Beware sign for $10 RV full hookups on I-10

[Rice]

On I-10 between Palm Springs and San Bernardino (a/k/a the middle of nowhere), there's an RV park right on the interstate with a sign advertising $10 RV full hookups.

I went and said I saw the sign and asked if they had a space for my motorhome for one night, and the woman said it's a membership campground and not open to the public, and I tried to hand me a sheet with a number to call. I said, "So you have a sign on the highway that says full hookup RV sites for $10 but you don't actually offer full hookup RV sites for $10?" She said that's how it is.

So if you're traveling along that stretch and think you're willing to stay in a skanky RV park right on the highway if you can have air conditioning for $10, don't be fooled.

[hotpepperkid]

D.E.Bishop wrote:
There is a campground between Havasu and Parker with a similar set up. I don't think you would get anywhere notifying BBB or anyone else, the one we saw also had a sign just on the entry drive saying private campground.

No worth my time complaining.

Those are membership camp grounds and you can stay at the one in Havasu Springs for the $10 as long as you listen to their 90 min speal about buying a membership. No thanks.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

As mentioned it is a membership CG, and from having considered staying there, the $10 rate is for an add on program to which I belong - RPI.

No, there are not many RPI affiliate CG on the east coast. But I do count 28 CG which belong to my membership program in New England, NY, NJ, eastern PA, VA, NC, SC and close to 45 CG in Florida. All for my annual membership fee and an add on program. About $1,000 per year. And I definitely spend more than 100 nights per year in the membership program CG per year.

During our 2015 trip from Key West to Maine and back to Texas, we did not belong to that membership program, but using Passport America, federal government CG and military bases we never paid more than $30 per night. Yes, many of those were only electric and water CG.

Though I would not consider Cherry Valley the middle of nowhere in the California desert. It is more like I-95 in Georgia or SC as far a populated areas near the freeway. Just a lot fewer trees, but that applies to most of the nation west of Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska.

[Rice]

mdcamping wrote:
I have never seen an advertisement for $10 full hookup, especially here on the east coast. I am not surprised that there was some form of strings attached.

I remember in New Mexico, in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, staying at an RV Park that had a sign advertising RV spaces for $10. Can't remember if the sign said if they were full hookup sites, but they were. No strings attached. And it was about what you'd expect for $10, which was fine with me.

That's why I believed the sign in the middle of the California desert, for an RV park that is sitting right on I-10 and presumably a lot noisier than the one in New Mexico.

Obviously this would never happen on the east coast.

[mdcamping]

I have never seen an advertisement for $10 full hookup, especially here on the east coast. I am not surprised that there was some form of strings attached.

Mike

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

BTW - my information on that park says it is all 30Amp, no 50Amp electricity.

[rexlion]

I think that sign isn't fraudulent, just misleading and stupid. Fraud would be if they lured you in and then charged you more money. That sign lured you in, but they wouldn't let you in and didn't take your money!

[Old-Biscuit]

gemsworld wrote:
I believe that park belongs to Colorado River Adventures, which is a membership system and the $10 is probably what members pay.That sign has been there forever. I agree the sign is misleading and should clearly state the price is for members only.

CRA...Cherry Valley Lakes Resort

[vermilye]

D.E.Bishop wrote:
There is a campground between Havasu and Parker with a similar set up. I don't think you would get anywhere notifying BBB or anyone else, the one we saw also had a sign just on the entry drive saying private campground.

No worth my time complaining.

Yea, I have driven by it many times. A friend finally stopped in & an overnight with full hookups is $60.00.

[Community Alumni]

I believe that park belongs to Colorado River Adventures, which is a membership system and the $10 is probably what members pay.That sign has been there forever. I agree the sign is misleading and should clearly state the price is for members only.

[Old-Biscuit]

Rice wrote:
Apparently that sign has been there for a long time, so my only goal is to keep people from falling for it. To get to the campground from the freeway you have to take a circuitous route, and I'm trying to save people the trouble.

Would that be Cherry Valley?

Hard to warn w/o naming the place......

[Rice]

Apparently that sign has been there for a long time, so my only goal is to keep people from falling for it. To get to the campground from the freeway you have to take a circuitous route, and I'm trying to save people the trouble.

[D_E_Bishop]

There is a campground between Havasu and Parker with a similar set up. I don't think you would get anywhere notifying BBB or anyone else, the one we saw also had a sign just on the entry drive saying private campground.

No worth my time complaining.

[Lwiddis]

Dutch is correct. Minor modification would make it legal but not moral.

[Sam_Spade]

Dutch_12078 wrote:
If they have a higher non-members rate, they might get away with just adding "Start at..." or "...and up." to the sign.

People sometimes don't "see" everything that is there.

IF.....the sign really doesn't have any "qualifiers" like that on it, I certainly would at least take a picture of it and report them to the BBB in the area.....if there is one.