Membership camp clubs--are they the answer for the fulltimer? When we say membership clubs, we refer to outfits like Resort Parks International (RPI) where you "buy" into a "home" campground, and then are able to camp at other affiliated campgrounds around the country, often for a few dollars a night.
It’s a never-ending discussion among new fulltimers. Some swear by such memberships, others swear at them. Here are a few things to consider:
Most all membership clubs charge a fee to get started--some low, some quite high. Fine and dandy. From there, however, is the little matter of annual "maintenance" fees. These can range to a little bit, to several hundreds of dollars per year--even more. And once you’ve tied into a membership club, you’re stuck paying those maintenance dues, even if you don’t ever use a club. You may be able to get out of it, if you can find someone who'll buy your membership.
Some RVers find the membership arrangement advantageous, after all, they can travel all over the US and stay in membership parks in their "system" or a cooperating system for only a few dollars a night. Others say: Yeah, but you’ve got to be in the neighborhood of a cooperating park to take advantage of it; if you’re somewhere else, forget it.
For our part, we've looked into joining, but never found one that seemed like the advantages outweighed the disadvantages, especially since we enjoy boondocking so much. One alternative for those who are "on the fence," is an organization like the Happy Camper Club. While you won't find much camping for three or four bucks a night, you will find campground across the country offering half-off their published rates. Since you’re only "tied" into a $49.00 per year membership, it may be a good way to look around while you think about joining up with 'the big dogs.' Check out a Happy Camper Club membership.
2 comments:
I bought a membership that had Coast to Coast and Resort Parks International, because it suits what I do and where I want to go.
I think Passport America is the original and best of the half price camping clubs however, at $39 to $44 a year and $379 for a lifetime membership it has already paid for itself many times over. I tried it for 1 year, bought another 2 years and in the third went lifetime, getting credit for the unused portion for the third year.
Passport America appears to have the most campgrounds in the best areas, it gains more every year and loses very few. The website www.passportamerica.com works for everyone, not just registered users and you can join Passport America at any of the campground allowing you to stay at half price.
We are also Coast to Coast members. My problem with them is that in some parks, or good neighbor parks, CtoC members seem to be restricted as to which sites are open to them. We have gone into beautiful parks with trees everywhere and because we are CtoC members we are planted out in the middle of a dirty barren field on the last fringes of the park.
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