offer many benefits other than just discount camping. They also offer mail forwarding, roadside assistance, and more (some are optional coverages).
We aren’t the biggest fans of Good Sam. So I’d narrow my choice between the FMCA and the Escapees.
Both Kelly and I have been Escapees members for years and only recently became an FMCA (commercial) member. Back when we started RVing, the FMCA didn’t allow trailers (they were motorhomes only), so that wasn’t an option for us. Only recently have they expanded who they allow to join.
So we are much more familiar with (and extremely happy with) being Escapees members. We both use them for mail forwarding and other membership benefits (though not roadside assistance as this is a fairly new offering).
You probably can’t go wrong with either, so decide which best suits you. (Or you can always join both as the membership fee for either is very reason