If you live in your RV full-time or dedicate months of the year to RV living, then the time will inevitably come when you’ll decide whether a camping membership is in your future. Are camping memberships worth it?
Camping memberships can be extremely worthwhile for full-time and frequent RVers, as you can reduce your lodging costs (and sometimes not pay anything), gain access to useful resources, and even stay at exclusive parks. If you don’t camp often though, you might not find a membership as beneficial.
In today’s article, I’ll walk you through the upsides and downsides of a camping membership. I want you to get the best bang for your buck, and that’s exactly what you’ll be able to do by the time you’re done reading!
The Benefits of Camping Memberships
With the sheer number of camping memberships that the average RVer can choose from, you figure there has to be some appeal to being a member.
Indeed, joining a camping club or group is highly valuable, as you can take advantage of all sorts of deals, discounts, and exclusives.
Let’s go over the benefits now.
Low-Cost or Free Camping
At first glance, the camping lifestyle can seem so inexpensive. After all, you’re lessening your reliance on technology, spending more time outdoors, and living simply.
Then you add up all the costs and realize that RV life costs more than you had realized.
You have to pay to fuel up your vehicle as well as food, RV maintenance, and–at many campsites and parks in the United States and beyond–for lodging.
That’s right, even if you park your RV in the middle of the woods rather than stay at an accommodating cabin, you often still have to pay.
Your money grants you the privilege to stay in a state park or national park.
Depending on your itinerary and how frequently you like to be on the move, these costs can add up fast.
Not so much once you join a camping group. Your ongoing membership costs–although an additional expense–slash the prices for what you’d normally pay to stay at some of the country’s most beloved parks and campgrounds.
Depending on the camping group and the park, you might even be able to stay for free!
That’s undeniably one of the biggest selling points of a camping membership, and rightfully so.
Fantastic Resources
The variety of resources that come with your membership to a camping group is another strong reason to consider joining one.
The extent of these resources of course varies depending on the membership in question.
Many camping groups throw in a camping directory that details all the campgrounds covered under your membership as well as the discounted costs of each.
The directory might include highlights, directions, and maps for easily planning where you’ll venture to next on this great, wide planet.
You may also receive a quarterly or annual newsletter or magazine from the camping group that details everything going on within the group. The magazine might spotlight certain parks or even members of the club that could someday be you!
These resources make it easier to plan your next trip and add value to the cost of your membership, so they’re certainly nice to have.
Sense of Community
Some camping groups are small and exclusive while others have hundreds of thousands of members.
Either way, joining a camping group does bring with it a sense of camaraderie.
You could meet fellow members at any of the parks and campsites you visit across the country and even the world (depending on how expansive your camping group is).
Some camping groups might afford members their own private forum or private Facebook group so they can communicate freely.
You could make your next camping buddy this way or at least feel like a member of a greater community.
Even if you’re camping with your friends or family, the nomadic RV lifestyle can at times feel lonely. It’s certainly isolating.
The more like-minded individuals that you can connect with through a camping membership, the more valuable that membership is.
In fact, this might be among the best features of joining a camping group.
Sure, you can’t put a price on friendship or camaraderie the same way you can a discount on a camping trip, but the former is far dearer, if you ask me!
Exclusive Camping Opportunities
Speaking of exclusives, a camping membership usually hands them out like candy.
As I said before, there are so many camping groups to join that these groups must do what they can to not only differentiate themselves from the competition but entice more members to join.
If a camping group can offer you exclusive camping access, that’s certainly one way to do it, wouldn’t you say?
You might finally be able to get into that state park or campground that you’ve been eyeing up for a year now but can never get past the gates because the park is always too crowded.
This again reinforces the sense of community and exclusivity of the camping group, as not just anyone can waltz right into these parks like it’s nothing.
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Chances to Earn Money
Sometimes, the camping group doesn’t only take your money but can give it back to you as well.
What do I mean by that? Well, although it depends on the group, some offer referral programs for members.
Each time you refer a friend, family member, neighbor, or colleague to join the camping group, you could receive a cash bonus.
The referral program might expand to more than members, but campgrounds as well.
If you can convince a campground to join the camping group as a participating member, then you might receive an even greater referral bonus.
There’d be no ceiling on your referral outings, so if you could convince a lot of people or campsites to join, you could offset the cost of your membership!
The Downsides of Camping Memberships
To help you make the most educated decision about your future as a potential camping club member, I have to present both sides of the coin of maintaining membership.
As great as it is to be a camping club member, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.
Here are some downsides you must be aware of as well.
Camping with Non-Members Becomes Tricky
You might happily have a camping membership, but some of your friends or family members don’t.
You tried to convince them to join your group for those sweet, sweet referral bonuses, but they didn’t bite.
Well, now you have a problem.
No, it’s not only that you missed out on the referral bonus. More so, since you’re the only one in your party with an active membership, you might find camping at certain places a struggle.
Non-members won’t necessarily be outlawed at parks or campgrounds (except for the exclusive ones), but they will have to pay more than you.
They might gripe about the full price of the stay and argue that you should all stay somewhere else that’s more affordable.
It becomes a much bigger struggle to find a place to camp that’s cost-effective for everyone. Your membership and the exclusivity it grants can also cause feelings of jealousy or even resentment if you’re not careful.
You Might Have Limitations on Your Stay
If you were hoping to stay at a park or campground for two or three weeks at a clip to soak up all those benefits of your camping membership, you might be a tad disappointed once you begin using the membership.
You see, some clubs have established rules on how long you can stay at any campsite or park, especially when it comes to consecutive nights.
You might only be permitted to stay for three or five or seven consecutive nights. However many it is, that’s the cut-off.
By the morning after the fifth or seventh night, you’d have to hit the road again even if you’re not quite ready to depart.
When you’re not a member of a camping group, the only restriction on how long you can stay is your wallet.
Many campsites and parks encourage longer-term stays for two weeks or even 30 days. You can typically get a good deal for an extended stay compared to paying by the night.
If you only like to stay at a campsite or park for a day or two tops, then the limitations imposed by a camping group won’t be such a big deal.
For those who like to camp out and make a place home for upwards of a month or longer, then you might want to rethink joining a camping group.
You May Be Restricted by Your Zone
Do you like to look at map, pick a random location, and then go?
That can sometimes be hard to do when you join a camping group.
The group may require you to select a zone in the United States (or elsewhere) when you join.
That zone is yours to explore as much as you can, but you are indeed confined to the limitations of the zone.
The point of this is that the zone will include a large number of areas that are covered under your membership package.
Thus, it seems more economical for you to be limited by zones, and a camping club will really tout this benefit.
However, compared to a non-member who can globetrot more freely, you might feel a bit reigned in, and that’s no fun.
The Costs Can Be A Bit Much
I saved what is arguably the biggest downside of a camping membership for last: the cost.
While I would implore you to explore the pricing of the camping club you’ve been considering, joining a club is at least a three-figure expense.
On the lower end, you might pay between $200 and $300 for a membership. The more expensive clubs cost $600 and up.
These charges recur every year.
Some camping groups give you the option to upgrade your membership.
Doing so grants you access to even more exclusives than you ever dreamed possible as well as steeper discounts and possibly more lucrative referral programs as well.
These upgrades are designed to lure you in so you won’t pay as much attention to how very expensive they are.
A camping membership upgrade might start at $2,000. I’ve seen some estimates that an upgrade can cost you up to $10,000 in some cases!
Keep in mind that if you do ever decide to upgrade your camping membership, you’re not paying less but more.
Each year, you’re charged your standard membership fee as well as the upgrade fee. That makes it very expensive to enjoy everything the camping membership has to offer.
The Verdict – Is a Camping Membership Worth It?
Now that you’re aware of both the pros and cons of a camping membership, it’s time to put all that information together and make a choice.
Should you join a camping group or not?
If you’re someone who spends a lot of time in your RV–not even necessarily full-time, but several months per year–then you can get a lot of good out of a camping membership.
You’ll be able to save money for each stay, find new campgrounds, possibly make friends, and even earn some money on the side via referrals.
I wouldn’t advise you to pay for an upgrade to your membership unless you really want to and you have no problem affording an extra four-figure charge per year.
For many, though, a basic camping membership suffices.
If you’re someone who only goes out in your RV or travel trailer maybe once a month or once every couple of months, then a camping membership is less advantageous.
The cost is a lot, and you’re not going to explore the features and benefits of the membership to the fullest due to your infrequent camping habits.
You can still join if you wish, but I don’t think it’d be as cost-effective of a decision.
Conclusion
Camping memberships afford members a lot of opportunities, including exclusive campground access, referral programs, magazines and other resources, and exclusive forums for online communication.
However, the costs can be exorbitant, especially when you upgrade your membership. You’re also sometimes restricted in where you can camp and for how long.
I hope this article helps you decide whether a camping membership is worthwhile for you!