RV clubs offer a variety of benefits to their members, from money-saving discounts to fun events to friendship and social support from fellow RVers. This guide will introduce you to some of the best-known RV clubs and what they offer their members!
Escapees RV Club- A Total Support Network for All RVers
Founded in 1978, Escapees RV Club is one of the oldest RV clubs in North America. It was created to answer the need for community support in the early days of full-time RVing when skilled professionals and their families traveled around the U.S. for work. As a “total support network for all RVers,” Escapees has maintained that focus on community through the decades with our bi-monthly magazine, our services, and our event programs.
From day 1, Escapees has been about community and what better way to foster that than to get together throughout the year and have fun? With the annual Escapade rally, frequent Hangouts, HOPs, Convergences, and smaller Chapter and Birds-of-a-Feather gatherings, there is always something going on in the Escapees community.
To help RVers enjoy the RV lifestyle more, the club has also put together multiple resources to educate RVers on topics like RV operation, safety, and maintenance, as well as lifestyle topics like mobile internet, boondocking, choosing the right RV for you, and more.
Speaking of boondocking, Escapees also offers members several ways to save on camping costs through their discount parking network and partnerships with organizations like Harvest Hosts, Boondockers Welcome, and Passport America.
In addition to discounts on camping fees, the club has negotiated discounts for members on products like electric bikes, mobile internet equipment and guidance, pet insurance, and services such as roadside assistance, RV insurance (through educational programs), batteries, and much, much more. Take a look at the Commercial Partner and Member Directory for more.
All of this is available to members for $49.95 (US) and $59.95 (Canada and Mexico).
FMCA- Family Motorcoach Association
Family Motorcoach Association (FMCA) is best known as the largest non-profit RV club in North America. Though they began as a motorhomes-only club, FMCA has recently expanded to include towable RVs such as travel trailers and fifth wheels.
With more than 400 chapters based on location, shared interest, RV type, and more, there is no shortage of fellow RVers to connect with. Their biannual event, the FMCA International Convention and RV Expo, draws thousands of members, while their smaller regional events occur throughout the year.
One of the best-loved benefits of an FMCA membership is their complementary FMCAssist program which helps RVers in emergency situations with repatriation coverage and emergency medical evacuation. Members also enjoy discounts on other products and services.
An annual FMCA membership costs $85.
Good Sam
If you’ve heard of Good Sam, you’ve heard of Camping World, and vice versa. As the membership arm of Camping World Holdings, Good Sam offers members a wide variety of benefits for $29 per year.
Though Good Sam does offer some community interaction through their regional rallies, RV shows, and sponsored tours, most members join to take advantage of the many discounts the club offers. With a Good Sam membership, you can save on purchases at Camping World and Gander Outdoors in addition to enjoying a 10% discount at 2100 campgrounds and RV parks across the country. Good Sam offers members a trip planner that helps you find discount parks along your route, in addition to points of interest, mileage calculations, and more. Members also save on fuel at select Pilot/Flying J stations.
Owners’ Clubs- Meeting Others with RVs Like Yours
Sometimes, it can be really important to connect with RVers who travel with rigs like yours. You can get experienced advice from those with similar RVs, share tips on how to update your rigs, and especially convenient, talk with others who have done repairs to the same RV you own. This is where owners’ clubs come in handy!
Owners’ clubs are those created for owners of specific RV models. For example, Winnebago organizes the Winnebago International Travelers (WIT) Club, which welcomes all who own a Winnebago RV. In addition to this large group, owners can split off into smaller groups where they interact with those who own the same kind of Winnebago RV. These include groups for Winnie Minnie owners, Revel owners, diesel owners, and more.
Almost every manufacturer has a group, or fan club, you can join to swap stories and advice with fellow owners. The easiest way to find these is to do an internet search for “(your manufacturer) owner club.”
Finding RVers with Similar Experiences and Interests
In addition to general RVing clubs like those above, you’ll also find many special-interest RVing clubs available to you!
National African-American RV Association (NAARVA) has been around since 1993 when a group of acquaintances got together and agreed that they wanted to create an organization of their own that African-American RVers could call home. Since then, NAARVA has expanded to include numerous chapters, to offer scholarships to children and grandchildren of members, and to further encourage community among members through regional gatherings that happen throughout the year.
Girl Camper is another organization that was founded with specific campers in mind. Created to bring together women who enjoy camping, whether in a tent, an RV, a car, or in a hammock under the stars, Girl Camper offers members events, online groups, a podcast, a magazine, and more to help encourage each other to get into the outdoors in whatever way best suits them. Shared by founder Janine Petit on the club’s website, “all are welcome here – those completely new to camping, those returning to an old pastime or those experienced campers looking to meet like-minded friends.”
Fulltime Families was created in 2010 as an answer to the need for traveling families to find community and support while on the road, traveling full-time. From family-centric events to an active Facebook group, discounts, and more, Fulltime Families offers members ample opportunities to connect with other families, share experience and advice, and even helps RVing kids find friends along their travels!
Camping & RV Park Discount Programs
Though the following groups aren’t quite clubs in the same sense as those listed above, they are membership organizations that offer benefits to RVers!
Passport America touts itself as the original and largest 50% discount camping club. With more than 1400 parks and campgrounds in their roster that offer members 50% off camping fees, Passport America is popular among RVers. It only requires a couple of bookings to earn back the $44 per year membership fee!
When you’re looking for an overnight visit to an interesting place, give Harvest Hosts a try! They have a directory of more than 2000 places where you can stay for the night at a winery, museum, brewery, farm, golf course, or one of many other fun options. Your accommodations are free, though you may find yourself instead spending those funds on a tasting adventure, visiting the museum, or otherwise enjoying your unique surroundings!
Boondockers Welcome is another option for those overnight stops as you travel from point A to point B. Offering overnight parking on private property, Boondockers Welcome opens up numerous opportunities for you to check out new-to-you locations, meet fellow RVers, and rest easy for the night knowing you’re somewhere safe!
Remember those Escapees member benefits we mentioned earlier? They apply here, too! Escapees members can save varying amounts on memberships with Passport America, Harvest Hosts, Boondockers Welcome, and Fulltime Families. Members can learn more about these discounts and how to access them by visiting the Escapees member website.
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