Community Forums

faye · 08-22-2009, 02:06 AM

would any of you who have membership in a camping club that offers discounted camping fees please let me know the names of some reputable ones and the fees and any other info on these clubs that you would care to share. also the pros and cons of the ones you belong to. thanks faye

paz · 08-22-2009, 08:00 AM

We belong to Passport America which gives you a 50% discount. The advantages are the cost to join is reasonable (I think about $45 a year), and there are no other obligations. With the low price, we can recover our membership fee in 2 or 3 nights.

The disadvantages are there are sometimes limits on the length of stay, the time of year, or even the day of the week (some campgrounds may exclude weekends, for example). Each campground can set its own limits. The other disadvantages are the campgrounds are sometimes out of the way or are not the nicest campgrounds. We use PA mostly for 1 or 2 night stops while traveling from one location to another.

Gary RVRoamer · 08-22-2009, 09:15 AM

We have been Passport America members for several years and always get our money's worth. We travel 6-7 months per year and use it more for overnight stops than for a destination.

We bought a second hand Thousand Trails membership last year and that's better for use as a destination (assuming they have a resort where you want to go). I wouldn't jump into TT unless you have visited some of their parks - it's not for everyone. Using TT as our "home park", we were also able to join RPI, a network of ownership parks, and we have found that to be valuable too.

Wayne M · 08-22-2009, 03:40 PM

I also use Passport America. If you do decide to use PA, and since PAZ was the first to respond, get is membership number from him and he can save $10 on next year's dues. Go to their web site and you can look at all the CG's they have and when you click on a CG, the restrictions if any. Usually they have a restriction of some kind, but as stated, they are very good for overnighters, or a few days. We have found some that were worth staying a week or more at.

For those areas that do not have a PA CG, I also carry Good Sams, and KOA. Each giving a 10 percent discount. KOA's are expensive in most parts of the country, and I complain on their customer survey every time I can. What KOA does offer is on-line reservations, and this past 4th of July I was in an area that did not have cell phone service but I did have WiFi and was able to book a KOA for the 4th weekend for our travels. That was very handy for us. I have found that having only one does not always work, so we have the three I mentioned, oh, plus TACO.

There are a lot of other clubs and it is best you do your research, which you are trying to do here. But, you can search the internet on RV clubs, or other key words and you will have more information than you can digest.

Happy choosing!

Toby · 08-23-2009, 10:13 AM

Faye

Let us know what kind of camping do you do? Weekends, cross country, Motor home, TT, 5th wheel, tent and etc. Are you a full timer? What part of the country do you live in? Are you a senior? if so the Fed govt has a card for a one time cost of $10 that get you in federal parks free with half price camping. In Florida if you are a senior, you get half price camping in state parks. Give us some more info and I believe you can get more info. s/Toby.

MtManLee · 08-23-2009, 01:44 PM

Faye, I have Good Sam and CampClub USA, have used the Good Sam too many times to count. Have tried to use Campclub USA but they were seasonal at the sites I tried so could not get a discount. Had Passport America for a couple of years and hardly ever used it. Most places did not allow use during holidays, were far off the beaten path, or were such dumps, I would not stay there. Also since I got the Campclub USA I noticed that most the sites are the same sites as Passport America.
Also found that Good Sam works even on holidays, season areas and so on. Place that I could not use CCUsa also was PPAmerica and Good Sam, they did give us the GSam discount.

Triker56 · 08-23-2009, 04:14 PM

Passport America 50% saves me $$$ every year. Next week I will be at one for 3 nights at $10 night. Then I will move to a no discount CG over Labor Day weekend(4 nights) at $30 a night.

This summer PA will have saved me $169.21
My GS 10% savings will be $3.11

Barbara S. · 08-23-2009, 04:59 PM

I have found that some campgrounds will give you a discount just for asking. I will pull out my Good Sam, TACO, AARP, or whatever and they usually say "ok" even if I don't have PA or whatever they advertise.

GaryKD · 08-23-2009, 05:51 PM

Hi faye,
Here is another vote for PA, GS and KOA. An additional club for CG discounts is FMCA. I belong to all of them. Like previously posted they each ave their advantages and challenges. For me, PA CGs are better the farther West one travels. The only problem I've had with PA CGs is power. My house has a larger power service than some of these CGs.

read & learn · 08-24-2009, 07:31 AM

We also have the whole standard of clubs PA-FMCA-KOA-Good Sam.
Now for some hidden treasures, Army Corp of Engineers Parks-Local Fairgrounds-Casinos.
You can also buy into Coast to Coast-Western Horizons-Hart Ranch which has a couple of options.
OK, now that the iRV2 family members have given you some ideas, it is up to you to do your homework and plan your trip ahead of time and not be afraid to use any combination of clubs for your trips.
You will be surprised on how much money can be saved in Campground fees. We are on the road 330+ days a year and use discount CG at least 300 of those days.
Best deal we ever got was a Yogi Bear CG $65.00+ tax, we paid with C2C $10.00 per nite for the 7 night we were there.
Remember to ask if they take any discounts and how far are they from the Tourist traps. We use the rule of thumb of no more than 2 gallons of gas travel distance from CG. EX: toad gets 22 mpg X 2=44miles. Any further and you start to lose what you maybe saving, plus we very rarely sight see 2 days in a row. Getting older and the body just cannot do 10-12 hour days every day, plus in no rush being retired.

faye · 08-25-2009, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toby

Faye

Let us know what kind of camping do you do? Weekends, cross country, Motor home, TT, 5th wheel, tent and etc. Are you a full timer? What part of the country do you live in? Are you a senior? if so the Fed govt has a card for a one time cost of $10 that get you in federal parks free with half price camping. In Florida if you are a senior, you get half price camping in state parks. Give us some more info and I believe you can get more info. s/Toby.

we have both a 5th wheel and a motorhome, have traveled to many of the states but we're now retired and plan to take longer trips. we love site seeing and fishing and we need to take advantage of any campground discount we can find. thanks to all with the replys.. what is TACO? we live in rural s.w. georgia in a little one red light town. THANKS AGAIN. FAYE

Barbara S. · 08-25-2009, 10:02 AM

TACO is the Texas Association of Campground Owners at www.texascampgrounds.com. You can go there to find a list of campgrounds in Texas. They also have a book available at many campgrounds for free or you can request one on their website. There is a discount card inside every book.

Happy Camping!

David K · 08-26-2009, 08:39 PM

If you are age 62 and camp in any of the Federal run campgrounds, get an "America the Beautiful" Senior Card (used to be called the "Golden Age Passport"). It costs $10.00 and is good for your lifetime. It will get you 50% off at any of the federal campgrounds -- well worth the cost.

Toby · 08-27-2009, 08:34 PM

Faye

We do not live far apart. I live in Tallahassee. To get the Senior Federal pass, go to West Bank Corp park in Chattahoochee by the Dam. This is a must membership if you like to stay in Corp of Engineer parks at half price. They are all on the water ideal for fishing. Cotton Hill COE in Ft Gains is another CORP park close by. You should be able to pick up a card at either of these parks. (call first) Nice parks to visit if you havn't been there already and at $10 a night for seniors over 62 with the card, its a deal.

You probably have Good Sams card, Just about every CG gives you a 10% discount with their card. Go to Camping World's web site and buy their bundle pkg for $100. You get Road Side Assistance, GS card, Camp club ( 1/2 price camping), CW membership and a couple of mags and their camp ground directory. All this for just $100. I think Passport America is okay, but as mentioned, some parks are not worth the effort, but some are real nice. One especially in Pidgen Forge Tenn and another at Brickyard Plantation Golf and CG in Americus ( Golf @$5 for 18 holes.) BYP is supposed to have blue grass and bar-b-que over the Labor day weekend. If it was like last year it would be well worth visitings. Call them first to make sure. (camping is $15 with the PA card) The only bad thing about this place is the knats this time of the year, but then you know about them already being in S. Ga.

IMHO, clubs like Thousand Trails and C-to-C and etc are for full timers. Lot of up front cost and if you do not stay with them a lot, its costly. ( I've never been a member of one of these clubs, but did attent a sales presentation in Orlando one time. The first offer for membership was around $9000 and about 20 mins later it was down below $3000. The salesman just about cried when I told him NO! s/Toby