Campground Membership: Comments?

[Kvtaylor]

We have been owners of Thousand Trails and Outdoor world memberships for years. We also bought TT used from a broker in Florida. Our dues are frozen now so thats not a problem anymore. we travel to Florida for the winter and use both memberships the entire time were down there. From january thru March, we pay no nightly rates as it is paid for out of our annual dues. And is much less than we would be paying if we were in other non- member campgrounds. We also are passport members and use it traveling to our destinations. We have RPI and used it going out west this year, but will probably not renew as their sites are not in our area. If you look for a broker, a Dave Monaghan, in Clearmont Fl is a good one. He has placed several transfers for our friends over the years.

[tumbleturn]

This was my first year of fulltiming. I started with Happycamper and Passport America. I mostly Boondock. I used PA enough to more than pay for it. I never used HC. A couple of times I went to HC parks that were listed as current in there website and was turned down. I was told that they have not accepted HC in several years. I would not trust there website at all. As for PA it was never half price like they claim. If I went by a park that was $27 for full hookups the PA discount would cost $13.50 plus an electric charge and maybe something else and be close to $20. So yes it saves money but not half like they claim. There really is not that many parks that take it.
Mike

[Always-RVing]

Thanks for the responses

[Rich and Cork]

If you are interested in a 50% off club, we have been using this for the last three months:

Camp Club USA Discount Camping Club - 50% Off Campground Rates

You have to read what each campground is offering. Very often it is only off season, not Fri or Sat night and holidays. Sometimes only a couple of days at the half off rate. They vary quite a bit, but every campground was nice that we stayed in.

They are not everywhere, so you have to decide if the distance from the campground to where you wish to visit is worth the cost. We never came across a campground that denied us the 50% off that was described in their book. The book is nice, because each state has its own map with the campgrounds identified. It is certainly worth $50 per year.

[Always-RVing]

Thanks

[SD Traveler]

We have been 1000 Trails members for years and believe it is worthwhile. We stay at TTN CGs at least 150 nights a year and even with dues that works out to less than $5 a day for camping with FHUs and electricity at nice, secure parks. When on the road we pay at least $25/night unless we use Passport America or RPI which will reduce costs as already mentioned. Buy a resale and enjoy!

Nick

[Gary - K7GLD]

They are only a "good deal" if you CAN, or WILL use them regularly - and THAT requires that they actually are at or near places you want and plan to travel to - not just the first few months or year, while the novelty is still fresh - but regularly and steadily thereafter - or, that "discount membership" will end up being an unwanted millstone around your bank account - just as it probably was for the previous owner you bought it from at a discount.

Otherwise, if substantially unused, the ongoing "maintenance cost" that is assessed REGARDLESS of actual park use, will erode or totally wipe out the "savings" - and you ARE pretty well held hostage to use parks you belong to or can get a "discount" on, even when/if there might be a much more attractive park nearby you would prefer - IF you weren't forced by circumstance to use the less attractive or convenient park your membership dictates.

In other words, it's very likely your camping and travel route options flexibility WILL BE seriously compromised! For us - we prefer that our RV travel be decided based upon the attractive places WE want to see and stay in, often spontaneously as our travels unfold - NOT by where we are able to find a member park close by!

ISN'T the RVing lifestyle about spontaneous freedom of movement? WHY purposely introduce a form of control that potentially dictates your travel paths and stays?

We had 2 of those before we moved here to eastern Oregon - one was a plain membership type, the other an owner type - we had to GIVE both of those away - and GLAD to - to escape the hefty annual maintenance fees on something we would no longer use, and there were precious few takers even for FREE transfer. The folks trying to sell those cheaply are doing so for a reason - their reason might not fit your situation, but it's worth checking out - because YOU will be the NEXT one trying to sell it at a discount, or possibly GIVE it away, as we did...

There's NO WAY we'd EVER buy another one!

[randco]

If you want a resale membership contact Jeff Hoel at Campground Membership Outlet near Orlando, Florida. www.membershipresale.com - RV Campground membership, RV Campground, campground membership resales or call 1-800-272-0401

[wa8yxm]

Originally Posted by Batman_777

Are Campground Memberships worthwhile?

It looks like there are two main groups:
Coast-to-Coast and Thousand Trails

Memberships can run from a few hundred (resale) to several thousand (new or orginal) with yearly dues.

The campgrounds are private and require membership stay rules, etc.

Does anyone have these? Are they worth the purchase?

First.. Coast 2 Coast is an assoication of campgrounds.. You buy a membership in a membership campground.. Such as Thousand Trails, and then you buy a very low-cost C2C membership and you can then use your memberships (You need to present both cards) at other membership campgrounds for like $13.00/night if the price has not changed.

Another outfit is Resort Parks International... WOrks like C2C (Coast 2 Coast) same price even

Now.. Thousand Trails actually is a membership campground.. I should know.. I'm sitting in one as I type

Is it worth it? Depends.. Wife and I have two memberships. one TT one in another campground.. We got rid of the stick house and now live in the "Wheeled House".. So we spent most of the summer going back and forth, 2 weeks in TT two weeks in OAI, 2 weeks in TT. Very low cost summer.. No electric bills, No water bills, No sewer bills.. Just gas to go park to park.

And this winter (The OAI parks are all in Michigan and not really where I wis to be) I'll be doing mostly Thousand Trails parks closer to I-40 or points south.. 2 weeks in a TT park and a week of either bumming around (Boondocking or overnighting) or a Moose Lodge (I belong to the Moose)

But what you do is figure the cost of camping. v/s how many nights you will spend in the park v/s your dues

Example Dues 600/year.. Average cost of a private campgroud near where I lived 60/night. so if I only use the park 2 weeks a year.. I've recovered my dues.

If I spend another 2 weeks ... I am eating away at the membership cost

I spent at least 12 weeks in just ONE park this summer and .. as I said I'm in another now.. WEEK 14.. and give me a bit more than a week and I'll be at yet another.

Even if I look at it with Moose Rates (usualy 10/night give or take a few dollars) 14 nights at Moose at 10/night is my quarterly dues. And I spent more than 8 weeks in the TT parks already (So that pays my year's dues)

Parks also offer activities.. Last night was "Thanksgiving Dinner" (Since THIS park closes for the winter. Only full time residents and weekenders till spring) we got a very good Pot-Luck type dinner. Park provided Turkey, Ham and Potatoes. Members provided many other things.. What I brought... Well let's just say the leftovers took up no space at all when I returned to the rig (What leftovers)

I bake bread nearly every other day.