Hi:Looking to be doing a lot more traveling next year, and I am considering getting a Passport America card. My intent is to make a decent $ reduction for my average site cost, while still having access to good quality serviced sites without too much compromise on locations and hassle with booking. I am used to reserving in advance when practical. Looking at their maps the choice seems fine and half price is great, but various comments on some posts, and some cautions on the 10 or so participating campground websites I surveyed indicate this may be more limited than it first appears.I saw "no discounts with on-line reservations" on 2 websites, with one saying "cash only"?? I see comments from posters on RV.NET that they basically take what they get at the last minute. I think the $44 is a no brainer and I expect there to be some hassle for all that reduced cost, but for planning purposes I was wondering if some people with personal experience would please pipe in with some comments on their experiences, or recommendations for other clubs they feel may be better. I like to stay at least a week at sites, maybe two if I like it. I am guessing this may be a problem too. Should I expect to only use this for short stays, and not expect to do much planning traveling with it?I've used Good Sam for some years, and will continue to use them as I see them as a different niche.John

PPA can save you money if you want to camp in an area that has a PPA CG. In my experience they tend to be unevenly scattered over the map. And don't tend to be located in areas that people want to go to. The PPA CG also tend to be older and smaller parks. I debate every year with myself over renewing since I find that I don't use it all that much. YMMV

Thanks.Coverage seemed ok for me, I have not been to any of the listed campgrounds, the ones I sampled online do seem to be smaller but that can be ok as I like quiet. I guess if you have used it for years it cannot have been a total waste?What restrictions have you seen beyond the limited selection partner campgrounds that makes you hesitant?

My only problem is with the limited distribution of CG. I'd most like to find them along major travel routes--Interstates and major highways. So that when we travel cross country we can find one every 300-400 miles. I don't care about the CG being old and often a bit run down since we aren't going to hang around a CG during the day. We are off doing things in the area or just want an over night stop.Try plotting out a route and see if you can find PPA CG along that route would be my suggestion. On the other hand it isn't a major expense and you might just get it and see how it works out.I see there is an Android PPA app that might make it easier to find CG.

We have a lifetime membership in Passport America. Thing to remember is it's a way to book unused sites for CG's. So if the CG is someplace popular, that easy books up for the season, they will probably not be a PA CG. Since CG's normally book up Friday and Saturday night and holidays these will often be "black out" periods. We normally made our money back on the yearly after 2 or 3 nights so, anything more is just gravy.

horton333 wrote:I like to stay at least a week at sites, maybe two if I like it. I am guessing this may be a problem too. Should I expect to only use this for short stays, and not expect to do much planning traveling with it?...You have to read the restrictions on the 50% discount for each park. Some will have a limit of how many days they will give you the discounted rate. Some give it on weekdays, but not weekends. Some only give the discount in their off season periods. It does take a little planning if you don't want to show up and find that the discount rate is not available.

Passport America | Good Sam Community

agesilaus
Explorer III
Jan 03, 2015
PPA can save you money if you want to camp in an area that has a PPA CG. In my experience they tend to be unevenly scattered over the map. And don't tend to be located in areas that people want to go to.

The PPA CG also tend to be older and smaller parks. I debate every year with myself over renewing since I find that I don't use it all that much. YMMV
horton333
Explorer
Jan 03, 2015
Thanks.
Coverage seemed ok for me, I have not been to any of the listed campgrounds, the ones I sampled online do seem to be smaller but that can be ok as I like quiet. I guess if you have used it for years it cannot have been a total waste?
What restrictions have you seen beyond the limited selection partner campgrounds that makes you hesitant?
agesilaus
Explorer III
Jan 03, 2015
My only problem is with the limited distribution of CG. I'd most like to find them along major travel routes--Interstates and major highways. So that when we travel cross country we can find one every 300-400 miles. I don't care about the CG being old and often a bit run down since we aren't going to hang around a CG during the day. We are off doing things in the area or just want an over night stop.

Try plotting out a route and see if you can find PPA CG along that route would be my suggestion. On the other hand it isn't a major expense and you might just get it and see how it works out.

I see there is an Android PPA app that might make it easier to find CG.
mdamerell
Explorer
Jan 03, 2015
We have a lifetime membership in Passport America. Thing to remember is it's a way to book unused sites for CG's. So if the CG is someplace popular, that easy books up for the season, they will probably not be a PA CG. Since CG's normally book up Friday and Saturday night and holidays these will often be "black out" periods. We normally made our money back on the yearly after 2 or 3 nights so, anything more is just gravy.
trailertraveler
Explorer
Jan 03, 2015
horton333 wrote:
I like to stay at least a week at sites, maybe two if I like it. I am guessing this may be a problem too. Should I expect to only use this for short stays, and not expect to do much planning traveling with it?...
You have to read the restrictions on the 50% discount for each park. Some will have a limit of how many days they will give you the discounted rate. Some give it on weekdays, but not weekends. Some only give the discount in their off season periods. It does take a little planning if you don't want to show up and find that the discount rate is not available.
agesilaus
Explorer III
Jan 03, 2015
Yeah some of the parks have odd restrictions, cash only is common. They don't want to pay the credit card companies is the legal explanation. And frequently they have 2 or 3 day max for discounts and as pointed out Friday and Saturday often don't get a discount.

Oh and once you join, delay as long as possible before renewing. They usually offer 16 months for the price of 12 month renewals if you are late.
Ivylog
Explorer III
Jan 03, 2015
Does not take long to pay for it. Their route planning site is actually pretty good. CGs are often not the best but good enough for a night when you need to run the AC instead of WalMart. Have stayed at some really nice NEW CGs.
Grandpere
Explorer
Jan 03, 2015
We had it for one year and all the sites that were listed where we were at did not offer the discount during the summer travel season. We found it to be a waste of $44.00. It is a great idea if it only worked.
Dennis_M_M
Explorer
Jan 03, 2015
As mdamerell pointed out, the whole purpose from the CG owner's point of view is to sell unused space by offering a discount. Hence restrictions on use during the periods when they can be expected to fill up be it day of week or seasonal. Most do not offer the discount if you want to make an advance reservation.

We find PA very useful in some areas, not so much in others, but it always more than pays for itself. When we start out on a trip I start with PA and look for places along our route, make a list of them with locations and phone numbers. Then in mid-afternoon, once we determine where we want to stop, I will call ahead for that evening.

We have found both good and bad PA campgrounds. Some really nice mom & pop resorts that we have returned to, some that we have driven past and said "Nope." A fair number that have just hook-ups in an open area with no manager on site, just a drop box, still good for an overnight.

I always follow up the PA list with a look at RV Park Reviews
dahkota
Explorer
Jan 03, 2015
PPA is great if you fulltime - we saved over $500 last year. But we tend to wander, wait until the last minute, and only use them for a night or two when we need a laundry. We have found some really great parks through PPA though we have also landed in a few clunkers. We don't make advance reservations at PPA parks, we call them en route to see if they have space. We have used credit cards and cash.

You won't get PPA rates at many parks in Florida during snowbird season but if you head there any other time of year, they have some good parks in great locations, including the keys. The same is true of anywhere else - during high tourist season, chances are it will only work for week days, if at all.

If you use it for two nights, you have pretty much made your money back. We use our PPA way more often than we do our GS membership.

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