Private Campgrounds

In a discussion with someone I do business with out in Tacoma Washington, she told me about "private" campgrounds they have out there. I had never heard of such a thing. Apparently, they paid $2,000.00 up front, then pay like 250 a year for maintenance, and they "own" a campsite at any of the membership campgrounds and can get a campsite at any time they wish at no fee as many times as they like. The facilities are really nice, including things like pools and hotubs, and other ammenities. Does anyone know anything more about this kinda thing? Also, we live in southwestern Virginia. Is there anything like this around my area? Just curious.....this is something I've never heard of, nor even seen on this board.

Curiously.
[glow=red,2,300]Happytrails........[/glow]

[Denny_A]

HT,

I posted the following awhile back when the subject came up. You can find it by searching on "RPI". To wit:

>I bought a membership at a Texas homesite, through RPI, as soon as I bought my trailer. The membership was discounted to $450 (fire sale?). Having been there, I would have to say yes! <

>Considering that I tow (and will tow) 12-18,000 mi/yr, I schedule my travel route to take overnites at RPI Campgrounds (whenever possible). At $5 a pop, each day saves $15-25. As Sen. Everett Dirksen once opined, a Billion here and a Billion there, and before long your talkin' real money. Ditto on a personal level. <

>There are three VERY nice RPI campgronds near my home, each allowing a total of 14 days per year. Works for me, since Wisconsin only has a 7 month camping window (unless yer the rugged type).<

Here's the site I went to to purchase my membership:

    http://www.campresorts.com/

Annul dues - $99. You can also sell your membership at any time if you have a buyer. There are 4 RPI campgrounds in VA, @ Front Royal, Greenville, Gasburg and Quinby! Additionally there are 5 in NC; 3 in the western portion and 2 in the south central.

HTH

Denny_A

This sounds like Thousand Trails, Escapees and others.  In my opinion, you have to do an awful lot of camping in given locations to justify the membership cost.

As we travel, we rarely pay more than $20/night and have the freedom to go wherever we want without pre-planning to stop at a membership campground.

It works for some folks, and not for others.

[Denny_A]

This sounds like Thousand Trails, Escapees and others.  In my opinion, you have to do an awful lot of camping in given locations to justify the membership cost.
------------snip----------------.

Coast to Coast, RPI, et. al.

These Membership Campgrounds are fine for those of us who can use them. If one travels all over the U.S. & Canada, they can result in significant savings. They are also secure, and have a central reservation system. I've not found it difficult to lay out a straight line from home to the final destination and find RPI sites which don't require diverting much from the shortest distance. On the other hand, I rarely WANT to travel on a beeline. Being retired has its upside.

The key is getting a HOME PARK more than 150 miles out of your local area. The home park is used at no charge, but any park within 150 miles of it are off limits. All the others outside the no-stay-zone cost $5 per day. On a 2 week trip, the savings can be a significant. The annual dues are easily covered in one week!

Works for me. My point for HT, is that, within a few miles of Western VA there are nine RPI campgrounds. If his home park were in, say GA, then he would only pay $5 at each VA/NC park. Thirty days a year, at a savings of $15 per stay = $450. Payback in 18 months. From then on, 7 days per year covers home park dues, and another 4 times covers annual RPI dues.

Works for me.    Everybody is different. So justification is based on an individual's needs.

Denny_A

Interesting, one of the things I'm considering is taking my TM to different states close by Va with business and calling on customers. I wonder if they allow "Business" owners/members.....Say I were to do such a thing, it would also allow my dad to use it with his camper when he travels, how does all that work? I did catch that post, but didn't have a clue as to what you were referring to so didn't pay much attention to it before. Well, rather, didn't understand the concept.......But thanks for all the great info, it could prove to be a good investment especially if I get in a LOT of camping.


[glow=red,2,300]Happytrails.......[/glow]

[Denny_A]

Interesting, one of the things I'm considering is taking my TM to different states close by Va with business and calling on customers. I wonder if they allow "Business" owners/members.....Say I were to do such a thing, it would also allow my dad to use it with his camper when he travels, how does all that work?
----------------------snip-----------------
[glow=red,2,300]Happytrails.......[/glow]

I'm reasonably sure they don't allow "business" memberships. If such does exist, I've not seen it advertised. Normally, one would have a) a Home Park (card issued to identify), b) a Coast -to-Coast, or RPI or ? membership card and d) need to present a driver's license at park check-in (although I have NEVER been asked to show my license).

Each adult NOT in the same family would need a separate membership, I reckon. Having the same last name, and presenting both cards means that the chance of being  "caught" is fairly low! BUT, if caught, that might mean some sort of appropriate action would be taken by the particular membership chain! I don't know - pure speculation, since the possibility never occured to me before.

Denny_A

[Bill]

Happy - I have trouble with this concept.

o You are going to save maybe $20 per night. That means you have to camp 100 nights just to make up the initiation fee.
o Then, in addition, you have to camp 12 nights per year to cover the annual fee.
o Beyond that, you can only go to member campgrounds. What if there is no member campground where you want to go?

Do you camp out as much as 30 nights per year? If so, it takes the first 12 nights just to pay off the annual fee (12 nights @ $20 per night = $240). The other 18 nights go toward the initiation fee, meaning that it will take almost 6 years to get even, and that's only if you camp all 30 nights in member campgrounds.

I am under the impression that most of the member campgrounds are in tourist-trap areas - think Colonial Williamsburg. If that is how you camp, and if you stay 30, 40, or even 50 nights per year, then this may be a usable plan. Otherwise, put your money in a 2% certificate of deposit, and you will come out ahead.

Without putting too fine a point on it, this is how these people make money - they sell you something that they don't expect you to use. Then they get to sell the campground space twice - once to you, when you buy your membership, and once to the guy who actually drives in the front gate and pays cash.

Just my 2 cents worth ...

Bill

[Denny_A]

Bill,

I provided a link to the program I bought. There is no way I would pay $2k - 3k for a home park. I paid $450. I provided the link to show that it can be quite economical IF one shops for a deal. The kind where someone is raising cash for new campgrounds. Annual dues are $99 for the home park and $55 for RPI (waved 1st yr).

Doing the math, 30 nites stay, at a savings of only $15 per, pays for the home park purchase. Annually, then, I need to stay at ANY RPI park a total of 10 nites to save recurring fees. During my first yr of trailering (Apr 2002 to present), I've recovered all of the initial investment.

Resort Parks International has 750+ affiliates. My home park is in the middle of Sam Houston National Forest. I Live in Wisconsin. Since I go to the Gulf coast often, that turns out to be very useful to me. If I never visited there, it still is an economic advantage to me to use any of the other parks. They are, for the most part, very nice.

As it has been said; It's not so much what you do, but how you do it.

There's a very good spiral bound book called "Spirit of the Open Road", by Peggi McDonald. She covers the full spectrum of full-timing, including Membership Campgrounds. Her advice was useful in ferreting out a financially doable membership.

Example: https://www.avaio.com/campresorts_ss...haseonline.asp

The numbers you presented are typical. Avoid typical!  ;D

Denny_A

[Bill]

Denny -

I agree with you. At the prices you mention, the idea is more financially realistic. But Happy's question was for $2000/250.

I think my conclusions are the same as yours.
o Don't buy because of hype and glitz. Do the math.
o Think about the number of nights you really spend camping each year.


Happy -
o Think about whether you want to be limited to a specific set of campgrounds and locations. For me, I camp to escape limits, and go when I want, where I want. But not everyone does this.

If it works for you, go for it!

Bill

Well, the $2000/250 deal was what "they" paid, is why I used the reference......Having no clue about them, that's what I went by. Thanks to you guys, I know a better route to take if I choose to go that way. Thanks for all the great input!

[glow=red,2,300]Happytrails........[/glow]