RV Camps, K.O.A. PASSPORT AMERICA, ETC.

[RifRaff]

We think we are going FULL TIME in July, 1 interruption, grand child due AUGUST, we do not know any thing about the different camp ground assoc. like
PASSPORT AMERICA
K.O.A.
Escapees, etc...
Please recommend the 1 or 1's you LIKE or have issues with. This is not to bash, but to choose.
I THANK YOU FOR ANY INPUT.
Herb

Edited by: RifRaff

[Buddy]

I have Passport America and never used it. Good Sams always have a better rates at the same campground Passport only honor there half off on Mondays -Thursday in most campgrounds. I use America the Beautiful pass on Ferderal Parks and Corp of Engineer sites for 9.00 a night. I like State Parks as well, most of the southern States average 18.00 a night with 70' back ins. Go to Reserve America to book Federal and State Parks, there is a small fee but you can see the spots and book online.

[dnghz0]

I am getting ready to also go fulltime as soon as the house sells. We already have a mailing address in Florida with Good Sams out of Crestview, Florida. We use a combination of Thousand Trails, Passport America, good sams and coast to coast.
We recently have returned from Key West trip with a retired military friend and stayed at NAS Key West for a week. Then Orlando for one week and a week in Ft. Lauderdale. A great trip.

[Buddy]

Originally Posted by Buddy

I have Passport America and never used it. Good Sams always have a better rates at the same campground Passport only honor there half off on Mondays -Thursday in most campgrounds. I use America the Beautiful pass on Ferderal Parks and Corp of Engineer sites for 9.00 a night. I like State Parks as well, most of the southern States average 18.00 a night with 70' back ins. Go to Reserve America to book Federal and State Parks, there is a small fee but you can see the spots and book online.

I had to get my wife use to booking, she would get a 45 ' and my f450 is 25' and the Redwood is 40', I told her nothing less than 65', prefer 70'.

[subdoc4]

We have a KM membership. They have 8 camp groundsspread out in WA state (currently in one at the ocean). We have been with them for 8 years and like the value. If we stay 2 weeks a year, we cover the dues. The rest is bonus.
I happen to also be retired military. We have stayed at bases that have RV parks on them...GREAT value costing anywhere from $7-$21/night for full hookups. It doesn't get more secure either!
Edited by: subdoc4

[RollsRoyce]

We use AARP , America the Beautiful or Texas Saver Card......Anything you decide on as far as memberships go beware...:isten carefully to the speel but more importantly read read read the contract and if someone keeps interrupting you are changing the subjest (BEWARE)....Ocean Canyon Properties !!!

[Kev n JJ]

We have had KOA membership (not expensive). Some KOAs are very nice, some are ok for one night and some are not good at all. We probably won't renew as it only saves a small amount.

JJ

[fathog99]

We use Passport America and RPI. We did buy and Thousand Trails this year and used it but beware if you stay more than 3 nights you must stay out for 7 days. We have saved a tub of money on passport and RPI. The RPI parks are 10 to 12 dollars and passport are at least half price for the first night. We neg with the owners at passport and have stayed as long as 3 weeks at the reduced rates. You just have to ask when you reserve. We are camp host at The Vineyards in Grapevine Tx and you would be amazed that most people don't know how to ask for discounts. We always ask the right questions so we can get them the best discount but most parks don't do that. We have been full timing for 3 years and totally satisfied with everthing but Thousand Trails. Go on lkine to get your memberships. Much cheaper.

[SW1117]

Does anyone have any experience with Escapees? The mail service seems to be very good and once we start to travel around, I think that might be the onewe use. I am not sure of the advantages of theirparks though. Would love to get others thoughts.

[atom ant]

Originally Posted by Kev n JJ

We have had KOA membership (not expensive). Some KOAs are very nice, some are ok for one night and some are not good at all. We probably won't renew as it only saves a small amount.

JJ

X2 - They are really diverse, no real standard. We stopped at one in Salina Saturday and it was such a mudhole I didn't even hook up.

[SW1117]

The KOA parks I have seem have not been somewhere I would really want to stay. I am sure there must be some nice ones, but I am not sure I would be interested in that membership. So far, Good Sam, Passport America and Escapees are the ones we are looking at the most.

[mhs4771]

We used KOA at one time, but they have priced them selves out of our market (like $54.00 just for an overnite stay). Have PassPort America, only a couple of stays and you're even for the cost, but they vary some are very restrictive others no restrictions, some nice, some not so nice. It's a hit or miss, but we use them when we can, generally when on the road. As to the America the Beautiful (nick named the "Old Farts Card") you have to be 62 to get one, but it gives you 1/2 price on Fed and Corp of Engineers parks. And of course Good Sam, 10% off the rack rate, you can even get 10% of the seasonal rate at some parks.

[Dave&Ginny]

In my opinion, one of the biggest problems traveling in an RV is not knowing what you're going to find in the next campground. We like staying at state parks because usually they're pretty nice but sometimes they lack the 50 amp sites

[fathog99]

We always google the parks we might stay at and look at the comments on the park. That will give you an ideal of what you are getting into. The best buy for the money for us has been Pass Port America and RPI. The best park for Escapees is in Livingston Tx. The rest seem to be run down and a LOT of live in's.

[Buddy]

As I stated before I review them here as well,
www.campgroundreviews.com/

[Kev n JJ]

But...don't always rely on rvparkreviews. I did one once that was negative, as the park was a dump. I didn't use bad language, just commented on the conditions and they bounced it back. Said they wouldn't use it. The park was cramped for our travel trailer, impossible to level, patio pavement cracked n crumbling, mostly ft in run down n old rigs, not well maintained, I.e. mowing, paint, trash bins overflowing etc.

Jj

[Buddy]

Originally Posted by Kev n JJ

But...don't always rely on rvparkreviews. I did one once that was negative, as the park was a dump. I didn't use bad language, just commented on the conditions and they bounced it back. Said they wouldn't use it. The park was cramped for our travel trailer, impossible to level, patio pavement cracked n crumbling, mostly ft in run down n old rigs, not well maintained, I.e. mowing, paint, trash bins overflowing etc.

Jj

There you go, maybe we need to start our own, I will surely post where I am going if it is out of State for recommendations.Thanks

[RifRaff]

At least. Give a review of how the RW TRAVELED and any towing or leveling issues you found in the park. Multiple purpose thread. Please list the name of the park you visit. Nice to see the route.

[rcflame]

I don't think there is one good answer that will fit everybody. Our likes and dislikes are different, and our opinion of what's good and bad differ also. In the last 35 years we have belonged to 2 different ownership parks, and several different affiliates like Coast to Coast, AOR, etc. There is good and bad with all of them. We belong to Good Sam and have belonged to Passport. Some of our memberships have changed because our travels have changed.
I would suggest joining Good Sam and Passport America to start out with. The yearly membership isn't very expensive. Than if you think you might be interested, check out ownership & membership options of the ones like escapees, thousand trails, western horizons, etc. Don't be in a rush to shell out big money for them. Make sure they have locations in the areas you want to travel, do their use restriction fit in with what you want, are their parks of the quality you want? Don't believe everything they tell you, or the pictures they show. By paying a little more initially to check things out you could save in the long run by not getting into something you're not satisfied with.

[BradPAjax]

Hi,

Not sure if your state travel bureaus carryaccommodation guides or not. All Candianprovincial tourismsites have online or hardcopy accomodation books with a campground section. All campgrounds are rated based on amenities with icons for what is available, cost, and even GPS coordinates to key in so you find the place.



When travelling in Canada, make your first stop the Tourist Information area as you enter each province. If you are planning to travel this summer, you can order online or hardcopy now via the Internet.



Happy travels...