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Over the past decade, Harvest Hosts has gained popularity as more and more people discover this unique RVing experience.
Rather than parking your RV in boring parking lots or crowded, impersonal RV camps, you can, instead, park your RV at beautiful sites such as wineries, breweries, farms, museums, and other unique locations.
In this article, we’re going to share with you everything you need to know about the Harvest Hosts membership and why it is worth the money. Let’s get into it!
What is Harvest Hosts?
https://harvesthosts.com/about/
Harvest Hosts was founded in 2010 by Don and Kim Green after discovering France Passion while traveling across Europe.
France Passion is an RV visitation network that invites RV owners to stay for 24 hours at farms and wineries (sound familiar?). Upon their return to the United States, they looked for a similar system but found none. So they decided to start their own and Harvest Hosts was born.
In 2018, Joel and Mary Ashley Holland bought Harvest Hosts. Their mission is to make people’s lives happier and give them a sense of ultimate freedom by getting them off the couch and onto the open road.
Join thousands of RVers in experiencing memorable and scenic overnight locations. This club allows you to stay for free at farms, wineries, breweries, museums, and golf courses around North America. Some of our favorite overnight stops have been at Harvest Hosts locations throughout the US.
Use the link below to save 15% on your membership!
Harvest Host Membership Benefits
Besides the obvious benefit of no longer being confined to RV campsites and boring parking lots, Harvest Hosts offers a wide variety of benefits for the adventurous RVer.
With an online directory of hosts, you can quickly find a location that will allow you to park for free overnight. A comprehensive App and online member dashboard allow you to manage all aspects of your account right from your mobile phone or laptop.
With the purchase of your membership, you will have access to exclusive member discounts and coupons for other RV-related products. For example, you can get 30% off Togo RV Plus, $50 when you rent an RV from Outdoorsy, and much more.
Harvest Host Reviews
A Harvest Hosts membership is more than just a directory. It’s also fellow members posting photos, videos, and comments from some of their more memorable adventures. You can find reviews for each location on the app!
Additionally, the overall reviews of the membership are extremely positive, with an overall 4.9-star rating. When you scroll through their 600+ reviews, you will notice that they come from all generations and RV types. It’s safe to say Harvest Host is a hit with every style of RVer!
Brittany D. said “I can’t say enough about Harvest Hosts y’all! If you own an RV, I highly recommend joining. This is our 2nd Harvest Hosts spot and today we’re heading to our 3rd. What not to love about free overnight parking in exchange for supporting small businesses?!”
And Michael M. had to say “Harvest Hosts is a great resource for RVers, especially full-timers like myself. And as most parks charge $40 and up, a membership quickly pays for itself.”
How Does Harvest Hosts Work?
Once you sign up under the plan that works best for you, you are ready to start your own Harvest Hosts RVing adventure at one of the 1237+ host locations.
To make it easier to find the perfect Host for your next adventure, Harvest Hosts offers a trip planner that allows members to plan their trip around ideal Host locations. Members can search for Hosts by location or by their planned route.
Code of Conduct
Although each Host has its own page that gives information about where you are parking and their do’s and don’ts, Harvest Host has its own Code of Conduct that you should follow for every host situation.
It’s required that you have a self-contained RV with a water tank, a toilet, and an indoor cooking facility. No outdoor cooking or tents are allowed. You may be asked to provide proof of liability insurance as well, so be sure to have that on hand.
Out of courtesy and to ensure a host can accommodate you, it’s polite to call at least 34 hours in advance. Be sure to mention what size RV you have when you call! It’s kind to arrive during business hours but if you will be arriving late, you’ll want to clarify if there are any special instructions with the host. Also, overnight stays are limited to one night, unless you are specifically invited by the Host to stay longer.
Once you arrive at your location, introduce yourself and present your membership card. Be sure to park only in the approved areas and double-check if generators are allowed (if you need one, of course). If generators are allowed, be sure to use it as little as possible to respect the neighbors.
If you are traveling with pets or children, be sure they are supervised at all times. And as always, pick up any trash! It’s also kind to use jack pads on asphalt when using jacks (check out the best RV Jack Pads for a permanent, easy solution)
Lastly, it’s customary to make a purchase to show your appreciation for the free night’s stay. That could be a bottle of wine, paying for a tour, a round of golf, or any small souvenir. If you have the time, it’s always sweet to thank your Host in person before heading out.
More Than Just Wineries, Breweries, and Farms
Although gorgeous wineries, breweries, and farms make up the bulk of the locations, Harvest Hosts is not limited to just those locations.
Wine tasting may be fun, but how would you like to go sky diving? Sky Dive Chicago’s property is over 200 acres and has RV slots, a swimming pond, fishing, hiking… and of course, skydiving! You can stay overnight for free and pay for a unique sky diving adventure during your stay.
You could park your RV next to a restored Victorian School that is now the Kruger Street Toy and Train Museum. Or stay for free next to the beautiful waters of the coast and pay for a snorkeling and scuba diving adventure. How about visiting a luxury auto collection in Scottsdale, Arizona? Or what about staying at a cranberry bog in Cape Cod, a cavern, bowling alley, art museum, planetarium, or even the Route 66 Classic Car Museum. With over 166 museums and other attractions across the United States, the possibilities are endless!
But Harvest Hosts is also about more than just the locations. It’s also about the people you meet along the way, like-minded people from all over the world. Imagine getting to know your hosts, as well.
Many members have reported being invited in for hospitality by their Harvest Host after the day’s business was done. In other words, many life-long friendships have been made thanks to Harvest Hosts.
The atmosphere of the locations is a decidedly huge improvement over the RV camps and busy parking lots. Who wouldn’t rather a stay at a beautiful winery over a crowded and noisy RV camp?
How Do the Hosts Benefit if it’s Free?
How do the Hosts benefit from this program if RVers are staying for free at their location? Some Hosts are in it for the pure joy of meeting new and interesting people from all over the world and supporting the full-time RV lifestyle.
Other Hosts are looking for a unique and free marketing opportunity that allows them to share their products with new customers from all over the world.
Members are encouraged to spend at least $20 with their Hosts or with local businesses. Members purchase their Host’s products or buy from the gift shops in appreciation for their generous hospitality. For example, buying a bottle of wine or souvenir is a great way to say thanks.
As a result, members collectively spend millions of dollars annually each year while visiting Harvest Hosts locations all over the United States.
Are Pets Welcome at Harvest Hosts?
Over 90% of the Harvest Hosts permit pets on a leash at your vehicle. Always check the Host’s information page for specific pet instructions and don’t allow your pets to run free.
In addition, some locations may only allow pets in the parking area and not on the actual grounds. Remember, you are a guest on private property so it’s important to respect their rules.
Lastly, make sure you are responsible and clean up after your pet. Many of the farms have working animals that may not react well around your pet. Always check with the Host to find out what is acceptable for your pet and what is not.
Harvest Host Membership Plans
Harvest Hosts offers two membership plans that provide unlimited free overnight stays at over 2,000 host locations, including the lower 48 U.S. states, Baja California, Alaska, and Canada. A few of those hosts include:
Classic Membership
The Harvest Hosts Classic membership plan only costs $99 per year, renewed annually, and offers access to 1,700+ locations across the U.S. The Classic membership typically pays for itself in the equivalent of the cost of two nights at a campground.
You can get 15% off your membership today if you sign-up using our link.
Golf Add-On
Avid golfers will appreciate the Harvest Hosts +Golf membership plan over the Classic. For an additional $40, it offers access to 357 golf courses and country clubs, whereas the Classic membership does not.
This annual plan renews for $139 per year and quickly pays for itself in the equivalent of the cost of three nights at a campground.
If you are unhappy for any reason with your membership (but we don’t think you will be), Harvest Hosts offers a 100% money-back guarantee.
How Does Harvest Host Work?
Ever since Harvest Hosts was purchased in 2018, the company has been continuously adding hosts and updating the website. Some great changes have been to make the website and app to make it more user-friendly. Now, searching for a host is a breeze.
First, you will want to signup for a new account. You can get 15% off your membership today if you sign-up using our link. If you want step-by-step instructions on how to sign-up, you can read our full blog post on How to sign-up for Harvest Hosts.
Upon logging into the website, you are greeted with a welcome screen that shows you the picture above with how many active hosts there are. If you scroll down further, you will see all of the Newest Hosts that have been added.
You can then look at the map view, which will show you all of the hosts available. You can then narrow your search down by state, Canadian providence, location, or along your route. Additionally, you can search by the host types (winery, brewery, farm, etc) or by rig length and if the host is pet friendly.
Once you’ve narrowed down your search to the host you would like to stay at, just give them a call. You can tell them the date you’d like to stay and ask if they can accommodate you. They will let you know if they can and share any additional information about where to park. That’s it, you’re good to go!
Conclusion
In conclusion, you can take your dry camping trip from ordinary to extraordinary with Harvest Hosts. For the adventurous RVer, Harvest Hosts offers more than just an overnight stay.
You get the opportunity to see and visit places that you normally wouldn’t see. You encounter and befriend interesting people from all across the world. And you make wonderful memories with your family and pets that you can cherish for a lifetime.
Considering all that, Harvest Hosts is an extraordinary deal for less than $120 a year.
Other Memberships
This membership is not meant to be a stand-alone membership so you many need another RV club membership or two as you travel.
We think it complements the 50% off camping discount club Passport America and Thousand Trails really well filling in areas where they don’t have camping options. It also allows you to break up the campgrounds with some unique camping locations.
If this membership sounds interesting to you, check out Boondockers Welcome for more unique camping opportunities.
Good Sam Club and FMCA offer discounts on more than just camping and will get you savings on fuel, camping accessories, tires, and more.
If you are looking for a little community on the road, consider an Escapees RV Club membership.
Want to plan your trip and save money doing it? Use RV Trip Wizard to make sure you take advantage of campgrounds that offer discounts for your RV club memberships.
If you still need a little help deciding, check out our article about choosing the correct camping membership based on your travel style or join our free RV Club e-mail course below.
Stop Wasting Money on Unnecessary Memberships!
While every RV club offers something great, it’s not always applicable to every RVer. Find out which clubs and memberships will save you money and which ones will be useless for your travel style.
Sign up for our completely FREE RV club e-mail course today!
Trying to sign up for membership with golf courses included but I dont see that option.
Not for me, don’t have any use for alcohol, don’t golf and would want to stay more than one night.