If you’re new to full-time RVing and are debating whether or not to join the Escapees RV Club, I have another great reason to do it:
[box type=”note” size=”large” style=”rounded” border=”full”]One year of Escapees RV club membership will pay for itself with just a few overnight stays at Escapees RV Parks.[/box]
I don’t get paid to promote Escapees membership, but I think it’s critical for full-time RVers to understand why they need it. Along with Escapees mail services and RVing education, the RV park discounts you get as a “SKP” makes a membership worthwhile.
If you’ve been reading our blog you know that Jim and I prefer to stay away from parks. As die-hard boondockers and frugal RVers, we rarely pay for hookups. But there are times when you really need to plug in, and that’s when Escapees membership pays off. And now with the launch of Xscapers, the new generation of RVers (like us) is more welcome than ever!
Why Escapees RV Park Discounts Pay Off
Escapees members can stay in a number of RV parks that are either owned by the club (“Rainbow Parks“) or independently owned by member-run co-ops (“SKP Co-Op Parks“). Escapees members also get discounts on a few hundred commercial RV parks around the country, but the best deals are found at Escapees Rainbow Parks and Co-Ops.
For example, in August we were desperate to get out of the heat in Central California. We hightailed it out to Park Sierra SKP Co-Op in Coarsegold, near Yosemite. Although it was the height of summer, the park had plenty of open members-only spots and at $21 a night for hookups and use of the park’s amenities, we were thrilled. Other parks in this touristy area started at $40 a night.
We’ve stayed at several Escapees parks and they’re all different. We prefer the members-only parks, which have a different feel than the parks that are open to the public. Some Escapees parks are more bohemian than others, some have more amenities, but they’ve all got great parking spots and friendly people who are part of our tribe.
In a couple of weeks we’ll head over to the Escapees Co-Op Pair-A-Dice RV Park in Pahrump, Nevada. We plan on staying a month, since it’s close to a bunch of friends and family events in October. The rent? Just $250 for four weeks (plus electricity). Deal!
As much as I don’t like to pay for RV parks, I’m always grateful to know there’s a spot we can plug into if conditions call for it. Along with our Passport America membership that saves us 50% on camping fees, being a “SKP” is one membership we’ll never be without.
We haven’t used any of the SKP parks yet. Like you, we tend to boondock most of the time, but occasionally, we’ll put out for a park. Thanks for the reminder!
Yeah, parks are especially good for those times when you need to deep clean the rig after some dusty boondocking days in the desert! This week we’ve been paying full price for a KOA in Fort Collins CO because it’s our only option here, and it’s killin us! Can’t wait to get out and do some free camping. Hope to see you out there somewhere!