I am retired military and disabled. We have to "always ask" for a discount but we are amazed at how big some of the discounts are. Staying on military base RV parks as a retiree is also a huge savings. We stayed in Key West on Navy property for $29 per night with not tax. All national parks entry fees are free with the National Park Pass. State parks are kind of all over the place with their benefits.
100% agree here. We stayed at the Navy base in Panama City last year for $20 something per night, and the campground was really nice. It wasn't huge, but it was nice, clean, and well-maintained.
I have Passport America. I have used it several times. I am not looking for a resort, just a place to park, hookup, cook, eat and sleep. No more, no less. It has been great for me. They offered the lifetime membership for less than $200 when I joined. I have more than made that money back. If all you want is hookups and leave, it is great. It is not for resort campers or people wanting to make a fashion statement.
As a solo RVer I rarely use the facilities at rv resorts except for laundry. I have stayed at KOA’s which are very nice and I really like the pet patios but they are very expensive. Some of the rv parks I have stayed at and give PA discount have been really nice and I would definitely go back.
Same here. Bought the life time and it paid for itself in one summer. Have to read the fine print but never had any trouble with any that I have stayed at. Some really nice.
We have been doing the RV thing for 40 years starting as soon as we could afford a used a pop up. We have have had contact with all these RV groups. You all spoke 100% truth on all of them. Thank you soooo much for speaking the truth. A rare thing now a days. We would not disagree with a thing you said.
Wow. One could stay in a full-service HOTEL for that kind of money. I thought campgrounds were supposed to be cheaper than staying in hotels. Just, Wow!
@irefusetoaskmydoctorifyour6401 not anymore.. people are foregoing hotels.. after covoid..the rv industry went crazy. Now not as crazy but still going pretty strong. The pricing is horrible..
Yellowstone national park, fishing bridge we are paying 117. Plus tax.. but inside the park with full hook up. Didn't like it. But beats having re entering the park outside..
The great thing about KOA is that they have a website that works and they're all over the place. Need to reserve same-day? As long as it's before, say, 5:00pm, go for it. Yeah, they're expensive, especially if you don't care about being kid-friendly. However, they're consistently high-quality, clean, safe, and pet-friendly.
I agree about KOA especially if heading south and east. Most of those states outside of the west don’t have BLM land. I liked the KOA app and not having to search for camping in unknown spots plus we had a place to refill our water and use the dump site.
we do too, for the most part when you book a KOA spot you know it will be, clean,safe, the hook-ups will work, and the KOA web site is hands down the best for making res. at the last minute. ok the "value card" just pays for the tax most times but it keeps us going back so they know how to pull us in anyway!😁
Your recent video on free and low cost campgrounds inspired me to filter for city and county parks in RV Trip Wizard for a recent drive from Denver to Dallas. We found a city park in Ulysses, KS with FHU for $15, and it was one or the nicest overnights we have ever had. Recently mapped Dallas to Buffalo at these local parks plus COE and nowhere is more than $25! I use KOA for a few big city stays where they are well located (Salt Lake and Tucson are good examples) and with week or longer stays the membership pays for itself. But the only other membership we bought is the national parks pass. Nothing else has made sense.
We were full-time for 3 years. Thousand Trails paid for itself in no time. Yes... Many parks need maintenance, and some parks were nothing but party cities. We adjusted our expectations so we weren't disappointed and were actually pleasantly surprised by several. Passport America... Every time I looked at parks along our route, restrictions prevented us from using them every time. We drove from Ohio to Oregon and used the hell out of Harvest Hosts. On the 6 week trip, we only paid for 15 nights of camping. Spending $$ at the businesses was not an issue for us, and we made a lot of memories (plus kept the wine stocked!) This video was AWESOME! Thanks Hanks!!
Been KOA members for 6 years. Our preferred, non-boondocking campgrounds. Have laundries, full hook-ups, nice sites with furniture and fire rings or pits, usually nicely landscaped parks. VIP level. Good app for finding campgrounds where we need or want them. Yes, they cost a little more, but worth it to us.
We’ll be doing 45 nights in KOA’s this year. It’s worth it for the 10% and probably around $150 in credits for us. Plus I like the convenience of doing everything on line.
We also stay at mostly KOA's They are dog friendly when you have a so called breed restriction pet. We paid the membership price once and have stayed enough nights every year to waive the yearly fee. Yes they may be slightly higher in cost but not much.
Sorry, long comment! 1)We paid for a KOA membership once, in 2018. Ever since then, we’ve triggered a free VIP membership by staying 10 nights a year. Is it $$? Yes. But, the beauty of the VIP level is that there is no charge for cancelling. So, when I’m trying to score a campsite at a coveted state or national park, I will go ahead and book the closest KOA just in case I don’t get the park I want. Once I do, we’ll cancel the KOA fallback option. 2) We consider our Escapees membership as paying it forward, supporting the Club’s advocacy on behalf of all RVers (i.e. as with the recent SD proposed changes). It’s also great for finding community on the road, and the opportunity to own a site at one of the co-op parks is cool, for those who want the option of a home base. 3) PA, totally agree. We tried it, got turned down the first time we tried to use it. Other attempts were same as what you said, wrong date, wrong day, etc. 4) Good Sam, ugh, no way. Too much attendant spam from CW and them trying to sell you ever more programs. The TSD Open Roads diesel discount is usually more. 5) HH saves us NO money…so yes, agree, it’s not for saving money. In fact, we usually end up spending more than what a private campground would have cost. But, it’s another tool in the toolbox, and we use it when we’re transiting quickly. The BW part of the program DOES save us money. Frequently stay with a private homeowner for up to 5 nights for no or minimal cost. We’ve been invited in for dinner, had long great conversations with our hosts, etc. 6) Some day, would be interested in your take on TT. We’re not impressed with their campgrounds, so haven’t seriously pursued it…but others swear by the program. Fantastic review with lots of good info. 👍👍👍
@@hollynauss6359staying at COE, we have already paid for our lifetime membership. It is our favorite places to stay. We stayed at a COE in Branson for 12.50 a night!
We regularly stay at KOAs when traveling. We have kids, we like the consistency. We’ve never paid to renew a membership. We stay at them enough that they always extend our membership. The cancellation flexibility with our membership is also useful. We also were Harvest Host members, but never used it once.
Great video. We signed up for Good Sam’s mainly because of free dumping and water at any Camping World across the US - and they all have a dump. We boonedock most of the time and have dumped at Camping World 5 times in the last two months. If you are not a GS member, it costs $17 per dump. So…just for that, it is worth it for us. Thanks guys!
Harvest Hosts has nothing to do with saving money, however, Harvest Host stops are always something I look forward to and end up with great memories most of the time.
I've found KOA to be ok but somewhat misleading with what there facility may look like and what is offered there. I signed up booked a spot for a pull through, very easy site by the way, to easy 😅, the site showed bikes to ride, a little train ride for the 4 year. Got there they had most of the sites closed, got wide open gravel spot by there maintenence shop. Woke up to a mufflerless wood chipper. The train was a rust bucket knocked over in uncut grass. Very sad 4 year old. So be careful 🧐 research fir those that have stayed there, for any place you stay. Happy trails😊
Over the course of our 6 years RVing fulltime for 4 months per year, we had a few memberships but found that we got as good as or better discounts with our retired military status. Thank you to the RV camps and resorts for honoring and appreciating our service.
Great information! Being a 100% noob I've been exploring all avenues of RV life. They do dangle lots of "shiny things" as enticements but I've seen lots of fine print hidden in their sales pitch. For now I will avoid the clubs and continue my education. Thanks for another great informative and fun video. My wife and I always look forward to Thursdays.
We have been to Escapees in Turkey Creek in Branson, Raccoon Valley in Tennessee and Rainbow Plantation in Alabama. Probably for young people not much excitement but for the older crowd the dinners together, conversations and quiet areas they are quite nice and less expensive than others. We don’t use the pools or all the amenities. $500 a month or less is not bad. Same with some locations with Passport America. We rarely stay at Parks that are rated under 8, so we are really picky about safety and location. We are full timers (4years and counting). Certain areas KOA prices aren’t bad in a pinch, like Nebraska, Wyoming, Iowa and parts of Utah, but we don’t use them anywhere else cause too many other places that are less expensive. And some locations we return to quite often but cause of acquaintances and friends we have met in the past. Good Sam’s isn’t bad.
I use Harvest Hosts while traveling from 1 point to another so I have no problem planning out my stays. I usually am boondocking so it's convenient to stay at a place that offers food. Golf courses are my favorite, nothing better than hitting the 19 hole for a good meal and a few beers after a day of driving and it's incredibly quiet in the evenings.
Good point on "big rig friendly HH spots. They may say theres a 60' parking spot, but access is via a 10' wide driveway with a 90 degree turn that also has culverts. When you get approved for a spot, check with the owner AND look on google maps to confirm you can actually get your 45' 5th wheel back there.
I'm with Good Sam and very happy with them. Got a flat tire in Oklahoma back in February while going cross country. Being very close to a truck stop I was able to limp my way in. Once done, I called and the person on the line was vey thoughtful making sure I was ok and in a safe place. Was able to pick the right tire for my rigg and in less than 30 minutes someone showed up and again had a tremendous service. A few days later, a brake line broke (not on the same side as the tire). Yet again I was able to make it to the RV park (In Texas). I called to know what garage was best in the town I was in, turned out to be the right garage. They came over the rv park, removed the old line and came back a few days later to install the new one on site for under $200.
Kyle and Renee I have all these. We use KOA a lot and have often got a good discount. But, Good Sam is something else. We had a blow out on our 5th wheel. Good Sam was sending me a repair guy from Florida and we were on the I15 in Barstow. Are going to stop at the Barn Route 66 in Newberry Springs you guys stopped at. Love watching your videos on traveling and tips. It is nice to see young folks giving advice. We are in our 70s and have RVed for over 40 years. Love that you stopped and helped the motorcycle guy accident on the Alaska trip. God Bless and stay safe.
Not with Good Sam but with another insurance company, we had an engine failure at Crater Lake and the tow truck was going to be coming from another state. It took a while for them to figure out that Crater Lake was in southern Oregon. We finally got help thanks to the park rangers who let us use their landline, as we had no cell service.
I just want to put out there that some Harvest Hosts places you can stay at without having a membership. When hubby and I drove from Las Vegas to LA to pick up our RV we drove by Peggy Sue's 50's Diner in Yermo, CA. We noticed truckers were stopped there. We thought that would be a great place to stop for the night on the way back. It was great! All we did was call them ahead of time and they said it was not a problem and told us where we could park. They never mentioned Harvest Hosts or that we would need it in order to stay there. (We did not know about Harvest Hosts at the time and didn't even realize it was a Harvest Hosts spot until seeing your video when you guys stayed there.) We would never intentionally stay somewhere that was suppose to have a certain type of membership, but like I said, we didn't know and they didn't say. One thing we did look for when we were traveling were parking lots with lots of space. If we saw truckers parked there then we would ask the establishment if it was okay to part there. Never had a problem. So, keep your eyes open for truckers and big parking lots. Chances are if you call the place ahead of time and ask for permission, you will be good to go. :) We no longer RV. We traveled around in ours for 4 months until we found our next place to live. We are very happy in the Portland, OR area. Love your videos! Always brings a smile to my face.
We love KOA because we know what we will be getting and generally all have a good dog park. Since we travel with dogs that is important to us. We also know the set up and after a long travel day we appreciate some familiarity. We had Harvest Host for 3 years and most stays were great but we also found it was becoming more difficult to find a spot on our routes, there were often a lack of available days at the locations that interested us, some hosts were not timely in approving our request which made travel a bit difficult if we couldn't count on the stay or at last minute declined. Not to mention you do need to spend or donate money and the individual set ups or parking areas can be challenging, so for us we found better value with other choices. Passport America was a bust for us also and we didn't get any value from it.
Have you ever gotten set up in what you thought was a "dog-friendly" park only to find out that the number of pets was limited and you had too many? Or too big? Or???
We're Harvets Hosts members. For the most part we like to stay at brewery-restaurants since that's the kind of place where we'd end up eating anyway (but we do have our first alpaca farm booked for an upcoming Atlantic Canada trip) so the recommended spending is eaasy to achieve. We traveled out west last year and realized that Corps of Engineers (COE) campgrounds are great for overnights - electrical hookups at minimum with a free dump/fill station, and some of them even have full hookups (shower night!). And particularly with my America the Beautiful senior card's 50% discount they're half the price or less than the recommended spend at a Harvest Host - win/win.
same here! I stayed at a COE in Mississippi, I think it was Persimmon hill? $12 full hook ups, and with the card, $6/night for full hook ups! found it! www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233634
I have used Passport America for several years and I am very happy with it. We use it for the 'one night stands' while en-route to a longer term destination. We stay 5-6 times or more per year and you have to watch the fine print. Often, PA reservations have to be made by phone in order to get the discounts and they rarely allow weekend stays. Just a couple weeks ago, we stayed at a campground in Deadwood, SD and we got 50% off for our 4 nights. We have several other stays scheduled during the summer. We no longer buy Good Sam and never have gotten the KOA membeship. We have been Escapees members for many years. We spend a month every year in a park near Knoxville and the savings makes it worthwhile.
First, love you two ❤! We did the same thing with KOA on our trip to AK! We stayed at KOA twice on that trip and ended up boondocking most of our trip. Definitely not a savings for us. We thought about Harvest Host with the idea that even if I am spending say, $30 a night, that could be cheaper than campgrounds in the same area. But without electric hookups it could be a deal breaker if we need AC. Thanks for all of the wonderful information you provide to us. Please keep it coming. Happy camping 😊.
That's amazing ya'll were able to at least boondock a lot in AK! Yes, like you said, the purchase of these programs should definitely be tailored according to the lifestyle you are seeking to enjoy. Thank you for your wonderful support 🤗
Recently stopped at Harvest Host BBQ restaurant so glad to spend money to get my supper. Also stayed at a church parking lot which was very quiet and convenient stopover for the night. Agree with you on KOA, as I have gotten talked into the rewards program but have never even broken even with it.
I've discovered that with Passport America, some campgrounds only offer the discount the 1st night or the 1st three nights. Which is fine IF you know this going in. Read the information on the campground! I managed to pull a lifetime membership for under $200. Senior and retired military. Starting full time on the 3rd of June! Use Good Sam a lot! I like TSC or Tribal gas stations for Propane. .50 to $1 less that most gas stations for cost.
We've had good luck with Passport America. We got a deal on a lifetime membership and it paid for itself within a couple months. However, I do agree that you have to read the rules for each campground carefully. But if you follow the rules and plan accordingly you can do well with PA.
I found that many HH locations also had restricted hours (cannot arrive after xx o'clock) and days (available only on Tuesday thru Thursday, for example). Coupled with their locations and needing weather that was tolerable (many hot days in summer), it was like having to have the stars align just right to use them.
I like harvest host for the one overnight stay. I can get dinner and or entertainment, a place to park for the price of a campground. Great for multiple travel days. I have looked at some of the other memberships but don't see that I would benefit from them. With any membership you need to make the effect to use it. Another great Hanks Thursday video.
Great info thank you Hanks! It’s because of you that we joined Harvest Hosts. Last summer we drove from Ohio to California with the intent to travel brewery to brewery. Our brand new Forrest River nearly killed us but that’s another story. We thoroughly enjoyed boondocking at amazing locations both small business and private properties. When needed we also used our KOA membership for the amenities. It is a pricey stay but readily available and always well kept . We will definitely renew our HH/BW thank you Hanks we appreciate you❤️
I cringed when you mentioned that your "Brand new Forest River" nearly killed you. Please elaborate on what happened. I had one of the first FR Cedar Creek "25th Anniversary" Cottage 40CFK2 RVs delivered last September and only a month ago could I use it full-time. It was poorly built with faulty workmanship and components and it's taken months to get it repaired so it can be lived in. Mine is a destination RV. My husband died so I moved onto my kids' 19 acres right next to their house. I am 80 years old and this was my choice. I had no idea I would be SCAMMED by FR. How can they install a water heater backward? How can they put in a heat pump air conditioner that does not heat or cool? Do you have extended warranty insurance? I live here full-time so most RV insurance won't cover me.
@@judyross182 hi! I’m so sorry for your loss and aggravating struggle. I don’t know where to start. We bought a 2022 Forrest River Wildwood. We took it home and went over with a fine tooth comb…lots of “ cosmetic” flaws but hey FR gets 100% of their money so we should have a perfect product right? So yes they repaired the first round ( cracked corner molding bubbled wall paper deep scratch in the floor the shower leaking a river(was never caulked) the carpet edge on the main slide looked like it was cut with a dull knife. …fraying . Commenced on our cross country excursion .. first stop 6 hours in the refrigerator fell out of the wall… we “remedied” the situation to get us to nearest FR dealership. Next we were stopped on the highway because we were losing underbelly panels. By the time we reached our next stop there were no panels from the nose to the back. With every stop more panels were missing flying off along the highway …thank God no one was hit. Along the way we kept losing battery power! Weird. Made it to Lake Tahoe California to a KOA (couldn’t boondock any longer due to low /no battery power. Pulled into KOA and a wonderful camp manager was helping us level and disconnect. The tongue wouldn’t move because again no battery . He assisted us in looking at the battery. He then told us to disconnect our truck (my Great Dane was waiting in) and get away from the unit! There were melted and burnt wires leading from the battery to the front storage. We came to discover the unit was solar prepped but we didn’t have a solar package. FR wired for solar and a circuit was left open. Along the way the open circuit came into contact with the metal frame causing what could have been a fire had there been insulation in the camper nose! We could have lost everything…our camper our truck our Dane and our lives towing . We were 2500 miles away from home and we were dead in the water. Thankfully we were blessed with angels looking out for us and we were able to have a mobile tech make the unit “safe” to get us home. FR did step up and repaired our camper fully..and did reimburse money lost in refrigerator stock and campgrounds (we were unable to boondock) FR admitted to me that we purchased a Covid camper. No excuse ! We are able to look back and kinda laugh now that things have been made right but it could’ve been horrible
@@heathergump6062 Wow! No wonder so many people have joined the class action suit against FR. What a horror you experienced. One would think with the thousands that it costs to make all of these repairs FR would figure out that "doing it right the first time" would be their key to success. I'm glad that they made it right for you and now you are happy. I love living in my FR Cedar Creek 'Cottage' now that I finally can, but I am also very concerned about what I haven't discovered that might also be wrong that I won't find out until the warranty has expired. Why would purchasing a 'COVID' camper have anything to do with building it correctly? Mine was built in August 2023 and was a mess when I got it. It was transported to my son in S.C. and I didn't fly out from WA state until two months after the delivery. Was the dealer you bought it from supposed to inspect it? Mine was purchased from Couch's RV Nation in Ohio and they did NOTHING at their end to test it. Nothing. Who was your dealer?
@@judyross182 I have not heard of a class action suit…do you have any info? We bought ours at General RV in Canton Ohio I hope you don’t find anything else with your cottage😀
@@heathergump6062 My daughter-in-law found some information by doing a Google search on "lawsuits against Forest River" and told me about it. General RV, it would appear, like Couch's RV Nation, also didn't test your RV before delivery or they would have found your issues. I hope that neither of us have any more issues. Good luck and thanks for the info.
I was just researching memberships (adding or renewing them) yesterday! Dang... What a joke! So misleading they are. All I really want or need now is the best RA without extra membership levels or requirements (looking at you, AAA forced to upsell to RV Platinum). Thanks guys, I am saving this info, cause I am full-time and not a weekend warrior. Just a warrior. Hope the America the Beautiful park pass is not a rip, because I am 65 qualified for Lifetime pass. We will see...😉
We use our America the Beautiful pass all the time, mostly at Army Corp of Engineers campgrounds where we can camp for half price. It depends on where you like to camp.
I just joined Harvest Hosts for a trip I am on now. It has almost paid for itself as the places I have stayed actually had no product to sell as they were farms, so I didn’t have to spend the $20-$30. I also stayed at a Boondockers site, where I got free electricity! I’m not worried about planning ahead as I have a destination in mind and would plan ahead with campgrounds anyway.
My sister-in-law loves Passport America. When we first began our full-time adventure she insisted that we get it. We did and found that same thing... every time we went to use our discount, it wasn't being offered at that location. So we paid for a year, but NEVER got a single discount. We love our Harvest Hosts, Costco ( groceries and gas prices are awesome!) as well as Good Sam. We have saved a bunch of money switching from Geico to Good Sam insurance. I know what your saying... "Speed isn't Geico's slogan you saved a bunch of money by switching to Geico?" Yes it is just not in our case. We 100% agree with you that if one is going to have a credit card, make sure it is one that gives you cash back or points and don't forget to use them. Amazing episode as always! Thanks Hanks!
Good sam roadside was great for us when we broke down in the Badlands! Nearest mechanic was a little over an hour away. They took care of the tow and mechanic. We were very satisfied.
We use Passport America all the time and save a ton of money. Like anything else you need to look at each location to review any restrictions. Harvest host is as you describe, it's not a money saver, but the locations can't be beat. If you utilize it a half dozen times it averages out to $40-50 a night. Good Sam roadside with towing was worth it literally on our drive home from dealer. It started snowing and we're ended up sliding a hundred feet backwards with our 38' tt and needing two tow rigs to get us back on our way. We also like the fuel discount across the country. Great video topic.
I agree with you 100% about KOA, Passport America and I really don’t care for Good Sam. I do however really like Harvest Host/Boondock‘s welcome. I use that more than anything else. Do not plan on renewing KOA or Passport America for the exact reason you explained in this video. since I am a full-time, I am a member of the escapes and have my mail forwarding through them. I agree with you that the website is a little bit outdated and at times difficult to use. Thanks for sharing the information. it’s always great, especially for newbies. ❤
Thank you so much for the great feedback! Yes, we may just stick with Escapees only since we do use the mailing service. Doesn't make sense to have more than one RV membership.
Good Sam was $29 a year not long ago. If you buy more than one year at a time, it reduces the yearly cost. Harvest Host isn't convenient for us since we don't like going off our path - I would assume fulltime RVers who don't have any deadline would be better for this. Going through all the hoops for a dry camping spot in a parking lot (usually) is not my idea of how to get a good night's sleep.
Harvest host when I was travelling last September I sent requests to two and never received a response from either one !! I ended up spending 57 $ at a craft brewery for 6 beer!!
Great video. Did Passport America one year and paid for itself in one stop at a campground in New Orleans. Then I tried booking other campgrounds and found blocked out dates or no reservations must just show up! KOA made sense one year when we were using several locations in one season. Keep up the great content.
Great video. We do have KOA membership, but we have stayed at several and it has definitely paid for itself for us. I also got a Lifetime membership to Good Sam back in 1999 and it has most definitely paid for itself with Camping world discounts and the fuel savings at Pilot and Flying J. I didn't know that Harvest Host went up to spending $30 at the locations. That is going up as is everything. We still enjoy the Harvest Host locations. Always something to see.
We have saved a lot of money from having both KOA and Good Sam memberships. But totally agree with the KOA points you made. They aren't cheap (normally - we have done over winter with KOA) and are definitely more geared to families with young children (which we are not). And yeah, HH is definitely not for saving money but oh so good to stay at. These are our only 3 memberships and we wouldn't get rid of them.
Currently in a Thousand Trails spot, as fulltime it’s definitely a “money saver” but limits your range and you will definitely be crammed in like sardines. The locations themselves vary from good (not great) to very poor (Russian River CA, Vegas NV locations 👀) I will say the only credit and experience I have with a KOA is that they filled my propane tanks up when a Thousand Trails couldn’t :) great vid as always Hanks ❤
Koa here in desert. Hot Spring is 85 a night. They offer one free day if you stay a week and have membership. It ended up the same price. I stayed one week and paid the next year and never used it. 😊
We've tried most of these. The only one we are still members of is Escapees (because we use their mail program). You're right about their parks being old, but the people are usually really nice and friendly. We liked the one in Coarsegold, CA. That being said, we have made use of all of these memberships in getting across the country where there are no Thousand Trails parks (of which we are members). So I would say, it all depends on what you need at the time. We like Good Sam parks, but they can be pricey depending on where they are located. Most RV memberships have a range of very nice parks to dumpy, so read the reviews ahead of time.
Hey, love your channel. I have life memberships to Good Sam, Passport Amer and the National Parks Senior pass. Each card has paid for itself withon the firdt hrar of ownership. Passport Amer has some horrible parks but they have some great ones too! Rving since 1984!
KOAs definitely are a huge help for our current situation with really young kids. But it’s important to know which KOAs are what…there’s differences between a Journey and a holiday or a resort. Something with a nice pool, hot tub, kids bouncing pillow, etc are nice for the kids to enjoy. This year alone, we are scheduled to stay at KOAs for over 20 nights…on top of other campgrounds for other trips or areas. It’s not for everyone or different stages of life but the extra amenities are super nice for a bit of extra comfort or entertainment sometimes.
Thanks Hanks I have Good Sam’s and have saved over a thousand over the last year. I had a KOA and seem like every time we needs a spot we could not get in. Also the price of the spots where extremely high and packed like sardines in the campgrounds.
I’m hoping I can finish watching and see whether you cover Hip Camp. I’m considering opening my ranch in western Montana to boondocking. Meanwhile, I recently took a road trip from western Montana to Minnesota to attend my daughters college graduation, taking a tent trailer to stay in. We went the KOA route and purchased the rewards. For us, it saved enough to provide an extra night after we recouped the upfront cost.
I have Good Sam and Passport America. I have used both. I used Passport America two different years and decided to go ahead and get the Lifetime membership. You are correct on the pricing. One year I was staying in Pigeon Forge, TN and was charged the 50% rate during the week and then regular rate on the weekend. Still, I saved.
Hey Hanks, thanks for another great video. We have been full-time for almost 2 years and have ALL of those memberships. We are evaluating now which ones have been cost effective. 😛
Not a fan of KOA’s in general. Love Harvest Host. As you said it is not designed to save money, it is about the experience. Also, in most cases when you spend money you receive something of value, often something I would buy anyways. There are a lot of new members to HH who misunderstand what it is about thinking they are going to save money and then complain that it is suggested they spend. Also, the $30 recommendation is by HH in general and not site specific.
@@HappilyEverHanks not to belabor the point but I just checked their FAQ’s on their website, it’s $30. It was increased awhile back and has been a point of discussion on the HH related Facebook page.
We love the Good Sam membership. We’ve used the roadside assistance with success. We live year round in a parked 5th wheel. We use Good Sam at Camping World for discounts and points on parts, and a recently replaced recliner. We also have a Class C that we’re rehabbing and it’s much cheaper to go to Camping World for parts than other nearby Rv parts stores.
Good Sam Credit Card is one to AVOID if you expect your income to go down. They cancelled mine when I updated my income to reflect retirement income had significantly been reduced after it. It took three years to get them to reactivate it and of course, my "bazillion points" expired. Face Palm
We are KOA members & end up disappointed with KOA parks most of the time. We, too, have been scammed into buying rewards. Learned our lesson last year. Appreciate your info...you have validated our concerns. On the other hand, we LOVE Harvest Hosts! They are perfect for one-nighters, and we enjoy getting an experience--tour, demonstration, meal, or just a beautifully quiet place to stay. We also pick up unique Christmas, birthday, and thank-you gifts. We've stayed at almost 30 HH properties in the last 3 years. Definitely more fun & more memorable than any KOA or RV park!
I imagine that most KOAs are like chain restaurants, almost all the same, whereas the HH facilities give you a great variety, and "variety is the spice of life." I bet your HH stays relating to campground facilities have been the most memorable. Have they?
Great video and good information. We were members of Passport America and used it twice. Both time we saved money, but in the long run, we didn't use it enough.
You mentioned it Carl, always read the fine print. I was interested in Harvests Hosts, but one of their rules is “No outside kitchens”, so if you have a teardrop or a camper like I do that only has an outside kitchen, then you are out of luck. Otherwise I like the concept. Great video. Safe travels. Bill Bouchard
We got the HH golf pkg included early on. Neither of us golf but we’re hoping we could eat at the club house. Haven’t found one that has that option yet. Don’t think we’ll be renewing next year. We spend more than a CG staying at HH. Also when they suggest a $30 stay, when we can get a basic beautiful CG for $15, that is a game changer.
Great video! Also a nice way to get others to speak up so we can see the variety of others' experiences and opinions. I discovered something the last time I made a KOA reservation. I logged into the web site and found a KOA location and spot. After filling in various info I was about ready to hit the purchase button and noticed that there was no membership discount in the price. After manually entering my membership number (remember, I'm already logged in with that number) the price was adjusted. I was assuming that because I'm logged in as a member it would happen automatically. I don't know if that's a regular thing or just a glitch. It made me wonder if I had missed that in previous reservations.
Thank you for your honest video. These are all business with the goal of earning money. Keeping their members happy is only a focus to make sure it is a financial advantage for the company. Going to a membership campground is like heading to the market in a city. No privacy, no starlit evenings away from noise and lights. Instead, your parked in between row after row of other rv’s. You need to remind oneself the purpose of why you bought your rv. Was it to be one of the crowd, or to get out into nature? So, how often will you ‘really’ utilize the membership? If road trippin’ between locales, I could understand it for an overnight stay. But is the cost really worth it? Read the fine print. Is there realistically availability or are they more likely booked up and your back to a Cracker Barrel or similar overnighter? You did however note the ‘better’ memberships which was helpful. Thank you.
From one of your previous videos we signed up for the open roads fuel card and love it. Very easy to use and a true way to save on fuel costs. Thanks for your videos you guys create fun and interesting content
We sign up for Passport America for 10 year at 179 dollars So if we use 1 time a year it more than pays for itself And we use on travel days and we usually try to travel during the week So the black out days don’t effect us much So far it’s been a good investment for us
We full time in the winter from Canada in the Southern States with our 45 foot fifth wheel. We have both KOA and Goodsam memberships to be able to guarantee a good site with full hook ups and preferably pullthro. That said we have realized that the best deals are actually at high end RV resorts when you stay for a month or longer. We booked a month at The palms in Yuma for a month with everything you could possibly want for the equivalent of $35 per night. Full hook ups, 2 swimming pools, entertainment facilities etc etc.
We love our RPI membership. Huge savings. The include thousand trails and tons of other privately owned campgrounds. We’ve always been happy with our locations chosen. Booking is easy. Yearly cost pays for itself in 20 nights a year. Nightly rates are either 10 or 15 dollars. They have standards to be associated so almost every one we’ve booked has been amazing!
@@batshtcrazy5293 Resort Parks International. If you RV a lot and will use them 20 nights a year the membership pays for itself. There are tons and tons of RPI associated RV campgrounds and resorts. It’s really amazing to stay at a beautiful resort with jacuzzi and pool and often lots of other things for 10-15 bucks a night.
Love Harvest Host! For my wife and I who travel cross country a lot and love beer and wine it's perfect! Sometimes we pay to stay at a rv park and then take a cab or uber to go get a cocktail or even walk if it's close enough. With Harvest Host we stay for free and are within a few yards of the front door. Also I love to golf and they also have golf courses that are members.
I’ve stayed at a few KOA’s, one was sweet in Colorado if I remember correctly. The others were scary, crowded, facilities stinky, noisy and I found myself just wanting to leave as early and as fast as possible.
Great information, with the credit cards a lot of vendors are charging a convenience fee to use the cards. That said you’re paying for your own points! Love the Hanks and their adventures.
I tent camped from CA to NC to FL and Back to Ca and mainly stayed in KOA'a. So for that trip it paid for the membership. Their website is just so easy to use and found the people great.
KOA has been great for us this year. We are an older couple and sometimes we are in range for our granddaughter to visit. Having kids activities available, safe, shaded and cared for grounds is worth more than money. But we have gotten several free nights.
We like Passport America. Yes, some busy times do not apply. But once you sign up you get access to their site, which clearly states any exclusions at each campground. Getting 50% off paid for itself by our 2nd day. We typically stay about 10-15 nights per year. Awesome savings. Just know before you book.
We live full time out on the road and have a 4 year old. KOA's are great for us with the membership with having the playgrounds. As far as Good Sam, I got scammed into that one too. I've since switched to Coach net for our roadside assistance. Best move ever, i wish y'all would speak on Coach net more.
What happened that Good Sam scammed you? I was considering their extended warranty insurance but it does not fit my needs. Their sales lady knows this but she bugs me constantly.
We've been members of KOA for many years. We always get enough points for a VIP membership. So, don't have to pay each year. As an older couple we like KOA because we have always felt Safe, 99% of the time the facilities are convenient and clean! Traveling in a 31 foot RV with either a Jeep or a trailer with a car we have always found good spaces. I know each to their own. Thank You for all your info you provide!
We use KOA a lot. Yes, they are a bit more expensive but not at all of them. We stayed enough nights to get points to get two nights free, and with the discount, it more than paid for our membership. Plus, most of the KOA's are nice and well taken care of. And another plus is they are everywhere.
Excellent info appreciate it. I have Good Sam, we have a Flying J not far from home, not a full time RVer. The fuel discount Pays for the membership as I almost always fill up there, cars mostly. So it has value for me. I too have researched a number of memberships and have not found much personal value for any of them. I found many parks offer a military discount it's been as high as 25%. The free lifetime national parks military discount helps as well.
We always end up spending way more at a Harvest Host than we would have at an RV Resort. Its just a great membership for the different camping experience.
We love Harvest host, you get something for the money you spend. As long as you can plan a day or two ahead and boondock they are great. Some even have full hookups. Our favorite stays so far were at a tree house winery, decommissioned missile silo and a ghost town!
We are Canadian and have the KOA membership. 10% off and usually get two or three nights free when we go on our big trips. They do vary in maintenance so yes some are way better than others. You get the listing of campgrounds they offer so less online research. (that can get mind boggling). Events are not for just kids. Does it add up absolutely. But my partner is not going to boondock so it is what it is.
I am retired military and disabled. We have to "always ask" for a discount but we are amazed at how big some of the discounts are. Staying on military base RV parks as a retiree is also a huge savings. We stayed in Key West on Navy property for $29 per night with not tax. All national parks entry fees are free with the National Park Pass. State parks are kind of all over the place with their benefits.
100% agree here. We stayed at the Navy base in Panama City last year for $20 something per night, and the campground was really nice. It wasn't huge, but it was nice, clean, and well-maintained.
It is Hanks day. My favorite day of the week.
Happy Hanks day everyone.
You're awesome! Thanks for taking time to watch our episode 😊
A quote from Tom Waits: "The big print giveth, the fine print taketh away."
I have Passport America. I have used it several times. I am not looking for a resort, just a place to park, hookup, cook, eat and sleep. No more, no less. It has been great for me. They offered the lifetime membership for less than $200 when I joined. I have more than made that money back. If all you want is hookups and leave, it is great. It is not for resort campers or people wanting to make a fashion statement.
As a solo RVer I rarely use the facilities at rv resorts except for laundry. I have stayed at KOA’s which are very nice and I really like the pet patios but they are very expensive. Some of the rv parks I have stayed at and give PA discount have been really nice and I would definitely go back.
Same here. Bought the life time and it paid for itself in one summer. Have to read the fine print but never had any trouble with any that I have stayed at. Some really nice.
We have been doing the RV thing for 40 years starting as soon as we could afford a used a pop up. We have have had contact with all these RV groups. You all spoke 100% truth on all of them. Thank you soooo much for speaking the truth. A rare thing now a days. We would not disagree with a thing you said.
Thank you very much, Kathy! We really appreciate your kindness and support 😊
Used to love KOA. $116.00 per night in Montana & $120.00 per night in South Dakota. Too expensive 😢
My thoughts exactly!!! btw - Did you know the one in Billings, Montana was the first ever KOA?
Wow. One could stay in a full-service HOTEL for that kind of money. I thought campgrounds were supposed to be cheaper than staying in hotels. Just, Wow!
@irefusetoaskmydoctorifyour6401 not anymore.. people are foregoing hotels.. after covoid..the rv industry went crazy. Now not as crazy but still going pretty strong. The pricing is horrible..
Yellowstone national park, fishing bridge we are paying 117. Plus tax.. but inside the park with full hook up. Didn't like it. But beats having re entering the park outside..
You folks are so correct. Koa has bought out so many nice mom and pop campgrounds then they doubled or tripled the rate. Gotcha. Love you guys,Hanks
We use KOA a lot. Especially when we need to do laundry or fill or dump.
Ya theyre totally wrong about koa it's great and yhe membership is so worth it
I just use iOverlander to find both dump stations and laundromats.
The great thing about KOA is that they have a website that works and they're all over the place. Need to reserve same-day? As long as it's before, say, 5:00pm, go for it.
Yeah, they're expensive, especially if you don't care about being kid-friendly. However, they're consistently high-quality, clean, safe, and pet-friendly.
I agree about KOA especially if heading south and east. Most of those states outside of the west don’t have BLM land. I liked the KOA app and not having to search for camping in unknown spots plus we had a place to refill our water and use the dump site.
we do too, for the most part when you book a KOA spot you know it will be, clean,safe, the hook-ups will work, and the KOA web site is hands down the best for making res. at the last minute. ok the "value card" just pays for the tax most times but it keeps us going back so they know how to pull us in anyway!😁
Your recent video on free and low cost campgrounds inspired me to filter for city and county parks in RV Trip Wizard for a recent drive from Denver to Dallas. We found a city park in Ulysses, KS with FHU for $15, and it was one or the nicest overnights we have ever had. Recently mapped Dallas to Buffalo at these local parks plus COE and nowhere is more than $25! I use KOA for a few big city stays where they are well located (Salt Lake and Tucson are good examples) and with week or longer stays the membership pays for itself. But the only other membership we bought is the national parks pass. Nothing else has made sense.
We were full-time for 3 years. Thousand Trails paid for itself in no time. Yes... Many parks need maintenance, and some parks were nothing but party cities. We adjusted our expectations so we weren't disappointed and were actually pleasantly surprised by several.
Passport America... Every time I looked at parks along our route, restrictions prevented us from using them every time.
We drove from Ohio to Oregon and used the hell out of Harvest Hosts. On the 6 week trip, we only paid for 15 nights of camping. Spending $$ at the businesses was not an issue for us, and we made a lot of memories (plus kept the wine stocked!)
This video was AWESOME! Thanks Hanks!!
Been KOA members for 6 years. Our preferred, non-boondocking campgrounds. Have laundries, full hook-ups, nice sites with furniture and fire rings or pits, usually nicely landscaped parks. VIP level. Good app for finding campgrounds where we need or want them. Yes, they cost a little more, but worth it to us.
We’ll be doing 45 nights in KOA’s this year. It’s worth it for the 10% and probably around $150 in credits for us. Plus I like the convenience of doing everything on line.
We also stay at mostly KOA's They are dog friendly when you have a so called breed restriction pet. We paid the membership price once and have stayed enough nights every year to waive the yearly fee. Yes they may be slightly higher in cost but not much.
The membership fee is made up in 3-4 nights. That’s my math decision to get a KOA membership.
Sorry, long comment!
1)We paid for a KOA membership once, in 2018. Ever since then, we’ve triggered a free VIP membership by staying 10 nights a year. Is it $$? Yes. But, the beauty of the VIP level is that there is no charge for cancelling. So, when I’m trying to score a campsite at a coveted state or national park, I will go ahead and book the closest KOA just in case I don’t get the park I want. Once I do, we’ll cancel the KOA fallback option.
2) We consider our Escapees membership as paying it forward, supporting the Club’s advocacy on behalf of all RVers (i.e. as with the recent SD proposed changes). It’s also great for finding community on the road, and the opportunity to own a site at one of the co-op parks is cool, for those who want the option of a home base.
3) PA, totally agree. We tried it, got turned down the first time we tried to use it. Other attempts were same as what you said, wrong date, wrong day, etc.
4) Good Sam, ugh, no way. Too much attendant spam from CW and them trying to sell you ever more programs. The TSD Open Roads diesel discount is usually more.
5) HH saves us NO money…so yes, agree, it’s not for saving money. In fact, we usually end up spending more than what a private campground would have cost. But, it’s another tool in the toolbox, and we use it when we’re transiting quickly. The BW part of the program DOES save us money. Frequently stay with a private homeowner for up to 5 nights for no or minimal cost. We’ve been invited in for dinner, had long great conversations with our hosts, etc.
6) Some day, would be interested in your take on TT. We’re not impressed with their campgrounds, so haven’t seriously pursued it…but others swear by the program.
Fantastic review with lots of good info. 👍👍👍
Love your long comment as it points out some things others may not know!
Passport America lifetime membership is a great one. We use it all the time.
Another saving is National Park Pass.
So glad you are able to utilize the program well! Thanks for sharing 😃
National parks America the Beautiful senior pass gives us 50% off at Corps of Engineer parks!
@@hollynauss6359staying at COE, we have already paid for our lifetime membership. It is our favorite places to stay. We stayed at a COE in Branson for 12.50 a night!
Good Sam and Camping World. You can bookdock at their parking lot and its also free to use their dump station ad get water.
Wow, didn't know that! We'll have to try it out!
I didn’t know about those extra Good Sam perks.
Ya the very first night I slept in my camper was at camping world, they have power for ya at least
So if I have Good Sam I can stay at Camping World?
@@pattyreed3175 yes sir
Great, honest review. Last year in June, I paid $202 a night for a KOA at Gatlinburg, TN
Oh my goodness 🫣 That is so expensive!!
That is the epitome of Highway Robbery!
We regularly stay at KOAs when traveling. We have kids, we like the consistency. We’ve never paid to renew a membership. We stay at them enough that they always extend our membership. The cancellation flexibility with our membership is also useful. We also were Harvest Host members, but never used it once.
Great video. We signed up for Good Sam’s mainly because of free dumping and water at any Camping World across the US - and they all have a dump. We boonedock most of the time and have dumped at Camping World 5 times in the last two months. If you are not a GS member, it costs $17 per dump. So…just for that, it is worth it for us. Thanks guys!
Harvest Hosts has nothing to do with saving money, however, Harvest Host stops are always something I look forward to and end up with great memories most of the time.
Really cool camping experiences for sure!
And remember.. most of the time you are supporting a small business. Sometimes a family own business that those rv spot help feed the family.
Pro-tip: Don't stay at breweries back-to-back on long travel days. Your liver has a budget, too.
I've found KOA to be ok but somewhat misleading with what there facility may look like and what is offered there. I signed up booked a spot for a pull through, very easy site by the way, to easy 😅, the site showed bikes to ride, a little train ride for the 4 year. Got there they had most of the sites closed, got wide open gravel spot by there maintenence shop. Woke up to a mufflerless wood chipper. The train was a rust bucket knocked over in uncut grass. Very sad 4 year old. So be careful 🧐 research fir those that have stayed there, for any place you stay. Happy trails😊
Over the course of our 6 years RVing fulltime for 4 months per year, we had a few memberships but found that we got as good as or better discounts with our retired military status. Thank you to the RV camps and resorts for honoring and appreciating our service.
Great information! Being a 100% noob I've been exploring all avenues of RV life. They do dangle lots of "shiny things" as enticements but I've seen lots of fine print hidden in their sales pitch. For now I will avoid the clubs and continue my education.
Thanks for another great informative and fun video. My wife and I always look forward to Thursdays.
Memberships are all about marketing and the markup. That way they can mark it down a little so you think you are saving money.
I love Escapees. Love staying in gulf shores for $350 a month. Same in Branson MO.
Nice!!
Long term living available?
We have been to Escapees in Turkey Creek in Branson, Raccoon Valley in Tennessee and Rainbow Plantation in Alabama. Probably for young people not much excitement but for the older crowd the dinners together, conversations and quiet areas they are quite nice and less expensive than others. We don’t use the pools or all the amenities. $500 a month or less is not bad. Same with some locations with Passport America. We rarely stay at Parks that are rated under 8, so we are really picky about safety and location. We are full timers (4years and counting). Certain areas KOA prices aren’t bad in a pinch, like Nebraska, Wyoming, Iowa and parts of Utah, but we don’t use them anywhere else cause too many other places that are less expensive. And some locations we return to quite often but cause of acquaintances and friends we have met in the past. Good Sam’s isn’t bad.
I use Harvest Hosts while traveling from 1 point to another so I have no problem planning out my stays. I usually am boondocking so it's convenient to stay at a place that offers food. Golf courses are my favorite, nothing better than hitting the 19 hole for a good meal and a few beers after a day of driving and it's incredibly quiet in the evenings.
Love the golf course add on! Very peaceful overnights!
Good point on "big rig friendly HH spots. They may say theres a 60' parking spot, but access is via a 10' wide driveway with a 90 degree turn that also has culverts. When you get approved for a spot, check with the owner AND look on google maps to confirm you can actually get your 45' 5th wheel back there.
I am guessing "you have BEEN THERE?"
I'm with Good Sam and very happy with them. Got a flat tire in Oklahoma back in February while going cross country. Being very close to a truck stop I was able to limp my way in. Once done, I called and the person on the line was vey thoughtful making sure I was ok and in a safe place. Was able to pick the right tire for my rigg and in less than 30 minutes someone showed up and again had a tremendous service.
A few days later, a brake line broke (not on the same side as the tire). Yet again I was able to make it to the RV park (In Texas).
I called to know what garage was best in the town I was in, turned out to be the right garage.
They came over the rv park, removed the old line and came back a few days later to install the new one on site for under $200.
That's convenient and super helpful! Thanks for sharing your experience 😃
We have no membership’s with anyone but curious how long you’ve had good Sam. We looked into them a bit but didn’t come to a conclusion.
@@Rick-x8h Been with them since early December
Kyle and Renee I have all these. We use KOA a lot and have often got a good discount. But, Good Sam is something else. We had a blow out on our 5th wheel. Good Sam was sending me a repair guy from Florida and we were on the I15 in Barstow. Are going to stop at the Barn Route 66 in Newberry Springs you guys stopped at. Love watching your videos on traveling and tips. It is nice to see young folks giving advice. We are in our 70s and have RVed for over 40 years. Love that you stopped and helped the motorcycle guy accident on the Alaska trip. God Bless and stay safe.
Not with Good Sam but with another insurance company, we had an engine failure at Crater Lake and the tow truck was going to be coming from another state. It took a while for them to figure out that Crater Lake was in southern Oregon. We finally got help thanks to the park rangers who let us use their landline, as we had no cell service.
I just want to put out there that some Harvest Hosts places you can stay at without having a membership. When hubby and I drove from Las Vegas to LA to pick up our RV we drove by Peggy Sue's 50's Diner in Yermo, CA. We noticed truckers were stopped there. We thought that would be a great place to stop for the night on the way back. It was great! All we did was call them ahead of time and they said it was not a problem and told us where we could park. They never mentioned Harvest Hosts or that we would need it in order to stay there. (We did not know about Harvest Hosts at the time and didn't even realize it was a Harvest Hosts spot until seeing your video when you guys stayed there.) We would never intentionally stay somewhere that was suppose to have a certain type of membership, but like I said, we didn't know and they didn't say. One thing we did look for when we were traveling were parking lots with lots of space. If we saw truckers parked there then we would ask the establishment if it was okay to part there. Never had a problem. So, keep your eyes open for truckers and big parking lots. Chances are if you call the place ahead of time and ask for permission, you will be good to go. :) We no longer RV. We traveled around in ours for 4 months until we found our next place to live. We are very happy in the Portland, OR area.
Love your videos! Always brings a smile to my face.
Thursdays are my toughest day, love spending the evening with Kyle and Rene. #ThanksHanks !
Thank you so much 😊
We love KOA because we know what we will be getting and generally all have a good dog park. Since we travel with dogs that is important to us. We also know the set up and after a long travel day we appreciate some familiarity.
We had Harvest Host for 3 years and most stays were great but we also found it was becoming more difficult to find a spot on our routes, there were often a lack of available days at the locations that interested us, some hosts were not timely in approving our request which made travel a bit difficult if we couldn't count on the stay or at last minute declined. Not to mention you do need to spend or donate money and the individual set ups or parking areas can be challenging, so for us we found better value with other choices.
Passport America was a bust for us also and we didn't get any value from it.
Have you ever gotten set up in what you thought was a "dog-friendly" park only to find out that the number of pets was limited and you had too many? Or too big? Or???
We're Harvets Hosts members. For the most part we like to stay at brewery-restaurants since that's the kind of place where we'd end up eating anyway (but we do have our first alpaca farm booked for an upcoming Atlantic Canada trip) so the recommended spending is eaasy to achieve.
We traveled out west last year and realized that Corps of Engineers (COE) campgrounds are great for overnights - electrical hookups at minimum with a free dump/fill station, and some of them even have full hookups (shower night!). And particularly with my America the Beautiful senior card's 50% discount they're half the price or less than the recommended spend at a Harvest Host - win/win.
same here! I stayed at a COE in Mississippi, I think it was Persimmon hill? $12 full hook ups, and with the card, $6/night for full hook ups! found it! www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233634
I have used Passport America for several years and I am very happy with it. We use it for the 'one night stands' while en-route to a longer term destination. We stay 5-6 times or more per year and you have to watch the fine print. Often, PA reservations have to be made by phone in order to get the discounts and they rarely allow weekend stays. Just a couple weeks ago, we stayed at a campground in Deadwood, SD and we got 50% off for our 4 nights. We have several other stays scheduled during the summer. We no longer buy Good Sam and never have gotten the KOA membeship. We have been Escapees members for many years. We spend a month every year in a park near Knoxville and the savings makes it worthwhile.
First, love you two ❤! We did the same thing with KOA on our trip to AK! We stayed at KOA twice on that trip and ended up boondocking most of our trip. Definitely not a savings for us. We thought about Harvest Host with the idea that even if I am spending say, $30 a night, that could be cheaper than campgrounds in the same area. But without electric hookups it could be a deal breaker if we need AC. Thanks for all of the wonderful information you provide to us. Please keep it coming. Happy camping 😊.
That's amazing ya'll were able to at least boondock a lot in AK! Yes, like you said, the purchase of these programs should definitely be tailored according to the lifestyle you are seeking to enjoy. Thank you for your wonderful support 🤗
Love Thursday Afternoon's with the Hanks 😎😎
Thanks for being here!
Recently stopped at Harvest Host BBQ restaurant so glad to spend money to get my supper. Also stayed at a church parking lot which was very quiet and convenient stopover for the night. Agree with you on KOA, as I have gotten talked into the rewards program but have never even broken even with it.
I've discovered that with Passport America, some campgrounds only offer the discount the 1st night or the 1st three nights. Which is fine IF you know this going in. Read the information on the campground! I managed to pull a lifetime membership for under $200. Senior and retired military. Starting full time on the 3rd of June! Use Good Sam a lot! I like TSC or Tribal gas stations for Propane. .50 to $1 less that most gas stations for cost.
We've had good luck with Passport America. We got a deal on a lifetime membership and it paid for itself within a couple months. However, I do agree that you have to read the rules for each campground carefully. But if you follow the rules and plan accordingly you can do well with PA.
Good to know! Thank you for sharing
I found that many HH locations also had restricted hours (cannot arrive after xx o'clock) and days (available only on Tuesday thru Thursday, for example). Coupled with their locations and needing weather that was tolerable (many hot days in summer), it was like having to have the stars align just right to use them.
I like harvest host for the one overnight stay. I can get dinner and or entertainment, a place to park for the price of a campground. Great for multiple travel days. I have looked at some of the other memberships but don't see that I would benefit from them. With any membership you need to make the effect to use it. Another great Hanks Thursday video.
Great info thank you Hanks! It’s because of you that we joined Harvest Hosts. Last summer we drove from Ohio to California with the intent to travel brewery to brewery. Our brand new Forrest River nearly killed us but that’s another story. We thoroughly enjoyed boondocking at amazing locations both small business and private properties. When needed we also used our KOA membership for the amenities. It is a pricey stay but readily available and always well kept .
We will definitely renew our HH/BW thank you Hanks we appreciate you❤️
I cringed when you mentioned that your "Brand new Forest River" nearly killed you. Please elaborate on what happened. I had one of the first FR Cedar Creek "25th Anniversary" Cottage 40CFK2 RVs delivered last September and only a month ago could I use it full-time. It was poorly built with faulty workmanship and components and it's taken months to get it repaired so it can be lived in. Mine is a destination RV.
My husband died so I moved onto my kids' 19 acres right next to their house. I am 80 years old and this was my choice. I had no idea I would be SCAMMED by FR. How can they install a water heater backward? How can they put in a heat pump air conditioner that does not heat or cool?
Do you have extended warranty insurance? I live here full-time so most RV insurance won't cover me.
@@judyross182 hi! I’m so sorry for your loss and aggravating struggle. I don’t know where to start. We bought a 2022 Forrest River Wildwood. We took it home and went over with a fine tooth comb…lots of “ cosmetic” flaws but hey FR gets 100% of their money so we should have a perfect product right? So yes they repaired the first round ( cracked corner molding bubbled wall paper deep scratch in the floor the shower leaking a river(was never caulked) the carpet edge on the main slide looked like it was cut with a dull knife. …fraying . Commenced on our cross country excursion .. first stop 6 hours in the refrigerator fell out of the wall… we “remedied” the situation to get us to nearest FR dealership. Next we were stopped on the highway because we were losing underbelly panels. By the time we reached our next stop there were no panels from the nose to the back. With every stop more panels were missing flying off along the highway …thank God no one was hit. Along the way we kept losing battery power! Weird. Made it to Lake Tahoe California to a KOA (couldn’t boondock any longer due to low /no battery power. Pulled into KOA and a wonderful camp manager was helping us level and disconnect. The tongue wouldn’t move because again no battery . He assisted us in looking at the battery. He then told us to disconnect our truck (my Great Dane was waiting in) and get away from the unit! There were melted and burnt wires leading from the battery to the front storage. We came to discover the unit was solar prepped but we didn’t have a solar package. FR wired for solar and a circuit was left open. Along the way the open circuit came into contact with the metal frame causing what could have been a fire had there been insulation in the camper nose! We could have lost everything…our camper our truck our Dane and our lives towing . We were 2500 miles away from home and we were dead in the water. Thankfully we were blessed with angels looking out for us and we were able to have a mobile tech make the unit “safe” to get us home. FR did step up and repaired our camper fully..and did reimburse money lost in refrigerator stock and campgrounds (we were unable to boondock) FR admitted to me that we purchased a Covid camper. No excuse !
We are able to look back and kinda laugh now that things have been made right but it could’ve been horrible
@@heathergump6062 Wow! No wonder so many people have joined the class action suit against FR. What a horror you experienced. One would think with the thousands that it costs to make all of these repairs FR would figure out that "doing it right the first time" would be their key to success. I'm glad that they made it right for you and now you are happy.
I love living in my FR Cedar Creek 'Cottage' now that I finally can, but I am also very concerned about what I haven't discovered that might also be wrong that I won't find out until the warranty has expired.
Why would purchasing a 'COVID' camper have anything to do with building it correctly? Mine was built in August 2023 and was a mess when I got it. It was transported to my son in S.C. and I didn't fly out from WA state until two months after the delivery.
Was the dealer you bought it from supposed to inspect it? Mine was purchased from Couch's RV Nation in Ohio and they did NOTHING at their end to test it. Nothing. Who was your dealer?
@@judyross182 I have not heard of a class action suit…do you have any info?
We bought ours at General RV in Canton Ohio
I hope you don’t find anything else with your cottage😀
@@heathergump6062 My daughter-in-law found some information by doing a Google search on "lawsuits against Forest River" and told me about it. General RV, it would appear, like Couch's RV Nation, also didn't test your RV before delivery or they would have found your issues. I hope that neither of us have any more issues. Good luck and thanks for the info.
I was just researching memberships (adding or renewing them) yesterday! Dang... What a joke! So misleading they are. All I really want or need now is the best RA without extra membership levels or requirements (looking at you, AAA forced to upsell to RV Platinum). Thanks guys, I am saving this info, cause I am full-time and not a weekend warrior. Just a warrior. Hope the America the Beautiful park pass is not a rip, because I am 65 qualified for Lifetime pass. We will see...😉
We use our America the Beautiful pass all the time, mostly at Army Corp of Engineers campgrounds where we can camp for half price. It depends on where you like to camp.
I just joined Harvest Hosts for a trip I am on now. It has almost paid for itself as the places I have stayed actually had no product to sell as they were farms, so I didn’t have to spend the $20-$30. I also stayed at a Boondockers site, where I got free electricity!
I’m not worried about planning ahead as I have a destination in mind and would plan ahead with campgrounds anyway.
Boondockers Welcome is a great program and actually does save us money!
My sister-in-law loves Passport America. When we first began our full-time adventure she insisted that we get it. We did and found that same thing... every time we went to use our discount, it wasn't being offered at that location. So we paid for a year, but NEVER got a single discount. We love our Harvest Hosts, Costco ( groceries and gas prices are awesome!) as well as Good Sam. We have saved a bunch of money switching from Geico to Good Sam insurance. I know what your saying... "Speed isn't Geico's slogan you saved a bunch of money by switching to Geico?" Yes it is just not in our case. We 100% agree with you that if one is going to have a credit card, make sure it is one that gives you cash back or points and don't forget to use them. Amazing episode as always! Thanks Hanks!
Good sam roadside was great for us when we broke down in the Badlands! Nearest mechanic was a little over an hour away. They took care of the tow and mechanic. We were very satisfied.
Thank you for sharing your experience! Glad it all worked out for you!
We use Passport America all the time and save a ton of money. Like anything else you need to look at each location to review any restrictions. Harvest host is as you describe, it's not a money saver, but the locations can't be beat. If you utilize it a half dozen times it averages out to $40-50 a night. Good Sam roadside with towing was worth it literally on our drive home from dealer. It started snowing and we're ended up sliding a hundred feet backwards with our 38' tt and needing two tow rigs to get us back on our way. We also like the fuel discount across the country. Great video topic.
I agree with you 100% about KOA, Passport America and I really don’t care for Good Sam. I do however really like Harvest Host/Boondock‘s welcome. I use that more than anything else. Do not plan on renewing KOA or Passport America for the exact reason you explained in this video. since I am a full-time, I am a member of the escapes and have my mail forwarding through them. I agree with you that the website is a little bit outdated and at times difficult to use. Thanks for sharing the information. it’s always great, especially for newbies. ❤
Thank you so much for the great feedback! Yes, we may just stick with Escapees only since we do use the mailing service. Doesn't make sense to have more than one RV membership.
Good Sam was $29 a year not long ago. If you buy more than one year at a time, it reduces the yearly cost.
Harvest Host isn't convenient for us since we don't like going off our path - I would assume fulltime RVers who don't have any deadline would be better for this.
Going through all the hoops for a dry camping spot in a parking lot (usually) is not my idea of how to get a good night's sleep.
Maybe we paid $49 for two years, so you are probably correct.
Harvest host when I was travelling last September I sent requests to two and never received a response from either one !! I ended up spending 57 $ at a craft brewery for 6 beer!!
Sometimes the businesses don't check the online system, we've had to call a lot of spots
Great video. Did Passport America one year and paid for itself in one stop at a campground in New Orleans. Then I tried booking other campgrounds and found blocked out dates or no reservations must just show up! KOA made sense one year when we were using several locations in one season. Keep up the great content.
Great video. We do have KOA membership, but we have stayed at several and it has definitely paid for itself for us. I also got a Lifetime membership to Good Sam back in 1999 and it has most definitely paid for itself with Camping world discounts and the fuel savings at Pilot and Flying J. I didn't know that Harvest Host went up to spending $30 at the locations. That is going up as is everything. We still enjoy the Harvest Host locations. Always something to see.
We have saved a lot of money from having both KOA and Good Sam memberships. But totally agree with the KOA points you made. They aren't cheap (normally - we have done over winter with KOA) and are definitely more geared to families with young children (which we are not). And yeah, HH is definitely not for saving money but oh so good to stay at. These are our only 3 memberships and we wouldn't get rid of them.
Thanks! Hanks 😊
Hey! Thanks so much for the super thanks 😊 You're the best!
Currently in a Thousand Trails spot, as fulltime it’s definitely a “money saver” but limits your range and you will definitely be crammed in like sardines. The locations themselves vary from good (not great) to very poor (Russian River CA, Vegas NV locations 👀)
I will say the only credit and experience I have with a KOA is that they filled my propane tanks up when a Thousand Trails couldn’t :) great vid as always Hanks ❤
Koa here in desert. Hot Spring is 85 a night. They offer one free day if you stay a week and have membership. It ended up the same price. I stayed one week and paid the next year and never used it. 😊
We've tried most of these. The only one we are still members of is Escapees (because we use their mail program). You're right about their parks being old, but the people are usually really nice and friendly. We liked the one in Coarsegold, CA. That being said, we have made use of all of these memberships in getting across the country where there are no Thousand Trails parks (of which we are members). So I would say, it all depends on what you need at the time. We like Good Sam parks, but they can be pricey depending on where they are located. Most RV memberships have a range of very nice parks to dumpy, so read the reviews ahead of time.
Hey, love your channel. I have life memberships to Good Sam, Passport Amer and the National Parks Senior pass. Each card has paid for itself withon the firdt hrar of ownership. Passport Amer has some horrible parks but they have some great ones too! Rving since 1984!
KOAs definitely are a huge help for our current situation with really young kids. But it’s important to know which KOAs are what…there’s differences between a Journey and a holiday or a resort. Something with a nice pool, hot tub, kids bouncing pillow, etc are nice for the kids to enjoy. This year alone, we are scheduled to stay at KOAs for over 20 nights…on top of other campgrounds for other trips or areas. It’s not for everyone or different stages of life but the extra amenities are super nice for a bit of extra comfort or entertainment sometimes.
Thanks Hanks I have Good Sam’s and have saved over a thousand over the last year. I had a KOA and seem like every time we needs a spot we could not get in. Also the price of the spots where extremely high and packed like sardines in the campgrounds.
It seems as if you are paying 10% extra than other campgrounds anyway!
Thank you for all that you do for us newbies. We appreciate these informative and educational videos.
Absolutely!! We are so glad that they can be of help 😊
I’m hoping I can finish watching and see whether you cover Hip Camp. I’m considering opening my ranch in western Montana to boondocking. Meanwhile, I recently took a road trip from western Montana to Minnesota to attend my daughters college graduation, taking a tent trailer to stay in. We went the KOA route and purchased the rewards. For us, it saved enough to provide an extra night after we recouped the upfront cost.
Something else about Escapees, they have the best towing service for me which made the membership worth it. Keep the good stuff coming guys.
Didn’t know! Thanks for sharing!
@@HappilyEverHanks You pay an extra $109 a year for it. Doesn't come with membership.
I have Good Sam and Passport America. I have used both. I used Passport America two different years and decided to go ahead and get the Lifetime membership. You are correct on the pricing. One year I was staying in Pigeon Forge, TN and was charged the 50% rate during the week and then regular rate on the weekend. Still, I saved.
I dont do RV lufe, wanted too but it wont be in this life time. Yet, i do enjoy living it thru you both. Love from AZ-US 😊 keeping on living kids❤
Thanks for always tuning in 🤗
Hey Hanks, thanks for another great video. We have been full-time for almost 2 years and have ALL of those memberships. We are evaluating now which ones have been cost effective. 😛
Not a fan of KOA’s in general. Love Harvest Host. As you said it is not designed to save money, it is about the experience. Also, in most cases when you spend money you receive something of value, often something I would buy anyways. There are a lot of new members to HH who misunderstand what it is about thinking they are going to save money and then complain that it is suggested they spend. Also, the $30 recommendation is by HH in general and not site specific.
Harvest Hosts recommends at least $20 and some locations ask for at least $30
@@HappilyEverHanks not to belabor the point but I just checked their FAQ’s on their website, it’s $30. It was increased awhile back and has been a point of discussion on the HH related Facebook page.
We love the Good Sam membership. We’ve used the roadside assistance with success. We live year round in a parked 5th wheel. We use Good Sam at Camping World for discounts and points on parts, and a recently replaced recliner. We also have a Class C that we’re rehabbing and it’s much cheaper to go to Camping World for parts than other nearby Rv parts stores.
They are fine for discounts but if you have a class a coach and need a tow good luck.
Good Sam Credit Card is one to AVOID if you expect your income to go down. They cancelled mine when I updated my income to reflect retirement income had significantly been reduced after it. It took three years to get them to reactivate it and of course, my "bazillion points" expired. Face Palm
We are KOA members & end up disappointed with KOA parks most of the time. We, too, have been scammed into buying rewards. Learned our lesson last year. Appreciate your info...you have validated our concerns. On the other hand, we LOVE Harvest Hosts! They are perfect for one-nighters, and we enjoy getting an experience--tour, demonstration, meal, or just a beautifully quiet place to stay. We also pick up unique Christmas, birthday, and thank-you gifts. We've stayed at almost 30 HH properties in the last 3 years. Definitely more fun & more memorable than any KOA or RV park!
I imagine that most KOAs are like chain restaurants, almost all the same, whereas the HH facilities give you a great variety, and "variety is the spice of life." I bet your HH stays relating to campground facilities have been the most memorable. Have they?
Great video and good information. We were members of Passport America and used it twice. Both time we saved money, but in the long run, we didn't use it enough.
You mentioned it Carl, always read the fine print. I was interested in Harvests Hosts, but one of their rules is “No outside kitchens”, so if you have a teardrop or a camper like I do that only has an outside kitchen, then you are out of luck. Otherwise I like the concept. Great video. Safe travels. Bill Bouchard
Good Sam elite does have propane discounts at flying J and Pilot (not just on Tuesdays)😊
I love the Hank's Thursday videos, always fun and informative. Thanks for sharing
I really enjoyed the Alaska Canada trip. I look forward to more videos of new places you will visit 😊
hummmmm, maybe if we all ask nicely they could go camp at places we want to see?😎lol
We got the HH golf pkg included early on. Neither of us golf but we’re hoping we could eat at the club house. Haven’t found one that has that option yet. Don’t think we’ll be renewing next year. We spend more than a CG staying at HH. Also when they suggest a $30 stay, when we can get a basic beautiful CG for $15, that is a game changer.
Great video! Also a nice way to get others to speak up so we can see the variety of others' experiences and opinions.
I discovered something the last time I made a KOA reservation. I logged into the web site and found a KOA location and spot. After filling in various info I was about ready to hit the purchase button and noticed that there was no membership discount in the price. After manually entering my membership number (remember, I'm already logged in with that number) the price was adjusted. I was assuming that because I'm logged in as a member it would happen automatically. I don't know if that's a regular thing or just a glitch. It made me wonder if I had missed that in previous reservations.
You both really passed on some great information!! We are always trying to do our due diligence anytime we see “camping” memberships.
Thank you for your honest video.
These are all business with the goal of earning money. Keeping their members happy is only a focus to make sure it is a financial advantage for the company. Going to a membership campground is like heading to the market in a city. No privacy, no starlit evenings away from noise and lights. Instead, your parked in between row after row of other rv’s. You need to remind oneself the purpose of why you bought your rv. Was it to be one of the crowd, or to get out into nature? So, how often will you ‘really’ utilize the membership? If road trippin’ between locales, I could understand it for an overnight stay. But is the cost really worth it? Read the fine print. Is there realistically availability or are they more likely booked up and your back to a Cracker Barrel or similar overnighter? You did however note the ‘better’ memberships which was helpful. Thank you.
Thank you for your amazing support, Diane! We are glad that this information could be of some value ❤️
I love you kids I can be down and depressed and watch you two brings me up so much love your videos so very much LOVE YA😂 be careful stay safe
Aww, thank you so much! Hope you are having a great week so far!
From one of your previous videos we signed up for the open roads fuel card and love it. Very easy to use and a true way to save on fuel costs. Thanks for your videos you guys create fun and interesting content
We sign up for Passport America for 10 year at 179 dollars So if we use 1 time a year it more than pays for itself And we use on travel days and we usually try to travel during the week So the black out days don’t effect us much So far it’s been a good investment for us
We are so glad to hear this, Donna! Thank you for taking the time to share it with us 🤗
We full time in the winter from Canada in the Southern States with our 45 foot fifth wheel. We have both KOA and Goodsam memberships to be able to guarantee a good site with full hook ups and preferably pullthro.
That said we have realized that the best deals are actually at high end RV resorts when you stay for a month or longer.
We booked a month at The palms in Yuma for a month with everything you could possibly want for the equivalent of $35 per night.
Full hook ups, 2 swimming pools, entertainment facilities etc etc.
Good to know. Thanks for taking the time. Very informative. We don't like to plan ahead either. Thanks for mentioning it.
We love our RPI membership. Huge savings. The include thousand trails and tons of other privately owned campgrounds. We’ve always been happy with our locations chosen. Booking is easy. Yearly cost pays for itself in 20 nights a year. Nightly rates are either 10 or 15 dollars. They have standards to be associated so almost every one we’ve booked has been amazing!
What is RPI?
@@batshtcrazy5293 Resort Parks International. If you RV a lot and will use them 20 nights a year the membership pays for itself. There are tons and tons of RPI associated RV campgrounds and resorts. It’s really amazing to stay at a beautiful resort with jacuzzi and pool and often lots of other things for 10-15 bucks a night.
Love Harvest Host! For my wife and I who travel cross country a lot and love beer and wine it's perfect! Sometimes we pay to stay at a rv park and then take a cab or uber to go get a cocktail or even walk if it's close enough. With Harvest Host we stay for free and are within a few yards of the front door. Also I love to golf and they also have golf courses that are members.
We like Harvest Host and Boondockers Welcome. Always an exciting adventure and memory. Good Sam’s has been ok too.
I’ve stayed at a few KOA’s, one was sweet in Colorado if I remember correctly. The others were scary, crowded, facilities stinky, noisy and I found myself just wanting to leave as early and as fast as possible.
Great information, with the credit cards a lot of vendors are charging a convenience fee to use the cards. That said you’re paying for your own points! Love the Hanks and their adventures.
I tent camped from CA to NC to FL and Back to Ca and mainly stayed in KOA'a. So for that trip it paid for the membership. Their website is just so easy to use and found the people great.
KOA has been great for us this year. We are an older couple and sometimes we are in range for our granddaughter to visit. Having kids activities available, safe, shaded and cared for grounds is worth more than money. But we have gotten several free nights.
We like Passport America. Yes, some busy times do not apply. But once you sign up you get access to their site, which clearly states any exclusions at each campground. Getting 50% off paid for itself by our 2nd day. We typically stay about 10-15 nights per year. Awesome savings. Just know before you book.
Love your videos. You give some of the most and best honest information out there. Watch you every week.
We have Passport America and love it. ❤❤ We like mom and pop campgrounds for overnight during travel.
We live full time out on the road and have a 4 year old. KOA's are great for us with the membership with having the playgrounds. As far as Good Sam, I got scammed into that one too. I've since switched to Coach net for our roadside assistance. Best move ever, i wish y'all would speak on Coach net more.
What happened that Good Sam scammed you? I was considering their extended warranty insurance but it does not fit my needs. Their sales lady knows this but she bugs me constantly.
We've been members of KOA for many years. We always get enough points for a VIP membership. So, don't have to pay each year. As an older couple we like KOA because we have always felt Safe, 99% of the time the facilities are convenient and clean! Traveling in a 31 foot RV with either a Jeep or a trailer with a car we have always found good spaces. I know each to their own. Thank You for all your info you provide!
Some Camping Worlds do have dump stations that are free for Good Sam members and non-members $20 to $25.
We use KOA a lot. Yes, they are a bit more expensive but not at all of them. We stayed enough nights to get points to get two nights free, and with the discount, it more than paid for our membership. Plus, most of the KOA's are nice and well taken care of. And another plus is they are everywhere.
Excellent info appreciate it. I have Good Sam, we have a Flying J not far from home, not a full time RVer. The fuel discount
Pays for the membership as I almost always fill up there, cars mostly. So it has value for me. I too have researched a number of memberships and have not found much personal value for any of them. I found many parks offer a military discount it's been as high as 25%. The free lifetime national parks military discount helps as well.
We always end up spending way more at a Harvest Host than we would have at an RV Resort. Its just a great membership for the different camping experience.
Love it!! Yes, those unique experience can be great memories for sure :)
We love Harvest host, you get something for the money you spend. As long as you can plan a day or two ahead and boondock they are great. Some even have full hookups. Our favorite stays so far were at a tree house winery, decommissioned missile silo and a ghost town!
Why no mention of America the Beautiful pass???? Love your videos!
Great information. Your various videos provide us great info on what memberships would work best for our case.
Thank you very much! We appreciate your support 😃
We are Canadian and have the KOA membership. 10% off and usually get two or three nights free when we go on our big trips. They do vary in maintenance so yes some are way better than others. You get the listing of campgrounds they offer so less online research. (that can get mind boggling). Events are not for just kids. Does it add up absolutely. But my partner is not going to boondock so it is what it is.