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Thousand Trails
I can't decide on whether or not to add "The Trails Collection" to our zone pass membership. I picked a few parks from the list and checked reviews and they looked good. Then I started checking some more and found some of the supposed RV parks are mobile home parks with few RV sites and mixed reviews.

 Last year we joined (2 Zones for $425/ 4 year contract) and started using it right away. It quickly paid for itself during our visit out East in the Fall. Post Labor day, it was easy to get reservations.

I'm trying to understand their business model...I suspect it is like a gym membership...so many join and then under utilize the facility that they just joined. Otherwise their model wouldn't make sense if everyone camped even 30 nights on a zone pass, cost per night comes down to less than $20. Many of these parks have regular rates of $40-$60 night. No business offers a 2/3 discount on their product and stays in business.

You have heavy users (must not be too many) who claim to get their cost per night down into the single digits. (Then they complain the parks aren't well maintained.)😧

The other angle to the zone pass is that once you are in their system, they work you at every opportunity to upgrade to a lifetime membership. That involves anywhere from $4,000+ up front plus the annual fee. Then a $750 fee to transfer the contract if you can find a buyer.

I like the Northeast where regular rates are higher, the zone pass really works out well in these areas, especially since I am traveling off season. The parks are fine for our purposes, my biggest gripe is probably the potholes at some of them.

What do others think of the new "Trails Collection" as an add on?

Thousand Trails Camping Pass | Camping Pass Discount
Todd (and Steve)
'17 Winnebago Minnie Winnie and '13 Honda CRV
(Former '99 RB owners from 2012-2016)
Re: Thousand Trails
Reply #1 –
About Thousand Trails in general -

We have been members of Thousand Trails since 1998, and even though we seldom turn a wheel on our RV, we have retained that membership year after year at ~$600. a year.  Yes, we should sell our motorhome and face the music, but it is the one thing that keeps us hopeful that our lives will return to normal.  Maybe it will happen - one must continue to hold out hope.

But I will say that the two years that we used the system heavily, we were VERY pleased.  Maybe things have changed now, or maybe we were just in the good preserves, but we loved each and every one of the preserves that we stayed in - all out West - we did not go any further east than Texas.

We feel that having our Thousand Trails membership allows us to be able to stop along the way at any one of them to use their facilities, even if we don't intend to stay the night.  The four-night rule for not invoking the "max stay" clause is very generous.  This truly allows one to go from place to place without worry.

The various annual memberships that are available these days were not available when we bought our membership, but had they been, a Western membership would have been all that would have been needed.  I know, we could still do that, but . . . sloth.

It takes a certain mindset to say to oneself "Self, this is what I want to do.  It may not be the optimum fiscal situation, but it makes me feel comforted that there will be a place to turn off the ignition when I want to."

With "turning off the ignition" at will becoming more and more troublesome these days, I am glad to have the comfort of knowing that there are places that I am welcomed to do this, and that there will be no hassle if I am parked there.  We belong to Harvest Hosts, Resort Parks International (RPI), and Escapees, so there is usually SOMEwhere along the way that we are welcome to stay without hassle.

When we were traveling more, and intended to be in a state for longer than a month, we would look into getting an annual day pass, even if camping was not covered in the price, because this gave additional places that we were welcomed at a spot to eat a leisurely lunch and/or partake of whatever hiking or other tourist things are available during the day.  We had to move along to find an overnight spot, but the day rest was quite pleasant.  Kind of like having a distant cousin somewhere in an otherwise unknown venue - we felt that we were welcomed to be there, even if not a close relative.  Does that make sense?

Wheeling around the countryside into unknown territory is fun and exciting, but it carries with it some feeling of uncertainty about a safe place where one is welcomed to stop the forward motion for a rest or an overnight - or more.

Clearly these are the feelings that occur to me; a younger person may feel differently about the adventure of finding a "home for the night".


   Virtual hugs,

   Judie
Re: Thousand Trails
Reply #2 –
There is a sweet sense of simplicity to what Judie is saying.

If we are traveling more than five hundred miles to a camping destination, an overnight stay at an RV resort makes the travel far less tedious. Yellowstone for us was a "Three Resort" journey and the return home was a two resort journey.

I'm not certain if there is a 1000 Trails along the route but it certainly is something to consider and investigate. The first two RV Resort stops were nearly $50 each with the Jackson Hole stop topping $110. Any money saved in these regards puts fuel in the tank and food on the table.

Certainly TT is something to consider. Or should I say "food for thought".

Kent
2015 27' RB "MissB.Haven"
Re: Thousand Trails
Reply #3 –
Judie's comments really "hit home". Anytime I've called TT, I have been very pleased with their phone operators. I love their online reservation system, so easy to use! (And no more than a $3 charge beyond 30 nights). Finally, I've heard they have overflow parking at some preserves and will utilize them for members who can't get a regular site.
Todd (and Steve)
'17 Winnebago Minnie Winnie and '13 Honda CRV
(Former '99 RB owners from 2012-2016)
Re: Thousand Trails
Reply #4 –
Quote from: Judie Ashford  - 
We belong to Harvest Hosts, Resort Parks International (RPI), and Escapees, so there is usually SOMEwhere along the way that we are welcome to stay without hassle.

Judie, what has been your experience with Harvest Hosts?  I really like the concept!
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: Thousand Trails
Reply #5 –
"Judie, what has been your experience with Harvest Hosts?  I really like the concept!"

Like so many other opportunities, we utilized this system minimally - like once!  But it was a great experience.  We stayed two nights with permission at a winery.  Bonus:  They had a big slobbery dog! 

We don't drink, but do like to support this sort of thing, so we bought some honey and some jarred salsa that was very good.  We even looked in the stores in the area for another jar of it after we were far away from the winery itself several days later.

There is a winery in the system near our home.  We go there now and then just to photograph, never having stayed the night.  But there is a photograph there that DH wishes to get sometime when there is a full moon, so we intend to give it a try one of these days!

If anyone follows my blog, I did a short piece on the bruschetta that we purchased at this particular winery.  It was so delicious, that we are tempted to return just to get more of it!

So you can see that it is not REALLY entirely free to stay at these places, although, yes, it IS technically.  But why not support them for their kindness?

I'm anxious to try out some of the other places like farms and animal places, but so far . . . well, you know the story.  Personally, I think it is a great system, and was one of their first supporters.  Our membership number is 25!  I keep paying the dues every year for the same reasons I gave for staying in Thousand Trails, RPI, and Escapees.  By this time, it is like our "family" - but a family you don't see very often.  But that doesn't make them less precious. 

I must say that I have found pleasure in dealing with the people who run ALL of these places.  Have not ever had a bad experience.  If one takes what is offered without thinking that more should be involved, then all is well.  I have watched other "customers" with an "entitlement" attitude become unpleasant and abusive to folks who run these establishments (any campground or place where we might happen to land) with the best tools that they have at hand.  They do a wonderful job that I would certainly not want to undertake.  The minutiae can be overwhelming.

I haven't yet joined (but intend to IF we ever get out again!!) Boondockers Welcome - a similar situation where those with places to stay overnight offer them up to those who need a place to stay.  This is not unlike the personal area of Days End at Escapees.

There are just so many possibilities, it boggles the mind.  The small fiscal contributions seem well worth it to me, even if I seldom, if ever, am able to partake.  We look on it as supporting a worthy cause - one that we just MIGHT get a chance to enjoy one of these days.  ;->

   Virtual hugs,

   Judie
Re: Thousand Trails
Reply #6 –
"Finally, I've heard they have overflow parking at some preserves and will utilize them for members who can't get a regular site."

At one time (not sure if that is still the case), Thousand Trails advertised that a member would never be turned away for lack of a regulation camping space.  If a regulation spot was not available, SOMEplace would be found for that member to safely turn off the engine.  Whether this is true or not, I have not had the need to find out.  When we were in the system, we travelled in a 40-foot behemoth AND with the same Sportsmobile campervan that we still have as the adjunct to our Lazy Daze, and were NEVER once turned away.  I did not need to go through any extraordinary effort to find a place. 

While true enough that sometimes the sites were not ideal for that size rig, or we couldn't be in the very one in the preserve that I might have chosen given free rein, we were always well taken care of and happy with our experiences.  Once settled in, a move to another site within a few days was usually possible, but hardly worth the effort.  There is always something to love about whatever we were assigned.  Usually it was possible to choose one's own site, but not 100% of the time.

I guess if a preserve shows no spots available, and you show up anyway, you may or may not be disappointed.  Presumably it would be up to the person at the gate to decide if what is available for "overflow" would be suitable for the person(s) and rig wanting to get into a filled-up preserve.  Attitude and a smile could play a part.

As always, preparing oneself for the best possible outcome is never wasted effort.  Making reservations ahead of time, and/or stopping in the early afternoon at ANY campground, is more likely to net you a satisfactory outcome than pulling into an unknown place at twilight (or later) and expecting a warm welcome, and a premium spot for the night.


   Virtual hugs,

   Judie
 
Re: Thousand Trails
Reply #7 –
We've decided to add "The Trails Collection". It's only $199 and gives access to 100 parks in states we are likely to visit. (It's just a year to year commitment. ) Thanks to all who responded.
Todd (and Steve)
'17 Winnebago Minnie Winnie and '13 Honda CRV
(Former '99 RB owners from 2012-2016)