Our Favorite Camping Options

Living and traveling in an RV full time is a true blessing and dream come true, but it does require a lot of compromise, even if that compromise aligns with what we want out of this lifestyle.

One of those compromises is camping options other than resorts, rv parks and traditional campgrounds whenever possible.

We like to go with the option that gets us closer to nature, which we prefer, but our top priority is for budget-friendly, especially during travel season when we don’t sit still for more than a few days at a time before moving on, so taking advantage of extended stay deals isn’t an option. There are several ways we do that.

Memberships

There are so many different camping membership options available, but the two main ones we use are Harvest Hosts and Thousand Trails.

Harvest Hosts partners with businesses and farms all across the US (including Alaska!) to offer RV spots in exchange for doing business with them, and some even offer water, electric, or both!

If you aren’t familiar with Harvest Hosts, it’s a camping membership that allows you to overnight at local businesses all over the country for a small fee. We’ve stayed at wineries, breweries, restaurants, museums, farms, drive-in theaters and many more, all as part of our membership. If you are interested, you can sign up and earn us credit towards next year’s membership at no cost to you using our Harvest Host Referral Link (Boondockers Welcome is a part of this and if you like golf, chat with me before signing up)! You can also check out other ways to save on our savings page at https://barnesonmove.com/savings/

We also have a Thousand Trails membership that allows us to camp for $0 per night as part of our camping package, and there are tons of options for every budget and camping style. We do pay annually for our membership, and there are monthly payment options, too.

If you’re not a Thousand Trails member, but are interested, use our referral sign up, linked here, and we will get your information to Sharon and Warren Lewis, our specialists, to help you find a membership that works for your budget and camping style!

We also use our Good Sam’s membership for discounts when we stay at other parks. There are tons of options, so be sure to research and talk to other campers and staff if you have a preferred campground to see if they have something that works for you.

iOverlander

We love using this app to find camping spots, water and dump locations, and helpful reviews. While there is a paid upgrade option, we use the free option and have had no issues. It is crowd sourced, so you’ll still want to check things out for yourself, but it can be a great tool to find spots when passing through an area, and they do include some campgrounds, too. We like to look at reviews to find out about rig size, amenities, bugs/wildlife, and any other things to be aware of.

Government Areas

This can include ACE (Army Corps of Engineers), state parks & recreation areas, county parks, municipal parks, provincial parks, forestry service areas, and military bases. All of these options can be at a much lower cost, but usually don’t include all the amenities of a traditional park–although some do! They usually get you closer to nature and outdoor recreation spots, but they can fill up quickly. Finding them can be challenging, either going to the state or federal management site, or just searching an online map.

Dry Camping

This is also known as wild camping, boondocking, or off-grid camping. One of the compromises of many of these budget friendly campgrounds can mean doing without certain hookups, like water, sewer, or even electric. While most have a dump and water station, not all of them will. And many will have quiet hours, or even generator hours, so be sure you check what they offer in advance so you can prepare. Trying to figure it out on the fly can negatively impact your stay.

Preparing Your Rig

Most RVs are not going to be dry camping ready, so you’ll want to do some work to prepare. That solar panel and battery it comes with is usually enough for the fridge, jacks and slides–not for off-gridding, no matter what they say! You can get a portable generator, install an onboard generator (like many driveables have), upgrade your batteries, then add solar panels and a full set up, or even a DC-to DC charger–the list is endless, but so is the expense, so plan accordingly!

If you are looking to do some upgrades, BJ is an RV Tech and has done many RV solar installations over the years, so you can complete our RV Inquiry form (or you can always find it on our website’s drop down menu) and he will reach out to you to plan and price what you’re looking for and set a time we can get together, whether that is in Florida over the winter, or traveling to you elsewhere, like we’ve done for severa installs.

Helpful Tools

There are so many toops for helping you find spots, like Google Maps, Google Earth, online groups, memberships, annual books and websites, and I’ve even used AI like Google and Chat GPT to plan our route, know road conditions and terrain, and find spots along the way. We just completed a trip through Canada and around Alaska, and The Milepost book had lots of spots listed along each of the routes. (The Milepost is published annually in April and for sale on Amazon, plus there is a Facebook group to join).

As with any spot you are unfamiliar with, always GOAL – get out and look to check for clearance, obstructions or anything else that could do damage or just be unsafe. That extra time to walk it, toss the drone up in the air, or whatever it takes, can save you time and money in the future.

Another helpful tip is to always have a back up plan, whether that is an RV park that allows after hours check ins, a business nearby that allows overnights, or a rest area you can at least get a couple hours to take a nap and move on. This can always be helpful if you get someplace and just don’t feel safe there.

If you have other tips and tricks, be sure to share them either in the blog comments below, or where this blog is shared on Facebook and Instragram so we can all help each other out.

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