The Secret Of Passport America For RV Owners
RVing is an amazing way to see this country without breaking the bank. In fact, according to Condor Ferries, “A family of 4 can save between 21–64% in travel costs [via RVing] over traditional vacations.”
An RV allows you to stay in comfort almost anywhere you like for a fraction of the cost of a traditional hotel room, something most wanderers are pretty quick to get on board with. All that said, there’s always room for more savings. This is where Passport America comes into play.
Passport America is one of the first things any person should purchase after investing in an RV. It’s a versatile money saver, and truly a no-brainer.
Not sure what all the fuss is about? Read on to learn about this RVing secret that every camper should be privy to.
What is Passport America?
First, let’s discuss what this club is (and what it isn’t). Passport America is a “half price” camping club. It offers members half-price camping at hundreds of privately owned RV parks across the country.
These parks are often found in big cities and other desirable locations, and in that respect, it is more useful than some other camping memberships out there. Many of the included parks offer full hookups, and all have water, electricity, and a dump station at the very least. But most importantly, because 50% off is such a deep discount, Passport America is an amazing way to save some serious dough!
It is important to note that Passport America doesn’t own these parks. Instead, individual parks can choose to be a part of the program. This isn’t a bad thing, but it does mean that there isn’t necessarily consistency between parks in terms of amenities and upkeep. Therefore, you should definitely do your own research before booking. It also means that each park can set its own limitations on how the pass may be used at their location.
For instance, many parks will not allow the discount on weekends or during the busy season. Others only allow the discount to be used for three days, or require a minimum stay in order for Passport America to be used.
Despite these caveats, this program is an excellent one. There are an enormous number of very nice parks included with the pass, and as long as you do your research, it’s very easy to plan your travels around any restrictions a particular park may have in place.
Who is Passport America for?
Many camping clubs and campground memberships are only truly valuable to full-time RVers who can use them often. That isn’t the case for Passport America. This awesome pass can be useful for absolutely anyone with an RV.
Unlike Thousand Trails and Coast to Coast—both awesome memberships for the full-timer, but maybe not so much for the casual camper—Passport America is super inexpensive, coming in at just $44 a year. This means the pass can easily pay for itself in a single trip. For this reason, it makes financial sense even for those who only plan to camp a couple times a year.
Another reason Passport America is so great for the casual weekend camper? There are several parks available in every state, meaning you won’t have to travel far to make use of the pass. This is in contrast to many other memberships that may require you to travel long distances just to get to a member park and use your pass.
Of course, Passport America is also still fabulous for full-time RVers. It won’t usually do much good when it comes to long-term stays. However, it is perfect for those full-timers who travel quickly. On top of that, because many of the parks included on this pass are right off the highway, it’s also great for those quick overnight stays along a travel route.
Save more: Using Passport America with other camping memberships
If you are a full-timer, you might be wondering if Passport America is worth purchasing to use alongside memberships you already have. The answer is yes. While Passport America can be used on its own by short-term campers, it is also the perfect addition to any full-timer’s camping membership collection:
- Thousand Trails and Coast to Coast offer a perfect option for long-term stays. Meanwhile, Passport America can fill in the gaps. It does this by giving you short discounted stays when traveling between your Thousand Trails or Coast to Coast membership parks.
- Escapees members can use Passport America to fill in gaps that Escapees discounted parks can’t fill.
- Finally, those using Boondockers Welcome can use Passport America Parks to dump and refill tanks while getting a night or two of electricity.
Other important notes about Passport America
There are a few more things you should know about this pass, which we’ve listed below so you can make sure you get the most out of your purchase:
- A hard copy of the Passport America Campground directory is available each year. You do have to request it though.
- Cardholders are entitled to a free online subscription to RV America Magazine.
- Purchasing a two- or three-year membership will save you money.
- Some campgrounds require payment in cash, and some will charge extra for certain services.
How to find Passport America parks
You can find RV parks that offer Passport America discounts, as well as other campground membership discounts, using the Filter options on RV LIFE Trip Wizard. Learn more about the trip planner in this article.
As you can see, Passport America is a fabulous investment no matter how you like to camp. We highly recommend checking out this amazing pass and all it has to offer. You’ll be able to save money on campground fees and camp more often. More information can be found on their website.
