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cruz-in's avatar
cruz-in
Explorer
Apr 27, 2014

Camping Clubs and Discount Cards?

Hi Team,

We retire in 90 days and the first thing we are doing is leaving for an extended trip (9 months) to see Canada and the US in our 5th wheel.

Been looking at all the camping clubs and discount cards and my head is kind a spinning.

Any thoughts on their worth and which one is best would be appreciated.

Thanks
Dan

14 Replies

  • IMO, you have to look at the benefits of membership, and whether you will be able to use the membership enough to make it pay for YOU.
    For me, there is no "club" that has benefits that I can use very often. I was a Good Sam Club member for a while, but I soon realized that I wasn't buying much in the parts/accessory department so the discount didn't work for me (and besides, I got the same discount for being old and a veteran); When I did stop at an RV park for the night, there didn't seem to be a Goodsampark anywhere around, so the only real benefit I had was the magazine, which I didn't enjoy all that much. I allowed the membership to lapse.
    I had a KOA membership. It was great for our trip to Tennessee, but since then I haven't had any occasion to use it since then, it also has lapsed.
    If you can use the benefits, such clubs can be great. If you can't or don't use them, they are a waste of money.
    Good luck.
  • I like the Good Sam and KOA cards for the camping we do and, of course, the Golden Age card for the government parks.
  • much depends on the CG's available in the areas you plan to travel .... if you plan to stay at KOA's, then having one of their cards will save money .... another large program is from Goodsam .... Passport America can be beneficial .... a year's membership in Thousand Trails offers major savings if their parks are where you wish to visit

    Jim
  • We have had Passport America since 2010. It has saved us allot of money. There are some restrictions that vary from one campground to another but overall it's a great value. We typically get the membership fee paid for in two nights stay.

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