Tips & Guides · Money · 13 memberships compared
RV Campground Memberships Compared: Which Ones Are Worth Joining?
Free overnights, half-price campgrounds, all-you-can-camp passes and the clubs full-timers swear by, compared side by side. See what each RV membership really costs a night, which ones pay for themselves on trips like yours, and which two to stack.
Compared
13
Programs, side by side
Cheapest
$39/yr
Good Sam & KOA Rewards
Most free nights
9,500+
Harvest Hosts locations
Best value
Harvest Hosts
From $99 a year
Prices and rules checked November 2, 2026 · By RV-Roundup
Find your match
Which RV membership fits how you travel?
Answer three quick questions and we will point you to the membership that pays off for trips like yours. Or skip ahead to the picks by traveler type.
Your best match
A starting point, not a sales pitch. Prices as listed on November 2, 2026; check each program’s site before you join.
Picks by traveler type
Always on the move
Harvest Hosts
Free one-night stops at wineries, farms and breweries. One free night at a $50 campground covers half the fee.
Budget campground hoppers
Passport America
Half off at 1,100+ campgrounds with hookups. Two nights at a $50 site cover the $49 fee.
Snowbirds
Thousand Trails Camping Pass
No nightly fees for up to 14 nights at a time in your zone. Pays for itself in about 13 nights at list price.
Full-timers
Escapees RV Club
Mail service, member co-op parks and 15% to 50% off at 1,100+ campgrounds for $49.95.
Families
KOA Rewards
Ten percent off and points at 500+ KOAs, with pools, playgrounds and predictable standards.
National park trips
America the Beautiful Pass
Entry to national parks and other federal recreation sites for $80. Not camping, but it pays back in two or three visits.
The short answer
For most RVers the best value is Harvest Hosts: $99 a year for free overnight stays at 9,500+ hosts. If you stay in campgrounds with hookups, Passport America (50% off, $49) pays back fastest; add Good Sam ($39) if you buy a lot of diesel. For long stays in one region, Thousand Trails removes nightly fees, and full-timers should add Escapees for mail service. Most people end up with two memberships, not one.
Side by side
RV membership comparison chart
All 13 memberships on the things that decide whether one works for you: what it costs, how big the network is, what a night really costs and how long you can stay. Swipe sideways on a phone.
| Membership | Type | Yearly cost | Network | What a night costs you | Stay limit | Hookups | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvest Hosts | Free overnight stays | $99 Classic; $169 with Boondockers Welcome; $179 All Access | 9,500+ hosts, plus 398 golf courses on All Access | $0 (hosts welcome a purchase, about $30) | Usually 1 night; up to 4 at some hosts | Rarely | App; most hosts open 90 to 180 days out, many take same-day requests |
| Boondockers Welcome | Free overnight stays | $79 alone, or in Harvest Hosts $169 and $179 plans | 3,675 private hosts | $0 (some hosts ask a small fee for hookups) | 1 to 5 nights, set by the host | Yes at about 70% of hosts | Request through the site or app; the host approves |
| Elks Lodges | Lodge membership | Set by each lodge (often about $50 to $100 a year) | 495 lodges listed in the Elks RV directory | About $15 to $45, or a donation | Set by each lodge (often 14 days) | At many lodges | Call the lodge |
| Passport America | Discount club | $49 ($129 for 3 years) | 1,100+ campgrounds in the US, Canada and Mexico | 50% off the nightly rate | Set by each park (often 1 to 3 nights) | Yes, regular campground sites | Call or book the park directly |
| Good Sam Membership | Discount club | Free Basic; $39 Standard; $149 Elite | 1,800+ Good Sam campgrounds | 10% off the nightly rate | No program limit | Yes, regular campground sites | Book the campground; show your card |
| KOA Rewards | Discount club | $39 | 500+ KOA campgrounds | 10% off, plus points toward free nights | No program limit (not on weekly or monthly rates) | Yes, regular campground sites | koa.com or the KOA app |
| Thousand Trails Camping Pass | Camping pass | $775 for one zone, $140 each extra zone (first-year sales often near $535) | 80+ Thousand Trails parks in 5 zones; 100+ more with the Trails Collection add-on | $0 at parks in your zones | 14 nights, then 7 days out after stays of 5+ nights | Yes, at most sites | Online, up to 60 days ahead |
| Coast to Coast Resorts | Resort network | Home-resort membership plus yearly Coast dues (not published) | Coast network resorts plus Good Neighbor Parks and Good Sam parks | $10 at network resorts; 10% to 20% off at Good Neighbor Parks | Set by tier and resort | Yes, resort sites | Coast booking system with Trip Points |
| Resort Parks International (RPI) | Resort network | Through an RPI-affiliated home resort (not published) | Hundreds of affiliated private resorts | About $10 at RPI resorts | About 7 nights per stay | Yes, resort sites | RPI reservations |
| Travel Resorts of America | Resort membership | Not published (sold at on-site presentations) | About a dozen resorts from Florida to South Dakota | Low or no nightly fees for members | Set by membership tier | Yes, resort sites | Member reservations |
| Escapees RV Club | RV club | $49.95 (included in Harvest Hosts All Access) | 1,100+ discount parks; 11 member co-op parks | 15% to 50% off at partner parks | Set by each park | Yes, campground sites | Book the park directly |
| Family RV Association (formerly FMCA) | RV association | $99 ($188 for 2 years, $267 for 3) | 250+ chapters; partner campground savings | Partner discounts only | — | — | — |
| America the Beautiful Pass | Federal park pass | $80 US residents; $250 non-residents; Senior $20 a year or $80 lifetime | National parks and lands run by 6 federal agencies | Camping not covered (Senior Pass: up to 50% off some campsites) | — | — | Show the pass at the gate |
What you get
Feature-by-feature comparison
Free nights, discounts, hookups, longer stays and the extras that matter on the road. A half mark means only some locations or only a higher tier.
| Membership | Free nights | Discounted nights | Hookups | Stays of a week+ | Fuel savings | Mail service | Medical / travel help | Magazine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvest Hosts | Yes | No | PartlyA few hosts | No | No | No | No | No |
| Boondockers Welcome | Yes | No | YesAbout 70% | No | No | No | No | No |
| Elks Lodges | No | Yes | PartlyMany lodges | PartlySome lodges | No | No | No | No |
| Passport America | No | Yes50% | Yes | PartlySome parks | No | No | No | No |
| Good Sam Membership | PartlyElite only | Yes10% | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | PartlyElite only |
| KOA Rewards | PartlyPoints | Yes10% | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Thousand Trails Camping Pass | YesAfter the fee | No | Yes | YesUp to 14 nights | No | No | No | No |
| Coast to Coast Resorts | No | Yes$10 nights | Yes | PartlyBy tier | No | No | No | No |
| Resort Parks International (RPI) | No | Yes~$10 nights | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Travel Resorts of America | PartlyBy tier | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Escapees RV Club | No | Yes15–50% | Yes | PartlyCo-op parks | No | YesAdd-on | PartlyRoadside | Yes |
| Family RV Association (formerly FMCA) | No | No | No | No | No | PartlyPartner | Yes | Yes |
| America the Beautiful Pass | No | PartlySenior: some campsites | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Yes IncludedPartly Some locations or higher tierNo Not offered
Head-to-head
The matchups RVers ask about most
These are the memberships people usually weigh against each other. Here is how each pair compares and which one we would pick for different kinds of trips.
Harvest Hosts vs Boondockers Welcome
| Compared on | Harvest Hosts | Boondockers Welcome |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly cost | $99 | $79 |
| Hosts | 9,500+ businesses | 3,675 private hosts |
| Typical stay | 1 night (up to 4 at some hosts) | 1 to 5 nights |
| Hookups | Rarely | At about 70% of hosts |
| Best for | Moving every day | Staying a few days |
Our pick: Harvest Hosts, or both for $169
Pick Harvest Hosts if you drive most days and want a free, interesting place to stop. Pick Boondockers Welcome if you want to stay put for a few nights with power. Harvest Hosts sells both together for $169, which is $9 less than buying them separately.
Passport America vs Good Sam vs KOA Rewards
| Compared on | Passport America | Good Sam | KOA Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly cost | $49 | $39 | $39 |
| Discount | 50% | 10% | 10% + points |
| Parks | 1,100+ | 1,800+ | 500+ KOAs |
| Night limits | Often 1 to 3 nights | None | Not on weekly rates |
| Extras | — | Fuel 10¢/gal at Pilot Flying J | Points toward free nights |
Our pick: Passport America for short stops
Pick Passport America if you move every night or two and can live with blackout dates. Pick Good Sam if you stay longer at one park or buy a lot of fuel; 400 gallons of diesel a year covers the fee. Pick KOA Rewards only if you already camp at KOAs several times a year.
Thousand Trails vs Coast to Coast
| Compared on | Thousand Trails | Coast to Coast |
|---|---|---|
| How you join | Buy a zone pass online | Through a home resort |
| Cost | $775 per zone, $140 each extra | Home resort + yearly dues |
| Per night | $0 | $10 at network resorts |
| Network | 80+ parks (200+ with add-on) | Coast resorts + Good Neighbor Parks |
| Max stay | 14 nights | Set by tier |
Our pick: Thousand Trails for most people
Pick Thousand Trails if you want to try membership camping without a big upfront purchase: one zone, one yearly fee, no nightly charges. Pick Coast to Coast only if you already own a home-resort membership that includes it.
Escapees vs Family RV Association
| Compared on | Escapees | Family RV Association |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly cost | $49.95 | $99 |
| Camping | 15% to 50% off at 1,100+ parks; 11 co-op parks | Partner savings only |
| Signature perk | Mail service and domicile help | Medical & Travel Assist |
| Magazine | Escapees magazine | Family RVing |
| Community | Chapters, Xscapers, Escapade | 250+ chapters and rallies |
Our pick: depends on your safety net
Pick Escapees if you are full-time and need an address, mail forwarding and campground discounts. Pick the Family RV Association if you travel far from home and want emergency evacuation and help getting your RV home. Many full-timers carry both.
Do the math
Which membership saves you the most?
Set what you usually pay and how many nights you would use a membership. Every membership below recalculates at once, sorted by what you would have left after the fee.
| Membership | Yearly fee | You save per night | Pays for itself after | Net for the year |
|---|
How we count it
We treat a free or no-fee night as saving your full nightly rate, and a percentage discount as that share of it. We leave out extras that depend on your habits: Good Sam’s fuel discount (10 cents a gallon adds up fast), KOA points, the purchase Harvest Hosts encourages you to make at each host (about $30 is suggested, not required) and Thousand Trails sales (often about $535 for the first year). Count only nights you would really spend at that program’s parks or hosts.
Stack them
Membership combos that work together
Most experienced RVers carry two or three memberships that cover different kinds of nights. These pairings overlap the least and pay back the fastest.
The free-night traveler
One-night stops at wineries and farms on travel days, then a few free nights with power on private land when you want a break. Harvest Hosts sells the two together.
The stack: Harvest Hosts + Boondockers Welcome
About $169 a year
The budget campground hopper
Half price wherever Passport America is accepted, 10% off at Good Sam parks where it is not, and fuel savings on every fill-up in between.
The stack: Passport America + Good Sam Membership
About $88 a year
The snowbird
Spend the winter rotating between Thousand Trails parks in your zone, and use Passport America for half-price nights on the drive south and back.
The stack: Thousand Trails Camping Pass + Passport America
About $824 (less on sale) a year
The full-timer
Harvest Hosts All Access ($179) includes Boondockers Welcome, golf hosts and an Escapees membership. Add Good Sam ($39) for fuel and campground discounts.
The stack: Harvest Hosts + Escapees RV Club + Good Sam Membership
About $218 a year
Program by program
All 13 memberships at a glance
The essentials for each program: price, what you get, the catch and who it suits. For longer reviews, follow the link to our full membership guide.
Free overnight networks
Free stays Self-contained
Best value overall
Harvest Hosts
$99 to $179 a year · 9,500+ hosts in 49 states and Canada (checked November 2, 2026)
Park free for a night at wineries, farms, breweries, museums and golf courses. One free night at a $50 campground covers half the Classic fee, so most members are ahead by their second or third stay. Choice Hotels agreed to buy the company in September 2026; the brand, plans and prices stay the same for now.
What we like
- Biggest free-stay network by far
- Memorable stops you would never find otherwise
- Refund within 90 days if you have used it twice or less
Keep in mind
- Dry camping only at most hosts
- One-night stays, not a vacation base
- You need an onboard toilet and tanks
Best for: Self-contained RVers on the move who want free, interesting overnight stops
Free stays Hookups at many
Best free multi-night stays
Boondockers Welcome
$79 a year · 3,675 hosts in the US and Canada (checked November 2, 2026)
RV-friendly homeowners let members park on their land for free, often for several nights, and most offer electricity or water. It is the free network to pick when you want to stay put near a town, family or a work site.
What we like
- Stays of up to 5 nights
- Hookups at most hosts
- Hosts are often RVers with local tips
Keep in mind
- Smaller network than Harvest Hosts
- Each stay needs host approval
- Driveway sites can be tight for big rigs
Best for: Travelers who want free stays of a few nights, often with power
Low-cost stays Members only
Best cheap stays in town
Elks Lodges
Lodge dues vary · 495 lodges with RV listings (checked November 2, 2026)
Many Elks lodges keep a few RV sites for members, often with hookups, for a small fee or donation. You join a local lodge with a sponsor, and your card works at lodges nationwide. Moose Lodges run a similar members-only setup.
What we like
- Cheap hookups close to town
- Friendly, social lodges
- Longer stays allowed at many lodges
Keep in mind
- You need a sponsor to join
- Most lodges are members only
- Few sites per lodge; call ahead
Best for: RVers who like a social club and cheap stays near town
Discount clubs
50% off Hookups
Biggest discount
Passport America
$49 a year · 1,100+ campgrounds (checked November 2, 2026)
Half off the nightly rate at participating campgrounds. At a $50 site you save $25 a night, so the fee is covered in two nights. The catch is that each park sets its own blackout dates and night limits.
What we like
- Half price is the deepest discount going
- Pays for itself in about two nights
- Full-hookup campground sites
Keep in mind
- Many parks limit it to 1 to 3 nights or weekdays
- Fewer resort-style parks
- Rules vary park by park
Best for: Budget travelers who move every night or two
10% off Fuel savings
Best for fuel and gear
Good Sam Membership
$39 Standard or $149 Elite · 1,800+ campgrounds (checked November 2, 2026)
Ten percent off at 1,800+ campgrounds plus 10 cents a gallon off gas and diesel at Pilot Flying J and 5% back in points at Camping World. The fuel discount alone covers the fee for most RVers. Elite adds Wildsam magazine and free one-night stays at wineries and farms.
What we like
- Fuel discount pays the fee quickly
- Works at a huge number of parks
- Discount applies for your whole stay
Keep in mind
- Ten percent is a small campsite discount
- Fees are non-refundable and auto-renew
- No fuel discount in Wisconsin
Best for: Anyone who buys a lot of fuel and shops at Camping World
10% off Points
Best for families
KOA Rewards
$39 a year · 500+ KOAs (checked November 2, 2026)
Ten percent off the daily rate at every KOA, points on every paid night and a free night during KOA Rewards Weekend. Earn 20,000 points in a year and you reach VIP, which renews free.
What we like
- Predictable, family-friendly parks
- Points add up to free nights
- VIP renewal is free
Keep in mind
- KOA rates are on the high side
- No discount on weekly or monthly rates
- Only works at KOAs
Best for: Families who already stay at KOAs several times a year
Camping passes & resort networks
No nightly fees Hookups
Best for long stays
Thousand Trails Camping Pass
$775 per zone · 80+ parks in 5 zones (checked November 2, 2026)
Pay once for a zone (Northeast, Southeast, Northwest, Southwest or Midwest) and camp with no nightly fees at its Thousand Trails parks for up to 14 nights at a time. At $60 a night, the list price pays for itself in 13 nights, and sales often cut the first year to about $535.
What we like
- No nightly fees, hookups at most sites
- Two-week stays, then hop to the next park
- 30-day money-back guarantee on new passes
Keep in mind
- Parks are clustered; some regions are thin
- Busy parks book up in peak season
- Auto-renews unless you cancel in writing
Best for: Snowbirds and full-timers who stay a week or more in one region
$10 nights Home resort needed
Best add-on for resort owners
Coast to Coast Resorts
$10 a night at network resorts · join through a home resort (checked November 2, 2026)
If you already own a membership at a participating home resort, Coast to Coast lets you stay at other network resorts for about $10 a night (paid in Trip Points) and get discounts at Good Neighbor Parks. It is part of the Good Sam family, and new members get a year of Good Sam.
What we like
- Resort stays for about $10 a night
- Free trial stay offered at some resorts
- First year includes Good Sam
Keep in mind
- Only sold through a home resort
- Yearly dues are not published
- Rules vary by tier and resort
Best for: Owners of a home-resort membership who want cheap stays elsewhere
Low-cost nights Home resort needed
Second network for resort owners
Resort Parks International (RPI)
About $10 a night · join through a home resort (checked November 2, 2026)
RPI works like Coast to Coast: you can only join if your home resort is affiliated, and then you can stay at other RPI resorts for a low nightly fee. Many resort owners carry both networks to widen their options.
What we like
- Cheap nights at private resorts
- Pairs well with Coast to Coast
- Pools and resort amenities
Keep in mind
- Only through an affiliated home resort
- Prices and network size are not published
- Week-long stay limits
Best for: Home-resort owners whose park is RPI-affiliated
Resort amenities Big upfront cost
For one-region resort families
Travel Resorts of America
Price not published · about a dozen member resorts (checked November 2, 2026)
A private resort system with pools, activities and big campgrounds, mostly in the East plus Minnesota and South Dakota. Memberships are sold in person, cost thousands up front and come with yearly dues, so it only pays off if you return to the same resorts often.
What we like
- Resort-style amenities for the family
- Low nightly costs once you own
- Memberships can be resold
Keep in mind
- High-pressure, in-person sales
- Small, regional network
- No published prices to compare
Best for: Families who vacation at the same resort every year
RV clubs & park passes
15–50% off Mail service
Best for full-timers
Escapees RV Club
$49.95 a year · 1,100+ discount parks (checked November 2, 2026)
The full-timer’s club: discounts at 1,100+ campgrounds, 11 member-run co-op parks with full hookups for about $20 to $35 a night, the Xscapers and chapter community, and access to the Escapees mail-forwarding service that many full-timers use for their legal address. Harvest Hosts owns the club, so All Access includes it.
What we like
- Mail service and domicile help
- Cheap co-op parks for members
- Big, active community and rallies
Keep in mind
- Mail service is a separate fee (from about $110 a year)
- Discounts vary from 15% to 50%
- Co-op parks are mostly in the Sun Belt and West
Best for: Full-time RVers who need mail, community and steady discounts
Medical & Travel Assist Magazine
Best safety net
Family RV Association (formerly FMCA)
$99 a year · 250+ chapters (checked November 2, 2026)
The old FMCA, now open to every kind of RV. The headline perk is Medical & Travel Assist: if you get sick or hurt 75+ miles from home, it covers emergency medical evacuation and gets your RV, pets and kids home. You also get Family RVing magazine, tire savings and rallies.
What we like
- Medical evacuation and RV return included
- Tire and roadside savings
- Rallies and 250+ chapters
Keep in mind
- Not a camping discount program
- Assist is not health insurance
- Dues doubled to $99 in 2024
Best for: RVers who want a travel-emergency safety net plus a club
Park entry Federal pass
Best for national parks
America the Beautiful Pass
$80 a year for residents · Senior lifetime $80 (checked November 2, 2026)
Covers entrance and day-use fees for one vehicle at national parks, forests, BLM land and other federal sites for a year. It is not a camping membership, but it pays for itself in two or three big-park visits. Since January 2026, non-residents pay $250 and a $100 surcharge per person at 11 popular parks without it.
What we like
- Pays off in two or three park visits
- Senior lifetime pass is only $80
- Covers the whole carload
Keep in mind
- Does not cover camping fees
- Senior campsite discount varies by site
- Non-refundable and non-transferable
Best for: National park road trips; anyone 62+ should get the Senior Pass
Before you join
Fine print to check before you pay
Most membership regrets come from the same handful of rules. Check these on the program’s own site before you hand over a card number.
Stay limits
Free-stay hosts usually allow one night, Passport America parks often cap discounted nights at one to three, and Thousand Trails stops you at 14 nights, then seven days out.
Blackout dates
Discount clubs let each park exclude weekends, holidays and peak season. Check the park’s listing before you count on a discount for a holiday trip.
Rig rules
Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome require a self-contained RV with a toilet and holding tanks. Some parks set length or RV-age limits, so check before you book.
Auto-renewal
Good Sam and Thousand Trails renew automatically. Set a reminder a month before your renewal date so you can decide whether you used it enough.
Refund windows
Harvest Hosts refunds new members within 90 days if they have used two stays or fewer. Thousand Trails has a 30-day guarantee. Good Sam fees are non-refundable.
Upfront sales pitches
Resort systems like Travel Resorts of America and home-resort memberships for Coast to Coast cost thousands up front. Never sign at a presentation; take the paperwork home.
Keep exploring
More guides for saving on the road
Clubs, owner groups and our in-depth membership reviews.
Best RV Campground Memberships: Compare Costs & Benefits
Our full review of every membership, with a single-membership savings calculator and what changed since 2024.
Read the guide: Best RV Campground Memberships: Compare Costs & Benefits
Best RV Clubs & Organizations to Join
National RV clubs with rallies, roadside help, mail service and member discounts.
RV Owner Clubs by Brand: Find Your RV Community
Owner clubs for Airstream, Winnebago, Grand Design and more, with dues and rally info.
Read the guide: RV Owner Clubs by Brand: Find Your RV Community
Helpful answers
RV membership comparison questions, answered
What RVers ask us most when they are choosing between memberships.
Best value for most RVers
Start with Harvest Hosts
Free overnight stays at 9,500+ wineries, farms, breweries and attractions for $99 a year. Two free nights in place of a $50 campground cover the fee.
Thank you to the people behind these photos. Top photo by Rafael Peier on Unsplash. Campground photos by Stephan Widua and Annie Spratt on Unsplash; other photos are from RV-Roundup’s library. Club logos identify each program and remain trademarks of their owners.
How we compared
Independent. No program paid to be included, and none of the links on this page are affiliate links.
How we compared. We checked every program on its official website on November 2, 2026. Where a program does not publish a figure (Thousand Trails’ current pass page, Passport America’s multi-year price, Coast to Coast and RPI dues), we used recent RVer reports and say so. Savings in the calculator are estimates. Prices, network sizes and rules change often, so confirm the details on each program’s site before you join.