As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Introduction to RV Clubs and Memberships
Table of Contents
This article will review and analyze nine of the most popular memberships that are available today.
When you are done reading this, you will be aware of the different types of camping memberships that are available, how much they cost, what types of benefits they offer, and the pros and cons of each.
What is a camping or RV membership?
RV clubs or camping memberships are organizations that offer exclusive memberships for campers or RVers. They charge a chosen price in exchange for certain privileges.
The benefits range from discounted campground site fees to learning resources and access to certain amenities, events, and activities.
Many outdoor enthusiasts jump at the opportunity to join one or many of the available camping and RV memberships or organizations. This allows them to gain access to savings on their camping adventures.
Do You Need A Camping or RV Parks Membership?
Depending on how you travel or how often you travel, you may or may not benefit from one or more of the below-listed camping memberships. Some of them are geared more toward RV travelers or full-time RVers while others can benefit even the occasional camper. The extra benefits offered by some of the campground memberships are mainly aimed toward full-time travelers.
Whether or not you will gain much from joining one of these organizations will largely depend on several different factors including your future travel plans. This guide aims to assist you in making the best personal decision for your needs and bank account. You must weigh the membership fees against the benefits offered.
For more information on RV travel, check out this article!
RV Club and Camping Memberships
1. Good Sam Club
a. Type of Membership:
Good Sam has several types of memberships available. The first is a savings rv club membership. The savings membership saves its members 10% at participating campgrounds. The second type of membership that Good Sam offers is an extended Warranty.
This program offers additional protection on your recreational vehicle purchase. The third type of membership is roadside assistance. This assistance will cover all of your road vehicles in case of emergency while traveling (including tires).
b. Cost:
The cost of the Good Sam savings membership starts at $29 for one year. The extended warranty program largely depends on the year, make, and model of the recreational vehicle that you purchased. The roadside assistance program also depends on the number of vehicles that you own and what types. The amount of rv travel may also affect premiums. Quotes are available from a Good Sam representative.
c. Benefits:
If you purchase a Good Sam savings membership, you will also have additional benefits of gas savings and retail shopping savings. They also offer propane discounts at certain locations.
d. Pros:
Good Sam offers a ton of different types of amenities and services from insurance to credit and roadside service to discount memberships.
They know RV’s and offer just about everything that you, as an RV owner could need. This membership may also give you discounts for purchases at camping world!
c. Cons:
Some of the services seem disjointed. You need to call different numbers for different services. For instance, roadside service is a separate entity than their insurance.
2. Thousand Trails
a. Type of Membership:
Thousand Trails is a camping discount membership. Thousand trails offers several types of rv club membership options that allow you to camp (mainly RV memberships) overnight for free. This “free” parking is of course after paying your annual fee.
You, as a member, stay at a Thousand Trails park, in your assigned zone, for free, during your membership year. It is a great way to save money, making it one of the best rv campground memberships for those who travel full-time.
b. Cost:
The price of a basic membership to Thousand Trails membership club is approximately $615 per year. Many times you can find a discounted rate for this annual fee.
This fee covers just one zone or region. You can add more zones for additional fees.
Memberships can be upgraded to add additional days, longer booking windows, and more zones. The trails collection adds tons of campground stay options. Upgrades to premium plans are good for lifetime. You are responsible for the annual fee.
c. Benefits:
Thousand Trails rv membership gives access to RV sites, cabins and tent sites available. There are over 190 campgrounds available throughout the U.S. to stay at. They are fairly well kept and each campground has great amenities available.
Once your annual fee is paid, you are not responsible for any costs whatsoever. Just camp and pay nothing. This camping pass money saving benefit is almost too great to pass up.
d. Pros:
The best pro is that you can save a ton of money on camping fees and stay at some of the best campgrounds throughout the United States.
e. Cons: You may have to move frequently. Reservations fill up quickly. If you want to stay at a popular place, you may not be able to get reservations. The upgrades can be quite pricey.
- To join click this link.
3. Passport America
a. Type of Membership:
Passport America is a discount camping membership.
b. Cost:
The cost to join Passport America is $44 per year.
c. Benefits:
Passport America is associated with over 1450 campgrounds. When you are a member of this campground membership, you receive 50% off one night stay at an associated campground.
This membership pays for itself immediately. One night stay at some campgrounds equals the annual cost. It is a win-win situation.
d. Pros:
Passport America saves campers a ton of money as soon as you join. There is no limit to the amount of that you can use your membership card. There is a referral program in which you can earn money for referring new campgrounds.
e. Cons:
None
- To join click this link.
4. Harvest Hosts
a. Type of Membership:
Harvest Hosts is a savings type membership that allows its members to book one night stays at wineries, breweries, farms, golf courses, museums, and other unique locations for free (once annual membership fee is paid).
The locations, in most cases, do not offer water, electric or sewer hookups. The Recreational Vehicles must be self contained.
b. Cost:
The cost for an annual Harvest Host membership is $79 per year. They offer military and government discounts.
c. Benefits:
The best benefit of this membership is that it pays for itself after one stay. Members get to visit unique and beautiful places and meet new people.
The company only asks that during each stay you patron the establishment for which you are visiting. This helps the company maintain great relationships with its hosts.
This specific rv club helps its members avoid high priced campground fees for a single night stay. Who doesn’t love to save money?
d. Pros:
Harvest Hosts is an affordable membership that gives RV’ers many locations and sites to visit and stay for free during their travels.
e. Cons:
The cons for Harvest Hosts include the fact that most of the sites have no hook ups for RV’s, most hosts only allow one night bookings, and there are generally no amenities available.
- To join click this link.
5. FMCA- Family Motor Coach Association
a. Type of Membership:
FMCA is a membership association that connects RV owners with other RV’ers. This club provides discount programs, meet ups, learning resources and more.
b. Cost:
The cost to join FMCA is $85 per year. Discounts for membership are available if you sign up for multiple years.
c. Benefits:
FMCA offers many benefits to its members. The first, among many benefits, is the opportunity to join the different chapters located throughout the United States. This allows members to create lasting connections and bonds with other like minded individuals.
Other benefits include discounts on tires, access to wi-fi programs, a travel assistance program, roadside assistance, and their RV magazine.
d. Pros:
The tire discount program and the internet programs are amazing and worth the annual price hands down. The benefits are well worth the minimal yearly fee that FMCA charges.
e. Cons:
Some of the benefits are offered by other clubs/ organizations. If you don’t plan on using the benefits that FMCA offers, then the annual fee becomes just another bill that you are responsible for.
- To join click this link.
6. Escapees
a. Type of Membership:
Escapees rv club is another club/ organization that is focussed on connecting the RV community and its members. It does have discount benefits that it offers to its members.
b. Cost:
The cost to join Escapees rv club is a very reasonable annual charge of $39.95.
c. Benefits:
The benefits of joining Escapees includes the option to join a mail forwarding service. This is a fantastic option that many full- time RV’ers are looking for and take advantage of.
As mentioned previously, the main purpose and benefit of Escapees is connecting its members to the RV community. They schedule regular events and rallies.
They have a roadside assistance program, an advocacy program, and several discount options including Boondockers Welcome and Harvest Hosts.
d. Pros:
With the very small annual cost for this membership, the benefits are huge.
e. Cons:
None. However, with that said, if you don’t subscribe to the benefits of this membership, it is just another bill at the end of the year.
- To join click this link.
7. The Happy Camper Club
a. Type of Membership:
This club is a savings club. Save up to 50% at campgrounds located in the United States and in Canada.
b. Cost:
The cost to join The Happy Camper Club is $39.99 per year.
c. Benefits:
Besides receiving discounts at many camping locations in the U.S. and Canada, Happy Camper also offers other benefits. These benefits include a free trip planner, literature resources for RV’ers, and campground information and reviews.
d. Pros:
The pros of this specific membership is that it offers discounts on campsites in Canada as well as the United States. The discounts offered are large. The annual cost for membership is low, which means that you will recoup your costs fairly quickly.
e. Cons:
The only con for joining this membership is that the benefit list is much smaller than other available clubs and organizations.
- To join click this link.
8. Boondockers Welcome
a. Type of Membership:
Boondockers Welcome is a membership that is quite similar to Harvest Hosts in that members pay an annual fee in exchange for 1-3 nights stay on private properties.
b. Cost:
The cost to join Boondockers Welcome is $50 per year.
c. Benefits:
The benefits of joining Boondockers Welcome include the ability to book and stay at over 2700 unique locations across the United States for free (once your membership is paid for).
d. Pros: The main pro for joining Boondockers Welcome is the opportunity to stay for free at many different locations. This saves RV’ers a ton of money in comparison to paying full fees at other types of campsites.
e. Cons:
If you do not have a self- contained RV, or are not interested in boondocking, this membership is not for you.
- To join click this link.
9. America The Beautiful Pass
a. Type of Membership:
This membership is slightly different than the other memberships listed above. The America The Beautiful Pass gives its members free access to United States national parks, wildlife refuges, grasslands and BLM (bureau of land management) properties.
b. Cost:
The cost for the America The Beautiful Pass is $80 per year with discounts available for Military and Seniors.
c. Benefits:
This is a fantastic option for all outdoor lovers. It allows you access to all of the beauty that our great country has to offer. It also gives you a fantastic discount of 50% off camping rates at national parks.
d. Pros:
If you plan on visiting any of the beautiful national parks in the United States during your travels, this pass is a must have. This pass can be used for two people!!
e. Cons:
Absolutely none
- To find out about membership, click this link.
Conclusion
There are many campground memberships to choose from. This list was just the tip of the ice burg. The good news is that you don’t have to choose just one. Try them out, see which ones work best for you. There are many money saving opportunities out there. As you travel and increase your mileage, you may find that your needs change.
Each specific RV club camping membership and organization has distinct benefits and offerings. It is always great to know what is out there and have that knowledge for when you need it.
Enjoy your camping and RV time. Take advantage of these wonderful benefits and membership options and enjoy the outdoors. We will see you out there.
What are your favorite RV clubs, camping memberships, and organizations? What benefits do they offer? Have you joined a club that you didn’t use?
If you love camping, you may love this post about a haunted campground. Your perfectly optimized content goes here!
- Easy Campfire Desserts: Recipes for an Awesome Summer Night
- The Best RV Toilet Paper: How to Keep Your Sanitation System Running Smooth
- RV Gifts Under $100: The Best Gifts for RVers
- RV Cleaning Checklist: How to Keep Your RV sparkling clean
- 11 Tips for RVing With a Cat: Ultimate Guide to Keep them Safe And Happy
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates.