In 2023, we're all no stranger to annual subscriptions. If you love to camp—especially at a campground—you should consider adding a camping membership to your list, as it can save you money especially with an RV.
What Is a Camping Membership?
Camping memberships are designed so that instead of paying a nightly camping fee at a campground, you instead pay a member fee (usually annually) for access to the campground or network of campgrounds.
(Note: If you mostly camp in national parks or on Bureau of Land Management property, these memberships probably aren't for you.)
Some memberships are only for RVers, and some are open to different kinds of campers such tent campers or pop-up campers. Think of your camping membership as a season pass to an amusement park—pay once and use it throughout the season. Some also come with fun perks, like tickets or discounts to nearby attractions such as golf courses, breweries, wineries, and more.
What Comes with a Camping Membership?
Not all camping membership clubs are created equal. There are several different types of memberships, including reciprocal camping memberships, campground system memberships, discounted camping clubs, and rewards memberships. There are a few key differences among these:
- A reciprocal camping membership requires the user to first be a member of one of the affiliated resorts or campgrounds. Fees are typically lower because of the prior buy-in.
- Campground system memberships offer a network of RV resorts and campgrounds under one umbrella, such as Thousand Trails, so these types of memberships typically cost more.
- Discounted camping clubs are similar in that they feature a network of campsites and RV parks; but instead of the membership fee covering the stay, campers receive a discounted rate.
- A rewards membership is usually free or low cost and offers certain rewards, such as points to redeem at the campground network it's affiliated with.
Of course, buying into a campground membership should have a bottom-line benefit to your budget; so, before shelling out that hard-earned money for a camping club, do a little research. Usually, the higher the fee for the membership, the more perks it comes with, although some also have restrictions and hidden fees.
The Best Membership Options for Every Type of Camper
Getty Images, Larry Crain
Passport America
Often referred to as the original discount camping club, Passport America has a huge network across the United States. It has been active for more than 30 years and is one of the most popular camping membership options. Passport America offers members a discount of up to 50% on nightly stays at campgrounds in the network. A Passport America membership begins at $44 per year.
Best for: Any campers.
Features: The Passport America mobile app makes it easy to find participating campgrounds. There are no blackout days or stay restrictions.
Locations: Passport America gives members access to more than 1,200 RV parks and campgrounds across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
KOA
The KOA camping membership is one of the most popular for a reason: It's reasonably priced (memberships start at $33 per year) and comes with lots of benefits.
Best for: All campers welcome.
Features: The KOA membership fee comes with discounts on KOA amenities—such as propane and firewood—plus access to exclusive KOA member events, and complimentary services such as Wi-Fi and cable TV. Campers earn one free night of camping after every 50 paid nights.
Locations: There are more than 500 KOA locations across North America.
Happy Camper
The Happy Camper Club offers members access to deeply discounted (up to 50%) stays at campgrounds across the United States. This one is not just for RVers—it's open to campers of all types.
Best for: Campers seeking discounts at a variety of campgrounds.
Features: It's known for being "no gimmicks," which also translates to no additional perks. But Happy Camper does offer a referral service in which it pays members to refer new campgrounds to the network.
Locations: Happy Camper is currently partnered with about 1,000 campgrounds across the nation and is expanding.
Good Sam
The Good Sam Club starts out at $29 for a one-year membership, $55 for a two-year membership, and $79 for a three-year membership. Good Sam also offers roadside assistance programs and an RV rental program for an additional fee.
Best for: Any campers.
Features: The membership includes a 10 percent discount at more than 2,000 different campgrounds and RV parks. It also includes discounts at popular retail stores such as Camping World, Overton's, and Gander RV and Outdoors. Plus, members can save 5 cents off of gas and 8 cents off diesel at Pilot Flying J locations.
Locations: There are network locations from coast to coast all across North America.
Harvest Hosts
Boondockers are welcome at Harvest Hosts locations! As one of the more distinctive camping memberships, Harvest Hosts is a network of established businesses—such as wineries, breweries, distilleries, farms, museums, ranches, and other attractions—that invite RVers to stay at their on-site camping locations. For $99, a yearly membership gives members unlimited access to stay overnight at any of the network locations.
Best for: RVing; no tents are allowed.
Features: A Harvest Hosts membership comes with some fun perks, such as access to the wineries, breweries, farms, and other businesses that participate as Harvest Hosts sites.
Locations: Thousands of locations across the country.
Thousand Trails
A Thousand Trails membership might be a good option for full-time RVers or avid RV campers. The camping membership program starts out at $48 per month, with access to more than 200 gorgeous locations to choose from.
Best for: RV campers, glampers.
Features: For those who don't own an RV, a Thousand Trails Cabin pass gives access to more than 125 unique vacation rental options.
Locations: Thousand Trails has family-friendly destination camping options from coast to coast, and the Encore RV Resort network has plenty of warm-weather resorts perfect for snowbirds in Florida, Arizona, and South Texas.
Escapees
As one of the most well-established RV camping memberships, Escapees RV Club is a great option for full-time RVers. For an annual membership of $49.95, members get support services, educational resources, and discount programs.
Best for: RVers.
Features: Escapees RV Club is truly designed for life on the road. Members have access to a wide variety of resources, including a mail forwarding service, technical assistance, legal assistance, and more. The Escapees RV Club also offers RV training programs, plus RV Boot Camp and an RV Job Exchange.
Locations: More than 1,700 RV parks and campgrounds are in the Escapees RV Club network.
Campendium
Campendium is a massive database of campsites and other resources typically used by RVers. It is served up as a free app with the option to purchase Roadpass Pro, which really unlocks the network's benefits. Though not a traditional camping membership, it works to connect campers with access to camping sites in the same manner.
Best for: RV campers, tent campers, and other campers looking to save money.
Features: Campendium has a huge database of locations for free RV and tent camping spots. The database search can be filtered by amenities, elevation, and more.
Locations: It has a huge selection of locations including more than 30,000 public and private campgrounds across the U.S. and Canada.
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