Forum Discussion

CodyClassB's avatar
CodyClassB
Explorer II
Jul 21, 2014

Thousand Trails membership

I have been RVing for about a year and stay mostly at Southern California state parks. I am thinking about joining Thousand Trails for a year . Do you have any advice about this service/parks/membership ?

thanks
  • I would search and search reviews including the BBB. Just saying there is issues
    out there.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Personally I think the TT Zone pass program is just about the best deal in membership camping out today. I will explain why.

    MOST campground memberships are a lifetime contract, If you change your lifestyle or otherwise decide the membership is not for you they still want their dues.. I have one chain I used to belong to that is still dunning me for dues even though they closed all (or nearly all) the parks.. (The contract said they had to maintain the parks so they owe ME money, not the other way around).

    TTs zone pass... Well if you subscribe to all the zones it will cost you (First year) roughly what I paid for my membership.. but after that you only pay dues, about the same as I pay. You can also subscribe to fewer zones.

    One disadvantage is you only get 30 night free, then its a few dollars a night, 2 weeks in one out (Same as my full membership) but after 30 night in you have to pay per night, Not too bad though. plus you pay extra a night for 50 amp (But then so do I)..... I get up to what, 240 night free with my membership, Do not use quite that many as I only spend half my summer in TT parks (2/3 of the winter though) You also get a few parks I do not.

    One of these days I need to re-visit Southern CA.

    Oh, and THEY HAVE A PARK IN LAS VEGAS by the way.
  • cyntdon2010 wrote:
    Only three campgrounds in Florida. None in Ga ,that's not good for my family


    Funny, I've just spent a month in Florida at the TT and Encore parks in Clermont. :) Different strokes for different folks.
  • I have the zone pass. Its not bad but not great either. The one thing I don't like is the hunt for a camp spot. Even if you reserve it is 1st come 1st serve, so you might get a spot that is to short for your rig or just a really bad spot.
  • The Thousand Trails Southwest Zone Pass would give you great options on where to stay.
    30 nights free camping. Then just $3 a night. Easy to recoup the yearly fee in a year.
  • Only three campgrounds in Florida. None in Ga ,that's not good for my family
  • Read the details of the contract and rules very closely.
    A friend joined and keeps getting hit with rules that strive to keep them from using the service when they want.
    Example: they can only reserve one of the years three day weekends.
    There are more like this.
  • Go to their program (talk to their sales people), learn what you can, then buy on the 2nd hand market. They're overpriced.