I wasn't sure how to title this page. I considered "RV organizations" but that sounded too official. And then I considered "RV Clubs", but that sounded a bit amateurish. So I decided on "RV Groups".
There are various RV groups out there, each offering various services. If you plan to spend a lot of time in your RV, you probably would benefit by belonging to one or more of these groups. Let's look at a few.
I guess the granddaddy of all RV groups is the Good Sam Club. The group, founded in 1966, today boasts more than 1.3 million members. A 1-year membership costs only $25. With your membership, you get reduced rates at more than 2,200 RV parks across the country. As a heads up, please be aware that discounts normally apply only to nightly rates, not weekly or monthly rates.
With your membership, you also get numerous other benefits, including:
After becoming a member, you are also eligible to participate in other services offered by the group (extra fee), including:
The Escapees RV Club was founded in 1978, and today includes more than 32,000 member families. Membership costs $60 per year, with the first year including an additional $10 enrollment fee. I'm not sure what membership entitles you to, but I've heard many good things about their mail forwarding service. Since the club is located in Livingston, Texas, I think many folks join to establish residency in Texas because of the lack of state income tax in Texas. I'm not sure what that entails or what the legalities are, but I have met folks from around the country who are Escapee members bearing Texas license plates.
One unique benefit of the club is the RV seminar classes they provide. These "Escapade Seminars" are designed to teach folks how to RV, and I've heard very good things about them. If you are new to RVing, this benefit alone might be worth joining the club. However, these escapades are held around the country in places that may not be convenient for you to go.
Passport American is known for its 50% discount at member RV parks. This club was founded in 1992. A 1-year membership costs $44. In addition to park discounts, the club provides mail forwarding and RV American magazine as well as a club forum.
And then there is KOA, the Kampgrounds of America. KOA is not a club in the sense of the previous groups; that is, you don't get services across the board. Instead, KOA is a chain of RV parks, nearly 500 at the time of this writing. Personally, I'm not a KOA fan. Having said that, though, the good thing about KOA is you know what to expect when you pull into one. It's sort of like McDonald's, I suppose. Whether or not you're a fan of McDonald's, at least you know what to expect when you come upon those golden arches.
I've never seen a KOA park with paved interior roads, and most KOAs I've stayed at have been cramped. On the other had, their facilities have always been good (reliable WiFi, cable TV, clean restrooms, etc.). And KOAs are quite often located in close proximity to places that are interesting to visit. In recent years, KOA prices have also gone up pretty steadily. If you think you will be staying in KOAs in your travels, then it is probably worth your while to get a membership.
There may be other groups out there, but these are the more well known at this time. Look around and find what group best suits your needs.