There are a lot of campgrounds. In the age of Google, it’s natural to want to pick the “best” of anything because we have more information and reviews than ever about almost everything. This process for camps can become overwhelming – sifting through all the options and considering variables like location, price, amenities, and type of site. When full-timing, the planning becomes a constant part of life, especially when moving at a faster pace. For this reason, it’s important to find ways to streamline the process and use discount clubs when you can. Here’s the way I’ve approached finding and booking campgrounds.
There are several prominent discount clubs: Good Sam, KOA, Passport America, Thousand Trails, Harvest Hosts, and others. We decided to join two of these, and we have not felt the need to join another one yet.
First, we joined Good Sam because it was relatively cheap for a robust set of benefits, including 10% off of campgrounds and 5 cents off per gallon at Pilot/Flying J. Right now, membership runs at only $29 per year or cheaper if you join for more than a year.
Second, we joined Passport America because it offered a steeper discount for participating camps at 50%, and it was only a bit pricier at $44 per year. It doesn’t boast other benefits and has a more limited selection of camps, which often have day and date restrictions, but with 50% off it can pay for itself in just one stay. We’ve already saved hundreds of dollars using these memberships since we started full-timing in August.
I always start my camp search by checking Passport America’s site. You can’t beat 50% off! I will simply click on each campground in the target area mapped to open in a new tab, then quickly scan the “Important Campground Notes” for each to determine if there are any restrictions that knock out an option, such as blackout dates. If there are any options left, I will then look at the camps’ websites and search for reviews on Google and sites like Campendium. I will also check Good Sam to see if they have ratings and reviews for the camps. Amenities and types of sites can also differentiate them. Does the camp have a pool, hot tub, lounge, larger sites, back in sites, pull through sites, picnic tables, etc, and do the prices match what they are offering? If a camp looks good, my search will end there, and we’ll happily enjoy our 50% off!
If I don’t find anything on Passport America, then I will visit Good Sam and use their “Find a Campground” feature, filtering for only Good Sam parks where we can use the 10% discount. Good Sam camps don’t have as many restrictions as Passport America, so you don’t really have to worry about blackout dates, but keep in mind that some camps, like many in the Phoenix area, do have age restrictions (usually 55+ only). I will go through a similar process with the Good Sam options, looking at the camps’ websites and reviews on Good Sam, Google, Campendium, and other sites, and comparing amenities and pricing.
Sometimes camps also offer their own discounts, such as weekly or monthly rates, that are better than the club discounts, but the memberships can still point you in the right direction. For example, we stayed a week in Moab at ACT campground, which at that time was honoring Passport America for one night only. Instead, they let me know that for a weeklong stay at the full rate, the 7th night was free. We took advantage of this discount instead!
I’ve found that utilizing these club memberships has circumscribed the camp search and helped deal with some of the choice paralysis when traveling to areas with plentiful selection. And obviously the savings don’t hurt either! Take a look at Good Sam, Passport America, and some of the others I mentioned above to see what suits you, and get out there!
Happy Trails,
Dan
