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Old 10-23-2012, 06:07 PM   #1
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Membership Parks and Discount Camping Clubs

I'm looking for advice, recommendations, suggestions, etc., regarding best and worse membership parks and discount camping clubs. Are there issues, parks, etc., that I should look out for? Which do you use? Which offers the least expensive camping/traveling experience?
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Old 10-23-2012, 06:13 PM   #2
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The answer I think depends a great deal on what you're looking for from them. If you're full time and want to absolutely minimize CG expenses there might be one answer. If you travel mostly on weekends and a couple weeks per year on vacations, there might be another answer.

When we were full time and traveling a great deal, I felt that Good Sam and Passport America were no brainers and we used them a lot.

Best of luck.

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Old 10-23-2012, 06:15 PM   #3
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I belong to Good Sam for the benefits.
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Old 10-23-2012, 06:21 PM   #4
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RickO has a very good, money saving opinion. Good Sam and PassPort America are very good programs to save money for camping and for selecting quality parks. Both have very good informative travel books that allow planning ahead for places to see and stay. We have used both for our travels all over the US. RVing is a great adventure. Great places to see, wonderful history to discovery, and lots of nice people to meet. Both of these organizations can help your traveling at a reasonable cost.
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Old 10-23-2012, 06:32 PM   #5
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Part time. So far mostly dog shows. Boondock sometime at the venue. Member of Goodsam and have a pilot/flying j card as a result. When we return I pull in there, fuel up at a discount rate and dump the tanks also at a discount. Then over to my storage. Sometimes we stay at a park near the place or on the way and get the discount. And there are other discounts. So for me it has been worth it.
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Old 10-23-2012, 07:39 PM   #6
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We use Thousand Trails membership. Our particular membership provides 50 nites of camping for $550/year, so it is very cost effective IF we use all 50 nites every year. But if you don't use it, i.e. do not go where their parks are, then it is just money wasted. Be very, very sure you want to stay in the places that a membership park offers before you buy. I suggest trying the Thousand Trails Zone Pass for a year to see if you like their campgrounds, management style, rules, etc. That way you are committed for only one year.

For occasional travel, Passport America or maybe Good Sam is a better deal. No upfront cost and low yearly fee.
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Old 10-23-2012, 07:45 PM   #7
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Passport America - inexpensive - use it a couple weekends a year and you are ahead.
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Old 10-23-2012, 08:05 PM   #8
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Passport America - inexpensive - use it a couple weekends a year and you are ahead.
We've belonged for several years and didn't get our money back in savings last year. Our success in the previous years more than made up for the difference. Like other "savings" programs, you have to watch the situation carefully. It depends on where you travel (PA has better coverage in some geographies), when you travel (weekends are generally much harder to get a PA discount) and which CGs you pick (an occasional PA CG can be pretty marginal on many levels.). But overall we've stayed at a lot of great places and for a fraction of the cost of just stopping there without PA.
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Old 10-23-2012, 10:25 PM   #9
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Almost all we looked into had too many "exceptions" to make them worthwhile. For the discount to apply you couldn't camp on weekends or holidays or for more than 3 nights etc. etc. etc. We'll stick with COE CGs where we get a 50% discount as seniors no matter when we camp or if we stay the 2 weeks allowed.
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Old 10-23-2012, 11:19 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by Chillbilly View Post
I'm looking for advice, recommendations, suggestions, etc., regarding best and worse membership parks and discount camping clubs. Are there issues, parks, etc., that I should look out for? Which do you use? Which offers the least expensive camping/traveling experience?
I belong to several as listed below with my comments on each.
1. K&M Resorts, Own's several resorts in WA, $3.00 per night for members
2. Good Sam Club, 10% Discount 365 days a years and lots of sites all across the Country.
3. Passport America, 50% Discount, but lots of restrictions and very few locations cover weekends, but still a great deal if you travel more than Weekends
4. Coast to Coast Deluxe, $10 or $15 per night, Reservations are kind of a pain and you must prepay by purchasing "Points" that are then used to pay for your stay, also I found them to be out of the way for my trip from the west coast to the east coast and back, but they would I believe make some great destation locations.
5. AAA (Auto Clubs) seem to provide 10% discounts at same locations as Good Sam's Club
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Old 10-24-2012, 09:29 AM   #11
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I belong to several as listed below with my comments on each.
1. Good Sam Club, 10% Discount 365 days a years and lots of sites all across the Country. Buying the Lifetime membership has been covered by the discounts.
2. Passport America, 50% Discount, but lots of restrictions and very few locations cover weekends, but still a great deal if you travel thru the week. Staying a couple of nights covers your investment. More amenities than Walmart for $10 - $15 per night.
3. Coast to Coast Deluxe, $10 or $15 per night, Reservations are needed and you must prepay by purchasing "Points" that are then used to pay for your stay. Have lucked out with drive up and no reservations. Lots of Upfront cost ($k) plus yearly dues ($249) but they make some great destination locations.
4. Kampgrounds of America. Not sure what I save ($$$) just get points toward a free night.
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Old 10-24-2012, 04:53 PM   #12
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Have had C to C since 1991, well worth while.
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Old 10-25-2012, 10:57 AM   #13
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Smile

Just got back from Golden Palms Village RV Resort in Hemet, Ca. Spent the week end there and have already recovered our Passport America dues for 2013. We have had very good luck with PPA on our west coast travels.

Ray
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Old 10-25-2012, 11:45 AM   #14
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i just joined Passport America. Used it twice so far. I got 50% discount both times saving $ 39.00. Membership cost $ 49.00 so one more night I will have made my membership cost back.
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