Campground Pass

[Davion206]

Need opinions on campground pass....Escapes, Passport America, Good Sam etc.......or are they worth money....so far military exemption has worked.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

So far in 2017 I have received the following discounts (from the actual rate the park is charging, not the rates listed on the discount group sites).

Good Sam Parks - 10 nights - $320.09 paid, $58.92 savings
Escapees Parks - 3 nights - $61.14 paid, $13.50 savings
Passport America - 10 nights - $220.00 paid, $126.00 savings
Federal Senior Pass - 90 nights - $1,209.44 paid, $1,137.06 savings
US Military Base Campgrounds - 14 nights - $312.00 paid (no 'savings' from the normal park rate, but all four visits were at places where the going rate for similar parks was $40-60 per night)

We are full-timers and have towed the trailer 11,018.1 miles so far this year, from California to Texas to California to Washington to Glacier to Yellowstone to Texas - 326 nights as of last night.

We stayed 174 nights in Thousand Trails campgrounds - for which we have a membership - at a total cost (including yearly membership dues, one 28 day stay, and 50 amp utility fees) of $997.43. "Free camping" isn't free - but it is very cheap is you use it - $5.73 per night avg.

Personally - we joined and are lifetime members of Good Sam because of the Good Sam groups we camp with, the state rally's we attend, the fellowship and other benefits. The savings on RV parks is a minimal benefit, but nice when stopping at a park while traveling.

We are members of Escapees for similar reasons, and our mail service and domicile/ legal residence is at the Escapees HQ in Livingston, TX.

Good Sam, Escapees, AAA, AARP, Passport America all are for discounts while traveling. Seldom do they work for a destination campground.

[Good_Sam_Networ]

Davion206 wrote:
Need opinions on campground pass....Escapes, Passport America, Good Sam etc.......or are they worth money....so far military exemption has worked.

Hi Davion206 - thank you for your interest in the Good Sam Club! Per your post you mentioned military exemption. Good Sam offers free Good Sam Club memberships to active military personnel. For more information, click on the link below or contact our Member Services department at 800-234-3450.

http://www.goodsamclub.com/faq.aspx?faqcat=3&category=Military-Membership

Thank you and have a wonderful day!

[garmp]

We use our AtB senior pass, Geezer Pass, most of the time. Got my lifetime pass for $10 and found out later that vets with 50% disability or more got the pass free. But that was years ago. Best thing going!!!

[mockturtle]

Bikendan, I agree about the AtB senior pass. It's the best if one is eligible. I use mine more than any other.

[bikendan]

Passport America, America the Beautiful Senior Pass.
don't use Good Sam, since nearly every place that accepts Good Sam, also accepts AAA. and it's the same discount.

[mockturtle]

Having used all three I would say that the Passport America will save you the most money but some of the parks that take PA have restrictions on when you can stay, how long, etc. Escapees is great if you spend some time at one or more of their very nice co-op parks. They are a great value. Good Sam is useful but most of the parks that take their discount have higher rates to begin with. Unless you're likely to take advantage of the Escapees Club other benefits I would say you could get by with Passport America and Good Sam. The membership costs are low and well worth it.

[loggenrock]

Passport America usually pays for itself if you use it for 2 nights in a season. We don't tend to use it for "camping", but rather stops while travelling/sightseeing, when we use the rig as a base and are looking for hookups. This past year we saved about $300 with PP during a trip to FL. So I consider myself "up" for a couple years now! ST

[Dutch_12078]

garmp wrote:
OP, you mentioned military discounts, by all means get the Geezer Pass, aka America the Beautiful. I believe military/veterans can get the life time pass free. 50% off is a far better deal that Good Sams or any other.
Besides the Corp parks are always consistently dependable and good.

The only free military pass is an Annual Pass available to active service members and their families. The only other free passes are a lifetime Access Pass for the permanently disabled, and for Federal volunteers with 250 or more service hours.

www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm

[Dutch_12078]

2oldman wrote:
Escapees is not recognized very often, if at all.

The Escapees Discount Park Directory of 15% and 50% member discount parks has around 1200 active listings as I recall. Members also receive exceptionally good pricing at the 7 Escapees club owned and 11 member owned co-op parks located in various parts of the country. Our month long stay at a club owned park in central Florida in February for example, works out to about $14.50/night for a full hook-up site.

[garmp]

OP, you mentioned military discounts, by all means get the Geezer Pass, aka America the Beautiful. I believe military/veterans can get the life time pass free. 50% off is a far better deal that Good Sams or any other.
Besides the Corp parks are always consistently dependable and good.

[Tripalot]

Passport American has saved us many hundred dollars over the years. If you are retired and can be a little flexible, it works out well. We do not find the restrictions that hard to work with. Often if a park is not busy, they are happy to have your business even if it is during a restricted time. In over 14 years, there have been 2 parks that we choose to pull out of after taking a look around. Most of our stops are for overnights and if a park is really nice, we stay longer.

[dalenoel]

I'm lifetime with Good Sam but the same discount is available most places with AARP or AAA. Whenever we plan on using Passport American we renew at that time. One or two night stay pays for that one and you can renew on the phone just before check in.

Don't know on Escapees but have used KOA in the past but now seldom stay there.

[beemerphile1]

They each are worth it if they offer what you desire. They are not the same and cannot be compared fairly without knowing your needs/wants.

[nineoaks2004]

I usually use Good Sam, I have always received the discounts, I am a member anyway using the flying J gas discounts saves me enough to pay the GS membership..