Camping Memberships


Roadtreker50

New Member
Retirement for the both of us has finally come! We are planning several extended trips this summer and beyond. We are thinking about getting a campground membership but want to get some info from those who know - or wish they knew then what they know now.

The type of traveling we plan is one or two extended trips accross the country each year - we are in upstate NY - My wife is not keen on sleeping in Wal*Mart parking lots and feels more secure in a campsite - even if its just for an over-nighter. Me, I could sleep anywhere. Up until we got our Roadtrek my wife's idea of roughing it was a motel without a bar attached. For example this fall we will be going to the Califoria desert and want to make several stops along the way. The trip may take a month or more - time doesn't matter. we want to be able to stop for a few days here and there and take side trips. Kinda use a campground as a base of operations.

We heard that campground membership re-sales are a good deal. what is a the best way to do my homework and then shop around? Also, anyone have experience with the Passport America type of thing?

TIA, this summer will be our first doing any extended teraveling and camping in the Roadtrek
 

Stormin

Member
RE: Camping Memberships

We buy memberships when the discount you get for joining pays for the membership. So we have just joined as we go. :)
 

hertig

Senior Member
Re: Camping Memberships

I have had pretty good experiance with Passport America. I can usually find a member park within a few miles of the freeway and within an hour of when I want to stop. Some of them are quite nice, and some of them are tolerable. The locations are more frequent (and generally cheaper) in the SW (AZ to IL) than in the NE (IL to MA). You do have to watch out, because some parks limit the time you stay and/or block out particular days of the week or holidays, and some places won't take reservations for the discount. But all in all, with a little planning and checking up front. it's well worth the $25 you can get it for or even the $45 they'd like to get.
 

DL Rupper

Senior Member
Re: Camping Memberships

Passport America is good if you can find a member campground along your route. Most of the time you can. Good Sam is good for a 10% discount. You need to get a TrailerLife Campground Directory.
 

kotr

New Member
Re: Camping Memberships

You can check out TLDIRECTORY.COM which is what DL is referring to. Lots of listing, last year pricing, direction, etc.
 

deniloo

New Member
RE: Camping Memberships

Any opinions on Coast to Coast memberships? Someone at work is selling a membership and I don't really know anything about Coast to Coast.
 

DL Rupper

Senior Member
Re: Camping Memberships

Coast-to-Coast puts a severe limitation on where you camp. In order to take advantage of the lower cost camping, you have to go where the campgrounds are located. Restricted camping. I personally like to go where I feel like going when I get up in the morning. Unlimited camping. The the real lure of the road. :approve:
 

Kirk

Senior Member
RE: Camping Memberships

First, I do agree that the Passport America membership is one that will very likely pay off. Since it costs less than $50 and you stay for 1/2 price, it will only take a very few nights use to recover that cost and nearly everyone who gets a membership does that.

Second, if by memberships you are thinking of Coast to Coast, Resort Parks Int., Thousand Trails, or any of the membership campgrounds, you are very unlikely to save anything with them for your kind of travel. Those parks are very seldom located near to the major highways or to any of the major attractions. Parks that have a very large customer base near them do not join groups such as those. The parks that do join those groups are what is called "destination" parks and as such they are programed for the person who stays for at least a week and a month or longer is the primary market that they serve. Very few are convenient to a one night stay.

Memberships like Good Sam are helpful as the discounts in the many member parks do tend to pay off, though not as quickly as the PA since these are only 10% discounts. You might also find Escapees to be worth while as they have member parks that give 15%, although not nearly as many as GS. Escapees also have 19 membership RV parks where their members can stay for a very low cost if you happen to be traveling where one is located, but those too are destination parks.

I think that my advice would be to stick with only Passport America and Good Sam for the first year to learn the ropes. Remember that if you should buy a membership in one of the campground groups like Coast to Coast, once you buy it you have to keep paying your fees to them until you find someone else to buy that membership from you.
 
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