Rooki looking for info on private resort memberships


mac5547

New Member
Hello all. My husband and I have given up our tents and bought our first travel trailer. Now I find myself overwhelmed by all the "free" offers to camp at resorts. There has to be a catch. Any guidance or suggestions is welcome and appreciated. Thanks!
 

hertig

Senior Member
Re: Rooki looking for info on private resort memberships

The catch is that you have to sit through a sales pitch to buy a membership. These can be a problem.

Generally it seems to be that you have a 'home' resort and several other 'guest' resorts. The usage of these is rather controlled. This can be good or bad, depending. If the usage allowed fits with your needs, it can be ok. If not, well you still have to pay the monthly fee for the rest of your life or until you sell the membership (usually at a significant loss). And there have been a few cases where outfits have sold memberships and then gone out of business, lost/kicked out most of their campgrounds and other cases where people have gotten screwed.
 

mac5547

New Member
Re: Rooki looking for info on private resort memberships

My gut was telling me to watch out and your note, along with others, have confirmed that feeling. I think we'll just do a Good Sam kind of thing for the first year or so to get a feel for things. Thanks for the response and insight. Happy camping!
 

TexasClodhopper

Senior Member
Re: Rooki looking for info on private resort memberships

Good Sam, Passport, Taco, and others offer services and discounts in exchange for an annual fee. Most RV parks will offer a Good Sam discount usually 10% of whatever you pay for up front, for the first night, or some other plan.

The park pays an annual fee to Good Sam for the advertising and promotion of their park, and Good Sam has RVers visit and rate the park for the Good Sam books and web site. The other groups do similar things.

The key difference is that you are not obligated to do anything or go anywhere.

That is what RVing is all about; going where you want, when you want, and how you want.
 

DL Rupper

Senior Member
Re: Rooki looking for info on private resort memberships

Hey mac5547, welcome to the forum. Good Sam and Passport America have reasonable yearly rates. We have attended 2 membership sales pitch's after getting the free 2 nights and 3 days stay and believe me it was miserable trying to get out of their office alive after saying no. Never again.
 
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