Passport America

[GrumpyG]

How many of you have Passport America? Good or Bad? Seems like a no-brainer at the price. I see lots of campgrounds have restrictions... no weekends, etc, but I'm retired so I'd rather stay home on the weekends anyway.

[Javi]

We don't have it, but we just don't stay in private campgrounds.. We prefer the State, COE and National Parks instead.

[PARAPTOR]

Yeap, a no brainer On last trip for an example used it 6 times for a total of 14 days. Actually bought it on the road and paid the $44 a year and saved a total of $260.18 on the stays so I am ahead $216.18. Actually the first place we stayed was $36.00 a night, we stayed 2 nights, paid $18.00 a night and saved $36.00. As you stated they are many restrictions but you can work around them as we did.

[sourdough]

We have it. I plan my routes and determine how far I want to go per day then find a site somewhere near that. Sometimes there might be a Passport America sight and there might not be. Passport America has ALL kinds of places some really nice and some you would want to pass on. The rates are great and the cost for the plan is nominal. Trying to plan a trip around all the restrictions on some of the locations can be rather frustrating, but, as you said, you're retired and you can try to maximize the use of their locations as much as possible. Be sure and do your homework on whatever location you choose. I've never been to one that I said "no" and moved on without staying, but I've been to some I don't intend to go back to. Again, the cost/benefit to me is in my favor so I keep the membership.

[Desert185]

PA has been great. We even had five days in Palm Springs (during January) for half price. There are restrictions here and there, but there will be net savings.

[theeyres]

Check out where you want to be and when. If they agree, it is a no brainer. We always seemed to hit the restrictions and seldom could make use of it because when we were travelling a lot, we went with the sun where PA was always blacked out. We dropped it. It's a great deal if you can use it. We couldn't.

[GaryWT]

Never been part of any memberships but right now we camp weekends when and where we want. If we get to a point that we travel more maybe we will look into it.

Actually we do have KOA and Good Sam but forget to mention the Good Sam at most places.

[jimbari]

Camping "memberships" can be great fun.
We currently own in a Coast to Coast RV gated community (selling after 37 years here) and we went coast to coast with our kids in a motorhome in the late '80's.
Our daughter was the navigator, at 13, picking where we would stop each evening, at a Coast to Coast, AND then it was $1/night. Her criteria - did they have a pool?
It was a wonderful 6 week/11K miles trip.
We wanted to show them the US before they all got out of school and gone!
As we are now retired and will be traveling N/S as snow-birds, will have to look at PA. Thanks for the thread.

[Barbell]

We have PA and Good Sam and use both from time to time. When on a long trip, we generally only travel 2-3 days a week and never on weekends, which means we usually pay full price. However, when we can find them, we prefer military campgrounds as they are always cheaper, better kept and sites are better laid out than commercial ones. PA does have a trip routing service that has come in handy from time to time.

[tgpilot]

Bought PA the night before we left on our six week trip through five states and five NP's. Did not get to use the PA until we got to Moab, UT and stayed at the Spanish Trail. Beautiful park, great staff. The rate was something like $45.00 and we got it for $22.00. They had a restriction of three day max, but we were allowed to stay five days at the PA rate. We more than saved on what we spent on the membership.

We also have GS, AAA, military and senior. But, nothing saved like the PA discount. Will keep it.

[Old Mustanger]

e have PA, Lifetime, use it whenever we can, I always just ask if they accept when signing in. Just used it on our 3 week trip, 1 week in Florida, 5 nights for half price. Figure 1 or 2 more like that will pay for the Lifetime membership.

[rjsurfer]

How much is the membership? And do they have different plans.

One last thing is there a complete list of parks?

Thanks

Ron W.

[PARAPTOR]

check here for latest info
http://www.passport-america.com/?gcl...FQiTaQodEVkENg

[tgpilot]

You can go to their website to see where the parks are and you can buy their book like GS. Cost was about $44.00. Worth having, it will pay for it 'self.

[Festus2]

Originally Posted by rjsurfer

How much is the membership? And do they have different plans.

One last thing is there a complete list of parks?

Thanks

Ron W.

Ron -
PA advertises their membership fee at $44 per year. When I went online to sign up and join, there was also another $25 cost for their campground directory which was embedded into the total cost. I couldn't find any way to avoid buying their directory - it wasn't set up as being an option.

However, I believe this is an initial "once-in-a-lifetime" cost and you don't have to purchase it again upon renewal. Bottom line -- the first year will set you back $69 not $44.

[PARAPTOR]

Originally Posted by Festus2

Ron -
PA advertises their membership fee at $44 per year. When I went online to sign up and join, there was also another $25 cost for their campground directory which was embedded into the total cost. I couldn't find any way to avoid buying their directory - it wasn't set up as being an option.

However, I believe this is an initial "once-in-a-lifetime" cost and you don't have to purchase it again upon renewal. Bottom line -- the first year will set you back $69 not $44.

Just bought PA for the first time in April this year while on road Total cost $44 for one year. Using it saved $36.00 on first 2 day stay. Over three months save $266- $44 = Total savings on first trip $222.

To me a no brainer membership purchase. As far as Hardcopy Directories never use them since participating camp sites for all memberships are constantly changing

[Festus2]

Originally Posted by PARAPTOR

Just bought PA for the first time in April this year while on road Total cost $44 for one year.

To me a no brainer membership purchase. As far as Hardcopy Directories never use them since participating camp sites for all memberships are constantly changing

Pararaptor -
I didn't want the Directory but that fee, as I pointed out, was embedded into the total cost. Tried to find a way around it but couldn't. Obviously, your experience was different than mine. You paid $44. I paid $69 (for the first year PLUS the Directory).
My camping friend who joined about a year ago also had to pay the $25 initial fee.
Maybe we just don't know how to fill in the application form correctly.

[Desert185]

Maybe because you're in Canada? I don't recall paying anymore than $44. In the first year, we have saved four or five times that enrollment fee, so regardless, its a good deal. They will also give the Good Sam discount on days the 50% discount doesn't apply.

I use the PA app on my iPad for location and contact info, as the printed directory goes out of date.

[Festus2]

Originally Posted by Desert185

Maybe because you're in Canada? I don't recall paying anymore than $44. .

Yes, I think the $25 is the postal fee charged to send the directory to Canada - even though I didn't ask to have one sent. The directory is worth what .... maybe $5? It is also available online so it's best to go to their website and get all the latest updates, deletions and changes.

And just how many trees did they have to cut down to make the paper for the 400 odd directory pages which I didn't ask for or want? But I digress.

[Desert185]

Originally Posted by Festus2

Yes, I think the $25 is the postal fee charged to send the directory to Canada - even though I didn't ask to have one sent. The directory is worth what .... maybe $5? It is also available online so it's best to go to their website and get all the latest updates, deletions and changes.

And just how many trees did they have to cut down to make the paper for the 400 odd directory pages which I didn't ask for or want? But I digress.

We don't worry about trees for this purpose, because we import cheap pulp from Canada. I understand you guys have plenty of trees. LOL