Need advise

[Rodncon]

Hello all.
Me and the wife are retiring soon. We purchased a 40’ country coach and planning a cross country adventure. My question is…
Is there a good camping membership to purchase that is definitely worth it? I thought I would ask those who actually use these plans. Thanks!!

 

[Rich W.]

There may be but I am not a fan. I never have any trouble finding a decent place to overnight while on the road and for longer stays I make reservation.

The only membership CGs stayed in were Thousand Trails (two experiences) and I found them in marginal condition and the staff not very customer service oriented (or even friendly). It would also be limiting because you’d want to get your $$ worth so you would be more likely to use the membership and pass up a lot of other possibilities that might be far more rewarding.

One membership I would say is worth looking into is Harvest Hosts. Its the exact oposite of a 1000 Trails type operation as every stop is different and most have a lot to offer. And its only $100/year - it can pay for itself in one stop. And for an extra $15 you can add the golf course package. I don’t golf but I find golf course parking lots to be well kept, secure and quiet.

Join Now | Unique RV Camping with Harvest Hosts

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So that’s my .02 worth. I’m sure others will have some different ideas. It might help to edit your title to include “on camping memberships”.

Cheers!

 

[Rodncon]

Thanks Rich for the response. The wife and I are planning to travel for a year after I retire. We’re already members of Harvest host but was hoping to tap into other member discounts. Yes, boon docking is an option (no Walmarts though) but I want it to be safe. Thanks again for your insight.. safe travels to you.

 

[Germanrazor]

I am no member of any of these and rather not buy into those things from my research. The TT membership as Rich stated are marginal at best given some of the reviews I have read. There is a TT near our home the reason I researched them and after talking to folks and reading consumers feedback we opted to stay away…..I just find spots we like in towns/cities we wish to go to and just book.

But the old saying bears in mi……..to each their own.

 

[Rich W.]

I’m much more likely to pay $60 for an overnight stay in a park while on the road than boondock these days if those are the choices. I’ve had a lot of good experiences boondocking (and one bad one in an otherwise good Memphis neighborhood) but with the way society is going and the stories I’ve heard and read, its just not worth it. I’ve also seen some pretty marginal Walmart parking lots, so I’m disinclined to do that. I’m just a lot more risk averse these days and I can afford to be, so I look for secure, no-hassle places to over-night while on the road.

My practice is to start looking for a decent CG (RV park, State, County or City CG, etc) about an hour before I want to stop. And I never use any camping Apps either - just google maps and my Garmin 890. Those two sources have plenty of options. I also have a KOA membership, and while the membership is cheap (~$70 ?), and it give me a small discount, KOA CGs are usually 20%+ more expensive than local privately owned RV parks for the same amenities, so I don’t use it much.

I’ve been traveling about 20K miles/year and never been unable to find an acceptable place to stay, although at times I’ve driven through the night by choice, or cat-napped in rest stops when ”on a mission” to get somewhere. Sometimes if its already late, it doesnt seem worth it to spend $50-$60 just to park when I don’t need hook-ups. But these days I’m much more selective about where I’ll stop. I’m ok with parking with the semi’s in a turnpike rest area, but usually it doesn't come to that.

Also these days I dont usually drive more than 400 miles per day (getting lazy) so that means I’m stopping in late afternoon with time to set up, take a break, and enjoy wherever I am, and also not rushed to leave early in the morning. Spending a little more time in a CG makes it more worth the cost. I’m doing another cross country run in the Fall, probably two months on the road, and I just see no need for expensive memberships.

 

[Rodncon]

Thanks again for ALL the feed back. I guess we’ll let the road take us where it takes us. I’m glad I joined this forum. You guys were very helpful! Again, safe travels!

 

[AbdRahim]

If you do a lot of shorter stays, Good Sam and KOA give you 10% discounts. I use both and Coach-Net for roadside service. Most of my stays are a month or more, but I appreciate the discount on week long stays, daily, etc. Also savings on fuel with Good Sam.