by Perry Mack
Every spring there are a few decisions I contemplate as the RV season becomes temptingly close. When and where should I make the first trip of the year, what new places and events are tempting my adventurous palate, is this the year for a new RV or any upgrades to the old and is this the year for a campground membership? Why a campground membership you ask? After the purchase cost of your RV, there are only two significant costs to using it. Fuel and camping fees. Your options for decreasing your fuel costs are limited but options for decreasing your camping fees are substantial. You could boondock and many RV’ers do, but a Wal-Mart parking lot is not my idea of a vacation or an adventure. I like to be in a park or a resort. I’ve boondocked in Roosevelt, WA many times to go windsurfing and kiteboarding on the river but that’s a special type of adventure.
Campground memberships allow you to stay at a number of campgrounds at reduced or no nightly camping fees – after you pay your membership fees and annual dues. Some memberships are members only campgrounds (which usually allow other campers as long as they are guests of members) while others allow non-members to stay as well.
Some memberships also offer reduced rates at affiliate campgrounds, which can greatly expand your choice of destinations, events and adventures. There are a number of member camping parks like Coast-to-Coast, Thousand Trails, Resort Parks International (RPI), Adventure Outdoor Resorts (AOR), Sunbelt and Holiday Trails - Canada’s largest Canadian-owned campground network.
These organizations can provide you with terrific savings if you plan to use your RV often or are planning a big trip. Typically you can try out one of their parks for a couple of nights, listen to a presentation on the parks in the organization and the benefits of being a member.
For western Canadians, Holiday Trails provides a good opportunity with their stay three nights for $39.95 at any one of their resorts across BC, Alberta and Washington. Theirs is a no nightly fee membership; you can stay at any resort for up to two weeks at a time for 365 days of the year for the cost of your annual dues (after your initial membership fee) with the opportunity to access 600 affiliate campgrounds across North America.
Before purchasing a campground membership you should ask yourself a few questions:
- Will you use the membership enough to recoup your investment?
- Is the initial membership fee in your budget?
- Are the campgrounds in locations where you would like to travel?
- Is someone in the family adept at planning and making reservations?
For many avid RV'ers, the real question is 'Can we afford not to get a membership?'