Camping Companion: My Top Apps & Memberships
My goal with camping was to save the money I would normally pay in rent. So that means I don’t want to be paying for campgrounds as that can add up really quickly! Here are the apps and memberships I use to pay as little as possible for camping (and one I paid for that I never use).
At a Glance:
• Thousand Trails
• Harvest Host / Boondockers Welcome
• CampScanner
• Campendium
• AllStays
• Roadtrippers
Thousand Trails
I will preface by saying that I received a Camping Pass for free with the purchase of my camper. A Camping Pass costs $600 (there are usually some discounts) for one region. I chose to add the Trails Collection for $425 a year. So in total, I’ve spent $425 for the year on Thousand Trails.
With Thousand Trails, they break the US into five regions: Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast. A Camping Pass gives you access to the campgrounds in one region.
With a Camping Pass, you can book spots 60 days out and stay up to 14 days. NOTE: once you stay at least 2 days at a location, you have to be out of network for 7 days. This means you can’t stay at another Thousand Trails location for a week.
One downside of Thousand Trails is that there is no app, you can only book through the website.
Upgrading a Camping Pass:
You can add additional regions for $110 per region.
You can add the Trails Collection for $425 a year, which gives you access to additional Encore RV Resorts (mostly in Florida) as well as top campgrounds across the US.
Upgrading to a Membership:
Thousand Trails offers four membership upgrade options: Escape, Elite Basic, Elite Connections, and Adventure. Pricing for upgrading to a membership is closely guarded. Personally, I enquired about the Elite Basic and Elite Connections, and they were roughly $10k for a one-time cost, and then you’d pay $625 per year after that. There are payment plans.
Memberships allow you to stay at campgrounds for longer periods of time, book further out in advance, give you access to the whole US, eliminate the time you need to be out of network, plus many more benefits.
Harvest Hosts / Boondockers Welcome
Because I have to be out of network for 7 days with my TT camping pass, I turn to Harvest Hosts/Boondockers Welcome for my stays in between. I have the All Access membership, which costs $179 per year (I paid ~150 with a discount code) and that gives me unlimited access to book all HH/BW properties. Once you pay the membership fee, you don’t pay to stay, but some hosts will ask for a donation for electricity or ask that you patronize their establishment, make a purchase, etc.
Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome are sister companies that give RVers access to 9,000+ unique RV camping options, including wineries, breweries, farms, golf courses, etc.
Harvest Hosts & BW are in one app, under Harvest Hosts.
Membership Options:
Boondockers Welcome - $79 per year
Unlimited overnight stays with no camping fees
100% money-back guarantee
Community Hosts Stays - These are typically stays at someone’s home, parking in their lot or field
3,584+ Locations
Harvest Hosts Classic - $99 per year
Unlimited overnight stays with no camping fees
100% money-back guarantee
Stay at Wineries, Farms, Attractions, Breweries & Distilleries
Harvest Hosts + Boondockers Welcome - $169 per year
Unlimited overnight stays with no camping fees
100% money-back guarantee
Stay at Community Hosts, Wineries, Farms, Attractions, Breweries & Distilleries
8,600+ Locations
All Access - $179 per year
Unlimited overnight stays with no camping fees
100% money-back guarantee
Stay at Community Hosts, Wineries, Farms, Attractions, Breweries & Distilleries, and Golf Courses
7,000 Dump Stations
Data Layers for Cell Coverage & Weather
9,038+ Locations
CampScanner
I got this app hesitantly because it was ~30 for a year with my Harvest Hosts membership, and it paid off within the first day of having it! I signed up for a sold-out state park, received three texts the next day, and was able to snag a spot!
CampScanner allows you to set up “scans” for sites at parks and campgrounds that are sold out and it will alert you when a spot is available.
There are three membership options, ranging from $39 to $79 per year. However, I got the $79 package for around $30 because I bought the Harvest Hosts membership first.
Campendium
I use this app to cross-reference campground reviews and see all the campgrounds around me at a glance. I don’t pay for this app.
AllStays
This app shows a map of places to overnight park (Walmart, Anytime Fitness, Cabelas, Cracker Barrell, etc.), public lands, parks, truck stops, etc. It’s one that I reference often when I’m on the road.
Roadtrippers
The aesthetic of this app/website brings me joy. I use this app to map out all my locations for my travels. It allows you to see how far of a drive it is to each location, and you can see sights, parks, restaurants, places to camp, rest stops, and more along the path.
This app is also created with RVs in mind, as you can add the height, weight, and toggle if you have propane onboard to ensure you’re driving an RV-safe route.
And finally, the app I paid for that I regret because it’s barrier to use is too high: Passport America. There are SO many rules for each campground, and you have to call to book. It was about $45 for the year, but I have not used it once and don’t plan on renewing it.
What apps and memberships are your favorite?
Thanks for following along!
