🧲🧲🧲 LINKS 🧲🧲🧲 🌲 Thousand Trails: Eric Benson call: 541.527.0140 or email: eric_benson@equitylifestyle.com (Plz mention Liz Amazing) 🌿 Kim at Campground Membership Outlet: 800.272.0401 or email: kimberly@membershipoutlet.com 🛒 Liz Amazing’s Amazon Store: www.amazon.com/shop/lizamazing ***As an Amazon Associate I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases. You don't pay any extra AND you help support the channel. Thank you! 🚩Get the inside scoop before everyone else: -- www.patreon.com/LizAmazing
Oh my gosh, this is the BEST explanation about Thousand Trails I have EVER heard! Definitely saving this to listen to again. When we were trying to figure some things out a couple years ago, we could not get a straight answer and we gave up. So THANK YOU!!!
Another option to consider is the moose lodges. Moose members can park and stay in RV's for free. At our lodge we have power hook ups. No water or waste water dumping but still.
Liz, stumbled on another RV channel, heard a lot of foul language, among other things, eye opening. Thank you for always telling your story with class and dignity.
Though I agree that Liz is calm and mostly classy. But just because someone uses profanity, doesn't mean they are stupid or vulgar. For some people, it's just a part of their expression. Live and let live, I always say. Even if they aren't our idea of 'normal or classy'.
I contacted Kim two years ago. I was really surprised at her knowledge, thoroughness of our conversation/interview and her honestly about the memberships. Per Kim's advice, I chose to not purchase. Yes , Kim was honest and said that, based on my use-case, it wasn't a good deal for me. Rare to find this caliber of person these days.
Thousand Trails is fantastic for full timers. I have Elite Connections and have 98 campgrounds to use. I have kept track of all my stays. I use $30 per night which was what sites cost 13 years ago. I have saved almost $70000 over my membership cost and all my yearly dues. One year I left Michigan on October 17th, 2016. On October 17th 2017 I had spent $1200 for RV sites which included my $560 TT dues. The sites not in Thousand Trails were overnight stops travelling from one TT to another TT. Thank you for the explanation that outlines the advantages as well as the disadvantages.
Hi Gerald! Thank you so much for sharing this. Your comment is bound to help so many folks. Happy travels and looking forward to seeing you in a Thousand Trails campground!
I was a Thousand Trails Member for over 20 years, my parents joined in 1974! There are some wonderful parks and there are some in need of TLC. I sold mine a couple of years ago when I went through a divorce, now I’m thinking about getting another motorhome and I would definitely buy another membership. Thank you Liz.
With the popularity of camping it’s hard to find a campsite these days! Thanks for sharing your experience with 1000 trails, it may not be for everyone as you suggested but at least it’s another option some people may not have known about until now. Thank you for sharing!
Great video Liz, We bought a used TT membership three years ago with your recommendation and have loved every trip we take. We chose the Alliance membership because of the seven month booking window. We spend most of the time on the Oregon coast and needed the extra 30 days to book and it's never been a problem reserving a site.
That’s awesome! So glad you are enjoying your membership. I’m on the Oregon Coast right now in a Thousand Trails for three weeks! Thanks for your comment and looking forward to meeting you on the road!
Thanks for sharing Liz. Like how you analyze the pros and cons of camping memberships which had me wondering about those membership complaints. I always stayed in State or National parks. In a pinch we would go to a KOA which is like 1000 Trails, but probably less cost wise.
Hi Laurence, I think a lot of people complain on the Thousand Trails social media page because they are selfish. Now that they've joined, they don't want too many people to join or they worry they might not be able to find a camping spot. So silly! KOA is actually more expensive than Thousand Trails. I hope you get to try a TT campground someday. And thanks for watching.
I think your video was spot on. I can understand why some folks don't like TT parks, especially if they want a resort atmosphere. For us, as full-timers with a priority of hookups and great locations, it is a ridiculously good value. We have stayed in around 50 TTs plus some trails collection sites over the past four years. We intentionally chose a 30amp trailer, so we have not had any of the issues someone with a large 50amp trailer may have. Also, TT park generally feel much safer. When TT is not available our next favorite are COE parks which are a great value and almost always on a lake or river. In Texas we frequent Conroe, Colorado River, and Medina. They are all fine and Medina has the most deer I have ever seen. In the NE, Hershey, Timothy Lake South, Rondout (bring bottled water), Moody Beach, and anything around Acadia are either nice parks or in beautiful areas.
Great video! Very informative and detailed. The break-down of pros and cons definitely helps! The numbers certainly don't lie. A great deal for those full-timers, and even those who may not be full-time!
I don't understand how people who drag around RV's and stay in RV parks full of amenities think they are "camping". Tents, popouts, over-the-cab - this is camping.
Less so if you buy used memberships, especially a resaleable legacy membership such as Alliance or Platinum - less parks as it doesn’t include the 21 MA or ODW parks that make up the newer Elite and Adventure plans, but still worth the reduced cost of the memberships if you’re not planning on solely using it as a solution for an alternative to a low cost FT residency option imho. The Alliance while limiting one to max of 14 day stays (vs 21 day stays of Platinum and newer/current plans) and only 50 nights “free”/included in annual dues and then $5 additional above the 50 nights, imho, is still a great membership as it gives one a SEVEN month advance booking window (30 days above the highest current reservation window of their new/current plans) as well as an extra holiday and additional high use reservations as well! Sometimes you can even get the older ones for dirt cheap or possibly even for cost of transfer fees if you’re lucky enough to find someone with these older memberships and no longer using such. I figure even if we use it for the minimum 50 nights over time it’s going to help with reducing nightly rates overall. And we’re also like to spend time in state parks and hope to do more boondocking as well. So we envision. the Alliance membership is going to be an additional tool in our camping options toolbox 😊❤🎉
Hi Liz, thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. When we first started our full time journey we had a rule, if we haven’t stayed at a campground before we only reserved it for one night. With the possibility of extending if it was a nice place. (Most campgrounds won’t give you a refund if you cancel or cut short your reserved time). We also relied on referrals from other campers. We pulled into one campground for a night and after getting set up, our next door campers started a fire in a fire pit within 6’ of our Coach. The smoke was terrible .We packed up and left, not even stopping at the office. We crossed them off our list of places to stay. We also kept a campground site map with preferred sites noted in case we returned. This served us well for 18 years. We also stayed at beach campgrounds that charge based on the distance from the water. Example, on the water it was $200 a night, back up 100’ the charge is $125 a night, then 200-300 feet it was less than $100. For the money we could walk a block to the water and not so crowded.
Hi Bill, thanks for sharing this. I, too, keep notes on campgrounds I've stayed including favorite sites. That's awesome you've been out here 18 years! Thanks for watching and have a great weekend!
For those prices, you can stay in a good motel. I lived in my second hand Pace Arrow from 94 to 97. I signed up with Account Temps and planned on working a few weeks and camping a few weeks. I spent more time in parking lots than I did in a camp ground.
We’re not full timers, we’re half timers. Thousand Trails with the addition on the Trails Collection is really great. Yes, some of the rv parks ate very close and some are in need of much updating and repair but this is the best value you’re going to find. Nice video. Thanks
I had bought a 27ft travel trailer last year, i am single and was hoping to make it my retirement, but i got so overwhelmed by all the costs that comes with camping. I do not travel, but i was stationed on a campsite and unfortunately, i wasnt enough prepared for all the fees to pay. I think people who rv travel etc.... have to be quite financial very good. I do miss my trailer :(
Yes. In addition to checking out Thousand Trails where you can camp for an average of just $2 a night, check out my video about staying in place for six months in a long term BLM where you pay just $20 a month! It can be very affordable but everyone should do their research first. Thanks for watching.
I agree it's good for full-time that travel the three coasts. We tried the park pass entry level low cost year to year membership to try it out as part-timers. The biggest downsides are not being able to book weekends because it's only 60 days out; people with the paid membership get first shot. You have to jump on first thing in the morning 60 days out to book a weekday stay. By us, most spots are 30A & water; you are very lucky to get full hook-ups. You cannot reserve a set site - it's first come, first serve so it's a mad rush at check in. We are in Nor Cal and have three campgrounds near us and found the Colma campground the best for mid-week camping. We got lucky and got a full hook-up in the hilly part under the trees. However, the dump station is on the only way out so be prepared to have a long wait to get out. Found that at their out campground also. If we traveled more of the entire coast it would be a good deal to get weekday spots with the 60 day advance booking; we were never able to score weekends with our base membership for that year. If you're full-time you will need the higher membership with 120 day advance booking to get weekends. Lastly, if you only camp locally on weekends - kinda close to home - it not a good deal.
Such a great comment! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience. Very helpful and I agree with you that the 60 day reservation may not be enough. See you in the next video and have a great weekend!
So many good points here. For a long term RV'er they could mostly live on Thousand Trails locations throughout the year at these low rates but venture to other non-Thousand Trails as their splurge vacations (boondocking, national parks, etc). The park in Illinois would be a good midwest RV base in the summer and can navigate down to Tennessee for other Thousand Trails campgrounds or simply just go camping up in Wisconsin or Minnesota or Michigan on Non-Thousand Trail campgrounds now and then during the summer
I’m very very proud of what you have done. It is not for me, but I enjoy your vlog! You are one smart cookie! I’m a bit older, 70, and traveled my entire life, even after my husband died at 56. I put a tap root down on the Ga Coast in 110 yr old cottage in a very small hamlet. I’m traveled out! You enjoy, and we’ll enjoy watching you!!❤
Another great video. I love how you get right to the point and stay on task! Telling the pros and cons is essential and you do that so well. Self built almost new rig but thinking of crossing over to the dark side and getting a small class c. Waiting for the market to crash a little more and then will make a decision. I would still boondock but would like to try some places like Thousand Trails offer. Only a snowbird so return on invest would take longer but I also would investigate when I am old and creaky what can I sell if for? Not a mighty athlete like I was but not checking out tennis balls for my walker either. 😊
We have been reading about Thousand Trails a lot lately. Right now it doesn't benefit us because we are not ready to go full time yet. We will be looking to purchase a membership at that time. Thank you for the information, Liz! Stay safe!
We were full time for eighteen years, 1992 through 2009. We boondocked 80 to 90% of the time. Many times with other groups that were into boondocking too. This is a way to save money if you are set up for doing it.
Great information Liz thanks so much. I also have Thousand Trails membership and feel that it has saved me ton's of dollars. Life is two shorts get out there, have fun see things, and meet people. Thanks so much for sharing you videos with us and as always Happy Trails.
Thanks Jeff! So glad you have a Thousand Trails membership. This was a game changer for me. Hope to meet you in a campground someday, and thanks for watching.
Yet again you are teaching me so much about campgrounds and their true costs. It’s precious knowledge that will really help me when I buy my RV. I’m hoping to meet up with you one day and take you out for a delicious meal or cook you an authentic French meal. It’s going to be a complete change for me and I’m so looking forward to the experience.
I went to their site to check them out, still seeing 50-60 bucks per night with membership unless I’m reading it wrong. I’ve done a decent amount of camping in my days, I have always believed in camping to get away from people and enjoy nature. My personal opinion is that it is difficult to do so when your on top of other campers, kids, vehicles, barking dogs, weird cooking smells etc.
Once you have the membership, even if it is just the camping pass, there will be ZERO nightly expenses at Thousand Trails campgrounds. And they have plenty of campgrounds with roomy wooded sites. But it sounds like boondocking is more your thing, out in the middle of nowhere. Nothing wrong with that at all. Thanks for watching.
I think if you’re thinking of trying out rving, go the rental route first before you purchase. May add additional costs upfront, but could save you a lot of headaches and money.
Thousand trails is oky if your traveling frequently,but have several strings attached. The sales person can be very aggressive at certain camp areas,especially if they see your staying for an extended period.
Been a member for 5 years. Traveling F/T for 4 of those years. Stay at Lake Medina and lake Conroe and Colorado in Tx. All in my opinion good campgrounds. Stayed in Ca and Az as well. Thousand trails has saved me thousands in fees. It a has paid for itself in 2 years. It’s basically free every year after one visit. Love your channel. We met 3 years ago in Cottonwood and San Diego area. Keep up the good work. 😊
Hey there! Nice to hear from you. and thanks for being here through thick and thin. Happy travels. And thanks also for your good words about Thousand Trails. It really does pay for itself fast.
Hey Girl, Gary from Kansas here! We just got back from Santa Fe, NM. I agree that campgrounds are expensive. Heck, we paid almost $300 for 4 nights at the KOA! But, there wasn't much else to choose from. On the way there and back, we got rv campgrounds for $15-30 a night. Still expensive, but better than a KOA. We might look into Thousand Trails. Thanks for posting, girl! Always looking to a new video from you!
I like your channel that I discovered recently. You are undoubtedly a professional. I love the way you talk and explain things. I am a newbie to this field of RV camping. I used to do it with my tent and my jeep, but I had to change my style when trying to bring my wife, dog, and cat. I follow your channel and look forward to new and amazing videos.
I did one year, not a full timer but advid rv'r. Found it hard to find places because the higher membership could book out further so I hardly used it.
That can be the downside of having just 60 days. Then again, I've met people who fulltime on a Camping Pass, moving every four days and booking just 60 days out. So it can be done. Thanks for watching
In all the years of travel and camping I have never Pais 60.00 a night. We have been on a month long trip as of June first and the highest I've paid is 44.00 a night for full hookups that was a half mile from the badland in South Dakota all other nightly cost ha e been 30.00 or less. The up front fee for thousand trails will take a lot off campingfor that to balance out and then the yearly fee. Like you said everyone's needs are different. With the national park pass I. An camp for 10.00 a night orgo I to a state park for u Der 30.00. I also found some county parks that are lower cost. On this trip we are spending more on gas then we are for food and camp fees! It was worth it....badlands,Mount Rushmore, Custer State park,Devils Tower ands much more. A trip of a life time!
RV life is so inexpensive for me. My Truck and RV are paid in full, and the cost of my lot, in a 55+ nice community is $385.00 per month (I have a big concrete lot) in Florida. My electric is about $120.00 per month. and food isn't much (I don't eat a lot). I usually will obtain a lease for a year, and this price is without any memberships. I save thousands of dollar's per year. The upkeep on my RV may cost $800.00 per year, because I keep up the preventive maintenance on my RV, so as not to have any problems. I cannot understand your bills. My internet, phone, insurance, electricity and food bills come up to under a thousand dollars per month.
I could be wrong of course, since I've never owned or driven a motorhome. But I think the reason it's so expensive to RV is that motorhomes are so large! You might as well be driving a Greyhound bus! it costs so much to fuel, with $5 in some areas per gallon. It costs a lot to maintain, It costs a lot to drive. Even a *full-time* RVer needn't drive a behemoth of 40'+ to be comfortable. I'd be comfortable and happy with something between 20' and 30'. Even a diesel pusher doesn't need to be 40' in length. I've seen some that look like tour buses, with the shape of the cargo boxes they were shipped in. That's not how I'd want to travel. I'd be happy RVing in something between 20' and 30'.
Nice job with this video Liz. You do a great job with scripts and editing. We tried TT for a year. You get a free year one-zone membership from most dealerships when you buy a new rig (not sure about used). We live on the east coast and tried quite a few different parks during that year. Most of them are older and maintenance is an issue in most. We like one in KY (near TN). It was nice and clean but most sites are in a gravel lot with no shade. We hated the one in Yemissee, SC. We couldn’t find a single site that was close to level that had working electric (lots of power surges). This park is very close to I-95; we used it for one night on the way to FL but chose not to stay there on the way back because of our experience. We liked the park at Lake Gaston; it is older but well maintained. You can’t beat the location! The flies there were like no where else I’ve ever stayed. We stayed at a Trails Collection park in Bar Harbor that was awful! Horrible brown water and sites were very un-level. They did offer free bottled water each day but taking a shower in that brown water made me feel dirty! We discovered that even though we had a one zone pass, we were able to get a discount on the Trails Collection park by calling TT and asking. That was a nice perk! We decided not to renew because we were not impressed with the East Coast parks we had stayed at. We prefer the always clean and well maintained COE parks. With our senior national park pass, we get half price sites at COE parks. The sites are usually quite large and level. We have also stayed at some very nice State parks and a few small local town parks (very inexpensive). I use RVTrip wizard to find parks along our route and often plan our route to stay in as many federal govt parks (including COE) as possible. They are the best parks for the lowest price with the senior pass.
Hi Alice! Thanks so much for this! In Yemissee I stayed next door at the KOA- talk about loud, that campground is right next to the I-95. But it has a pizza, wine and coffee cafe! Happy travels.
The problem I found with Thousand Trails (TT) when a friend offered to transfer me his membership for free, was that the three campgrounds I tried to get reservations at were booked and I could not get in...so I tried to get a reservation for the same dates at the same campgrounds paying cash without the membership and they had plenty of openings. Some, maybe all TT campgrounds limit the number of members they allow in per night and sell other sites to cash paying customers leaving TT members out in the cold. Very unethical.
Hi I am on the beginning stages of my transition to life on the road. Actually I am probably one of the OG road life warriors as I lived on the road with my fugitive father for several tears in the 1960s so I am going back in a sense. This is one of the best videos I have watched in my preparations...thank you!
I had access to the whole system gifted to me by my parents. What turned me off on Thousand Trails was when as a member I couldn't get reservations at Russian River campground but there were still purchasable sites for the dates I wanted. To me it seemed to be only way to prepay for sites that may or may not be available to you. At the end of the day, I canceled my gifted nationwide pass. I can't believe they are still selling passes for thousands of dollars for "memberships" in parks that are available to everyone even those who aren't members. Crazy.
Yes Liz. Very good explanation and I learned something I didn’t know. I did not know we could go TT to TT directly by staying only 4 days. I thought we had to wait 7 days between each stay. We have the annual camping pass and it pays for itself after a couple of 2 week stays. Going to TT in Colorado this July. Can’t wait. Texas - in the summer is too hot. We live in Fort Worth, Texas. I do not recommend Bridgeport, TX We scoped it out and was not impressed. Lake Whitney is okay. They have started upgrading some of their 50 amp sites but it is amongst cedar trees (if you have allergy’s). Lake Conroe is really nice but in a congested area. Lake Texoma very quite and peaceful (it’s secluded-but there is a Dollar General close). Love your channel and thanks for sharing this info.
Hello there! Thanks for sharing the Texas Thousand Trails info. I definitely need to explore there. Glad you now know about the four day options. I've met several folks fulltiming moving every four days. It can be done! That TT in Colorado is high on my list. I was going to go there after leaving RMNP at the end of September. Alas, they close October 1. Next year! Let me know how you like it, I hear it's gorgeous!
$200/ night at Fort Wilderness?? My family camped there in the late ‘70s, early ‘80s when camping was still considered a poor man’s vacation. It was very nice but holy moly, I can’t believe it’s so high! 😢
It's true about saving money, but 1000 Trails parks I have seen are not maintained well - many have LOTS of spaces in which the electric outlets and sewer hook ups are out of order. The toilet / shower spaces are well maintained, though. Also, you have to move every two weeks, and be out of their network for 1 week out of three. Driving a big rig is scary in all of the ones I have seen due to steep grades and huge potholes. I'm in Washington state.
Hi again Liz, another great video. I love the way you described trails membership I am now going to look into a membership. Nobody's ever explained it this well before. Thanks again so till next time take care and be happy. 🥰🥰🥰👍👍👍🥂🥂
Yay! So glad you have been enjoying your membership all this time Peter! Exactly that, nothing is perfect but overall, I think it is such a good value. Thank you so much for your comment!
We recently priced out a year to stay on our motorcoach at places that can "handle its size and power requirements" and the budget is not for the faint of heart that sell everything or even potentially must sell everything to do it. Well into the 6-fiures per year when counting maintenance and the rates now of nicer / safer controlled parks.
Thousand Trails marketing for sure. I checked out - hard to select start and end date (gotta fix that bug first), if you manage to select a date - in the entire Dallas, Austin, San Antonio I was able to see just 3 campgrounds. Probably the site is still in prototype stage but the marketing portrays it as a life saver. .
I have not had any problems with the online reservations, maybe they were doing software updating when you tried. It definitely is a good deal! Thanks for watching.
Yep, I talk about that. It works for some but can cut into travel, plus nothing cheaper than the $2 a night average I talk about in the video. Thanks for watching.
After you pay the membership is it first come, first serve to get in? petitchenil 5 months ago says..... I agree it's good for full-time that travel the three coasts. We tried the park pass entry level low cost year to year membership to try it out as part-timers. The biggest downsides are not being able to book weekends because it's only 60 days out; people with the paid membership get first shot. You have to jump on first thing in the morning 60 days out to book a weekday stay. By us, most spots are 30A & water; you are very lucky to get full hook-ups. You cannot reserve a set site - it's first come, first serve
When you make a reservation you are not reserving a specific site. I love that because then I can see the campground for myself and pick out the site I want. But not everyone likes having to pick out their site. There are some Thousand Trails campgrounds that will tell you what they have open when you check in, which is really convenient.
Can you stay at thousand trails campgrounds in a tent? I’m living out of my car but I prefer to stay in a tent that is quite large it’s a tiny home in and of itself . It a great place to get dressed and anytime I need to be standing and not just for sleeping .
Yes you can in some parks for sure! However technically you must sleep in the tent, not your car, which it sounds like you do. Get all your questions answered here (and get the best deals - special sale going on now!) form.jotform.com/joanna_depace/LizAmazing
Other than TT being WAY too expensive, the other issue I have is that they're not particularly skoolie friendly. Since I have a 40' skoolie and our fixed budget as a disabled couple is very low, most of which goes to fuel and insurance, TT is a non-starter for us.
Just can't beat $2 a night. I know that they require that your RV be RVIA certified so that's probably why your Skoolie isn't allowed. Sorry about that.
That's great. I used to do COEs when I was in Kentucky. Hard to find water, sewer and electric at them but they are often very secluded. Thanks for watching.
Wow that's quite an upgrade. From a glorified van to a fifth wheel. The rig to pull that thing must have been quite the outlay of cash. How did you make that happen? I'll look for the video where you upgraded. The thousand trails sounds really good . The black hole west of the Mississippi is a problem. But you did warn us.
When my husband and I first signed up I was in sticker shock! But when we started traveling we realized over a year in that we were saving money We were winter Texans. Liked Tawakoni, lake Texoma, Medina lake, and Colorado River. We liked Lake Whitney also but the roads were horrible!stayed at an Encore park in south Texas that is a fun place to stay. Thanks for the videos!!
Does your average $2 per night include the heavy upfront investment and high annual fees? I am also wondering myself if this makes sense for us if we're planning to full-time only for the next 2 to 3 years.
ditto. We are full time, with an elite membership from Kim at Campground Membership Outlet. Kim is great, We have saved a lot of money with TT. By the way we stayed at the Las Vegas TT for 11 nights and it was ok.
Yeah, that is my least favorite campground, so if you can handle that, you can handle anything! Thanks for watching and glad you are enjoy your Thousand Trails membership!
There are no charges for utilities, a few parks charge five dollars or so at night if you want 50 amp. But never a charge for 30 amp. You can stay up to two weeks at a time with the Camping Pass. Higher memberships you can stay up to three weeks at a time.
Are they growing and opening up any new Thousand Trails anywhere? I worry about over crowing and long waits to get a reservation, kind of like Time Shares.
Hi Liz, great video & appreciate your hard work. We have the Odyssey membership and are currently enjoying a stay of 35 days in a TT park. We have had TT since 2019 and started with a camper pass. Wow! TT prices, like everything else have soared. We bought new from TT and have no regrets. We have 160 day booking window. Bottom line, unless you really want the cabins, buy a used membership. And preferably an Odyssey, or Adventure if staying a lot in Florida or Arizona. They could not pay me enough to sell my Odyssey or trade for an Adventure membership. Oh, yes Texas and the Northwest is similar to the rest of Thousand Trails. I love the campgrounds, but each has a trick bag with it. Advice is to stay positive and be patient with campground management!
Hi Liz, we we're looking back at your first videos and wondered why you don't use your drone to get those beautiful shots anymore. Do you still make a living with your drone photography?
Lots of drone shots in this video! And no I don't make my living as a drone photographer anymore. It was too hard to do on the road. Thanks for watching.
I know that you have advertised for Brooklyn bedding in the past. FYI they won't / don't honor letters or prescriptions from Dr.'s to take care of the taxes. That would be worth mentioning in your ads.
Thank you. I don't think it's going to be one of my talking points bc very few people expect to get a mattress with a doctors note. I'm super happy with my mattress and pleased they sell at reasonable prices.
This is great explanation Liz. I don’t ever plan to live in vehicle full time or RV but I want to know what’s going on with these RV parks, too (member vs non member). It seems to me that paying $100 to $200 a night in peak season near a great attraction if I could find a space is the norm today.
Yes, it's crazy how fast campground rates have gone up. $70 to $80 now seems the norm at KOAs! Yikes! Thanks for watching and looking forward to seeing you out here.
Thank you so much for sharing! Very informative video and I learned so much! We are new to RV living and soaking up all the info that we can before setting out on our venture.🌹
Getting ready to purchase a C class 30 ft. We had a fifth wheel before and sold it. I mostly hear night mare stories and I'm taking note believe me. Is there a manufacturer out there that has a good reputation?
I love this life. But, there is so much to it. First off, these big fifthwheel trailers, house on wheels, are very expensive and fall apart on every owner. It's because they make them with flashy looks but cheap material. I bought a smaller motorhome. These, if purchased knowing what to look for, can be less of a headache. However, if your not a handyman and mechanically inclined, you'll be dishing out cash. These trailers need constant maintenance. I have a couple thousand dollars of RV tools and save lots of money. Keep this in mind for your venture and new lifestyle. Also, there is a lot of safety issues you need to be aware of when puling big trailers. Tire pressure and weight inside your trailer are a big one. I recommend you visit youtube channels of full time RV people. There are serious safety issues that isnt talked about enough. Another example is the electrical boxes on camp sites can fry all, i mean all of your electronics inside your RV. Yes, you need an EMS PROTECTOR. Not a surge protector. This are things you dont hear about until it thousands of dollars too late and a nightmare experience. Believe it or not there's more. I'll leave it to you to do your homework. Like any adventure do your homework. This guy in this recent sub accident all over the media is a perfect example. He, the CEO/BUILDER new the crazy risk. However, the passengers, especially father and 19 year old son had no idea/only what the CEO had shared. Costly mistake. As I said do your homework. It's a great life if you know what you're getting into and can meet the challenges.
We have been on the road for 8 months now, using Thousand Trails in the US. The south Texas Encore parks that were included as regular TT zone pass usage were our favorites on the whole trip. We would definitely go back to Sun n Fun and Tropic Winds for the whole winter, bouncing back and forth. We have ovet 100 nights on just the xone camping pass with 4 zones.
Thanks, great video! We've been interested in Thousand Trails for a while, but are just now getting to the point where it might make sense for us. The big struggle, of course, is choosing between the long-term commitment memberships like you have and the no-commitment annual passes - which makes a lot more sense until you start hearing all the stories that the people with the annual passes have so much trouble getting reservations. I need a crystal ball!
Hi Jeff! It does seem a full membership is the way to go, based on what I'm hearing, too. But I guess it depends where you live. I have met people on the West coast with a camping pass moving every four nights and staying 365 nights total in TT so it's possible! Maybe pay retail rates at several Thousand Trails campgrounds to be sure you like them, then do a full membership. Thanks for watching!
If its too expensive to live in an RV, you are not planning what you do, where you go or your job or lack of one. Many of the main highways have government rest stops with garbage, public toilets and no fees. Few can drive every day continuously without costing a lot for fuel, mechanical repairs or replacement of your vehicle. I'm not an American or have the ability to stay with an unlimited time limit. Food, fuel and your Rv expenses have to be covered as well as any health issues that may bring hospital, doctor or prescription fees. You can avoid nightly fees and limit your fuel and repair costs providing you limit your travel costs. Sharing costs is an option if its a viable option in sharing your RV. I would never consider a pay campsite unless severe weather or some other situation forces you to stay with no other options.
That's exactly what this video is all about. You'll see how you can camp for as little as $2 a night. These are gated campgrounds, most with pools, horseshoes, clubhouses, etc. But it sounds like you like to boondock. Nothing wrong with that, thanks for watching.
Tried the Camping Pass but unfortunately I see Thousand Trails as a security risk.. poor management of facilities and in disrepair .. and not any kind of security.. no cell signal. I feel safer in State Parks even County… where they seem to take much better care of their parks and re-invest. We have to DISAGREE on this one.
I'm ADVENTURE ... love the booking window. Honestly probably wouldn't do it again in hindsight, but would do an Elite as I had prior. Big expense but I do everything big- mostly wanted the trails collection plus
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Lots of great info. Thank you Liz!!!
Love your videos, can't afford to travel or membership.
Oh my gosh, this is the BEST explanation about Thousand Trails I have EVER heard! Definitely saving this to listen to again. When we were trying to figure some things out a couple years ago, we could not get a straight answer and we gave up. So THANK YOU!!!
Awesome, so nice of you to say! Looking forward to meeting you in a campground!
I totally agree. Liz had best explanation.
Thousand Trails is just timeshares for RVs 😂
Another option to consider is the moose lodges. Moose members can park and stay in RV's for free. At our lodge we have power hook ups. No water or waste water dumping but still.
You are definitely a rising star on this medium. Your explanations are thorough, understandable, and relevant. Wonderful job!
Awww, you are so kind, Martin. Thank you!!! Looking forward to reaching 100k subscribers. Thanks for your help!!!
Liz, stumbled on another RV channel, heard a lot of foul language, among other things, eye opening. Thank you for always telling your story with class and dignity.
So true!!
Aww, thanks so much, Steve! So glad to have you here. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Hmmm....that's weird. I've seen many RV channels....never seen one that had foul language. Which one was it?
Though I agree that Liz is calm and mostly classy. But just because someone uses profanity, doesn't mean they are stupid or vulgar. For some people, it's just a part of their expression. Live and let live, I always say. Even if they aren't our idea of 'normal or classy'.
Yes amen to that.. I have clicked on other channels.. foul language like you said..
I contacted Kim two years ago. I was really surprised at her knowledge, thoroughness of our conversation/interview and her honestly about the memberships. Per Kim's advice, I chose to not purchase. Yes , Kim was honest and said that, based on my use-case, it wasn't a good deal for me. Rare to find this caliber of person these days.
Yes, she's a good one for sure. Thanks for your comment.
Thousand Trails is fantastic for full timers. I have Elite Connections and have 98 campgrounds to use. I have kept track of all my stays. I use $30 per night which was what sites cost 13 years ago. I have saved almost $70000 over my membership cost and all my yearly dues. One year I left Michigan on October 17th, 2016. On October 17th 2017 I had spent $1200 for RV sites which included my $560 TT dues. The sites not in Thousand Trails were overnight stops travelling from one TT to another TT. Thank you for the explanation that outlines the advantages as well as the disadvantages.
Hi Gerald! Thank you so much for sharing this. Your comment is bound to help so many folks. Happy travels and looking forward to seeing you in a Thousand Trails campground!
I was a Thousand Trails Member for over 20 years, my parents joined in 1974!
There are some wonderful parks and there are some in need of TLC.
I sold mine a couple of years ago when I went through a divorce, now I’m thinking about getting another motorhome and I would definitely buy another membership.
Thank you Liz.
Thanks for this Cindy, looking forward to seeing you on the road
With the popularity of camping it’s hard to find a campsite these days! Thanks for sharing your experience with 1000 trails, it may not be for everyone as you suggested but at least it’s another option some people may not have known about until now. Thank you for sharing!
Yes, I've had no issues with finding campground reservations at all. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Great video Liz, We bought a used TT membership three years ago with your recommendation and have loved every trip we take. We chose the Alliance membership because of the seven month booking window. We spend most of the time on the Oregon coast and needed the extra 30 days to book and it's never been a problem reserving a site.
That’s awesome! So glad you are enjoying your membership. I’m on the Oregon Coast right now in a Thousand Trails for three weeks! Thanks for your comment and looking forward to meeting you on the road!
Thanks for sharing Liz. Like how you analyze the pros and cons of camping memberships which had me wondering about those membership complaints. I always stayed in State or National parks. In a pinch we would go to a KOA which is like 1000 Trails, but probably less cost wise.
Hi Laurence, I think a lot of people complain on the Thousand Trails social media page because they are selfish. Now that they've joined, they don't want too many people to join or they worry they might not be able to find a camping spot. So silly! KOA is actually more expensive than Thousand Trails. I hope you get to try a TT campground someday. And thanks for watching.
I think your video was spot on. I can understand why some folks don't like TT parks, especially if they want a resort atmosphere. For us, as full-timers with a priority of hookups and great locations, it is a ridiculously good value. We have stayed in around 50 TTs plus some trails collection sites over the past four years. We intentionally chose a 30amp trailer, so we have not had any of the issues someone with a large 50amp trailer may have. Also, TT park generally feel much safer. When TT is not available our next favorite are COE parks which are a great value and almost always on a lake or river. In Texas we frequent Conroe, Colorado River, and Medina. They are all fine and Medina has the most deer I have ever seen. In the NE, Hershey, Timothy Lake South, Rondout (bring bottled water), Moody Beach, and anything around Acadia are either nice parks or in beautiful areas.
Hi Jim, so glad you've been to those areas where I have not. Thanks so much for sharing about them. It sure is a ridiculously good value!!!
Great video! Very informative and detailed. The break-down of pros and cons definitely helps! The numbers certainly don't lie. A great deal for those full-timers, and even those who may not be full-time!
Yay, so glad you enjoyed this video. Truly can't beat the deal it is for fulltimers!!! Have a great weekend and thanks for watching.
That membership is insane! I never knew Thousand Trails was so expensive. I understand your reasoning but that is really exorbitant for camping.
It's pretty hard to beat $2 a night. Or even if you just use the camping pass one time for two weeks, it will pay for itself. Thanks for watching.
If you're camping full-time it makes sense but definitely a wealthy lifestyle overall
I don't understand how people who drag around RV's and stay in RV parks full of amenities think they are "camping". Tents, popouts, over-the-cab - this is camping.
$9000 - $17000 for a membership? Then you still have an annual fee? That's insane!
That's why I did the math in the video, worth it if you are fulltime. Thanks for watching.
Less so if you buy used memberships, especially a resaleable legacy membership such as Alliance or Platinum - less parks as it doesn’t include the 21 MA or ODW parks that make up the newer Elite and Adventure plans, but still worth the reduced cost of the memberships if you’re not planning on solely using it as a solution for an alternative to a low cost FT residency option imho. The Alliance while limiting one to max of 14 day stays (vs 21 day stays of Platinum and newer/current plans) and only 50 nights “free”/included in annual dues and then $5 additional above the 50 nights, imho, is still a great membership as it gives one a SEVEN month advance booking window (30 days above the highest current reservation window of their new/current plans) as well as an extra holiday and additional high use reservations as well! Sometimes you can even get the older ones for dirt cheap or possibly even for cost of transfer fees if you’re lucky enough to find someone with these older memberships and no longer using such. I figure even if we use it for the minimum 50 nights over time it’s going to help with reducing nightly rates overall. And we’re also like to spend time in state parks and hope to do more boondocking as well. So we envision. the Alliance membership is going to be an additional tool in our camping options toolbox 😊❤🎉
Hi Liz, thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. When we first started our full time journey we had a rule, if we haven’t stayed at a campground before we only reserved it for one night. With the possibility of extending if it was a nice place. (Most campgrounds won’t give you a refund if you cancel or cut short your reserved time). We also relied on referrals from other campers. We pulled into one campground for a night and after getting set up, our next door campers started a fire in a fire pit within 6’ of our Coach. The smoke was terrible .We packed up and left, not even stopping at the office. We crossed them off our list of places to stay. We also kept a campground site map with preferred sites noted in case we returned. This served us well for 18 years. We also stayed at beach campgrounds that charge based on the distance from the water. Example, on the water it was $200 a night, back up 100’ the charge is $125 a night, then 200-300 feet it was less than $100. For the money we could walk a block to the water and not so crowded.
Hi Bill, thanks for sharing this. I, too, keep notes on campgrounds I've stayed including favorite sites. That's awesome you've been out here 18 years! Thanks for watching and have a great weekend!
For those prices, you can stay in a good motel. I lived in my second hand Pace Arrow from 94 to 97. I signed up with Account Temps and planned on working a few weeks and camping a few weeks. I spent more time in parking lots than I did in a camp ground.
We’re not full timers, we’re half timers. Thousand Trails with the addition on the Trails Collection is really great. Yes, some of the rv parks ate very close and some are in need of much updating and repair but this is the best value you’re going to find. Nice video. Thanks
True that~! Thanks for your comment, Artie!
$60 a night for a camping spot is just outrageous
I would happily pay $60 a night, many are over $100 a night and some approach $200 a night. Crazy.
Thanks Liz. I had no idea there were "used" memberships. You are such a great resource, much appreciated!
Thanks so much, Ann!
I had bought a 27ft travel trailer last year, i am single and was hoping to make it my retirement, but i got so overwhelmed by all the costs that comes with camping. I do not travel, but i was stationed on a campsite and unfortunately, i wasnt enough prepared for all the fees to pay. I think people who rv travel etc.... have to be quite financial very good. I do miss my trailer :(
Yes. In addition to checking out Thousand Trails where you can camp for an average of just $2 a night, check out my video about staying in place for six months in a long term BLM where you pay just $20 a month! It can be very affordable but everyone should do their research first. Thanks for watching.
I learn so much from you. Thank you Liz 😊
Thank you for being here!
I agree it's good for full-time that travel the three coasts. We tried the park pass entry level low cost year to year membership to try it out as part-timers. The biggest downsides are not being able to book weekends because it's only 60 days out; people with the paid membership get first shot. You have to jump on first thing in the morning 60 days out to book a weekday stay. By us, most spots are 30A & water; you are very lucky to get full hook-ups. You cannot reserve a set site - it's first come, first serve so it's a mad rush at check in.
We are in Nor Cal and have three campgrounds near us and found the Colma campground the best for mid-week camping. We got lucky and got a full hook-up in the hilly part under the trees. However, the dump station is on the only way out so be prepared to have a long wait to get out. Found that at their out campground also.
If we traveled more of the entire coast it would be a good deal to get weekday spots with the 60 day advance booking; we were never able to score weekends with our base membership for that year. If you're full-time you will need the higher membership with 120 day advance booking to get weekends.
Lastly, if you only camp locally on weekends - kinda close to home - it not a good deal.
Such a great comment! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience. Very helpful and I agree with you that the 60 day reservation may not be enough. See you in the next video and have a great weekend!
So many good points here. For a long term RV'er they could mostly live on Thousand Trails locations throughout the year at these low rates but venture to other non-Thousand Trails as their splurge vacations (boondocking, national parks, etc). The park in Illinois would be a good midwest RV base in the summer and can navigate down to Tennessee for other Thousand Trails campgrounds or simply just go camping up in Wisconsin or Minnesota or Michigan on Non-Thousand Trail campgrounds now and then during the summer
Yes!!! So many options! Thanks for your comment, and for watching.
I’m very very proud of what you have done. It is not for me, but I enjoy your vlog! You are one smart cookie! I’m a bit older, 70, and traveled my entire life, even after my husband died at 56. I put a tap root down on the Ga Coast in 110 yr old cottage in a very small hamlet.
I’m traveled out! You enjoy, and we’ll enjoy watching you!!❤
Thanks so much for being here, sure appreciate your support!
Another great video. I love how you get right to the point and stay on task! Telling the pros and cons is essential and you do that so well. Self built almost new rig but thinking of crossing over to the dark side and getting a small class c. Waiting for the market to crash a little more and then will make a decision. I would still boondock but would like to try some places like Thousand Trails offer. Only a snowbird so return on invest would take longer but I also would investigate when I am old and creaky what can I sell if for? Not a mighty athlete like I was but not checking out tennis balls for my walker either. 😊
Well, there you go, Dan! Sure appreciate your kind words!!! Looking forward to seeing you out here and thanks for your comment!
You are welcome and it is well deserved.
We have been reading about Thousand Trails a lot lately. Right now it doesn't benefit us because we are not ready to go full time yet. We will be looking to purchase a membership at that time. Thank you for the information, Liz! Stay safe!
Glad this was helpful. Looking forward to seeing you out here!
We were full time for eighteen years, 1992 through 2009. We boondocked 80 to 90% of the time. Many times with other groups that were into boondocking too. This is a way to save money if you are set up for doing it.
Great information Liz thanks so much. I also have Thousand Trails membership and feel that it has saved me ton's of dollars.
Life is two shorts get out there, have fun see things, and meet people. Thanks so much for sharing you videos with us and as always Happy Trails.
Thanks Jeff! So glad you have a Thousand Trails membership. This was a game changer for me. Hope to meet you in a campground someday, and thanks for watching.
Yet again you are teaching me so much about campgrounds and their true costs. It’s precious knowledge that will really help me when I buy my RV.
I’m hoping to meet up with you one day and take you out for a delicious meal or cook you an authentic French meal.
It’s going to be a complete change for me and I’m so looking forward to the experience.
Oooh, Lorrie, I opt for that French meal- yummy! Thanks for watching and glad you found this video helpful. Looking forward to meeting you.
I went to their site to check them out, still seeing 50-60 bucks per night with membership unless I’m reading it wrong. I’ve done a decent amount of camping in my days, I have always believed in camping to get away from people and enjoy nature. My personal opinion is that it is difficult to do so when your on top of other campers, kids, vehicles, barking dogs, weird cooking smells etc.
Once you have the membership, even if it is just the camping pass, there will be ZERO nightly expenses at Thousand Trails campgrounds. And they have plenty of campgrounds with roomy wooded sites. But it sounds like boondocking is more your thing, out in the middle of nowhere. Nothing wrong with that at all. Thanks for watching.
I think if you’re thinking of trying out rving, go the rental route first before you purchase. May add additional costs upfront, but could save you a lot of headaches and money.
Yes indeed. Thanks for watching and for your comment.
Thousand trails is oky if your traveling frequently,but have several strings attached. The sales person can be very aggressive at certain camp areas,especially if they see your staying for an extended period.
Been a member for 5 years. Traveling F/T for 4 of those years. Stay at Lake Medina and lake Conroe and Colorado in Tx. All in my opinion good campgrounds. Stayed in Ca and Az as well. Thousand trails has saved me thousands in fees. It a has paid for itself in 2 years. It’s basically free every year after one visit. Love your channel. We met 3 years ago in Cottonwood and San Diego area. Keep up the good work. 😊
Hey there! Nice to hear from you. and thanks for being here through thick and thin. Happy travels. And thanks also for your good words about Thousand Trails. It really does pay for itself fast.
Hey Girl, Gary from Kansas here! We just got back from Santa Fe, NM. I agree that campgrounds are expensive. Heck, we paid almost $300 for 4 nights at the KOA! But, there wasn't much else to choose from. On the way there and back, we got rv campgrounds for $15-30 a night. Still expensive, but better than a KOA. We might look into Thousand Trails. Thanks for posting, girl! Always looking to a new video from you!
Thanks Gary. I hope you had a great time in Santa Fe, what an adventure!!! Sure appreciate your kind words!
I like your channel that I discovered recently. You are undoubtedly a professional. I love the way you talk and explain things. I am a newbie to this field of RV camping. I used to do it with my tent and my jeep, but I had to change my style when trying to bring my wife, dog, and cat. I follow your channel and look forward to new and amazing videos.
I did one year, not a full timer but advid rv'r. Found it hard to find places because the higher membership could book out further so I hardly used it.
That can be the downside of having just 60 days. Then again, I've met people who fulltime on a Camping Pass, moving every four days and booking just 60 days out. So it can be done. Thanks for watching
You are just the best LIZ! I will be joining Thousand Trails, and will book with Eric when ready.
Yay! Thanks for your kind words and see you on the road!
In all the years of travel and camping I have never Pais 60.00 a night. We have been on a month long trip as of June first and the highest I've paid is 44.00 a night for full hookups that was a half mile from the badland in South Dakota all other nightly cost ha e been 30.00 or less. The up front fee for thousand trails will take a lot off campingfor that to balance out and then the yearly fee. Like you said everyone's needs are different. With the national park pass I. An camp for 10.00 a night orgo I to a state park for u Der 30.00. I also found some county parks that are lower cost. On this trip we are spending more on gas then we are for food and camp fees! It was worth it....badlands,Mount Rushmore, Custer State park,Devils Tower ands much more. A trip of a life time!
Sounds like you found a good way to do it, thanks for your comment, Deb. Looking forward to seeing you out here. And that sounds like a great trip!!
RV life is so inexpensive for me. My Truck and RV are paid in full, and the cost of my lot, in a 55+ nice community is $385.00 per month (I have a big concrete lot) in Florida. My electric is about $120.00 per month. and food isn't much (I don't eat a lot). I usually will obtain a lease for a year, and this price is without any memberships. I save thousands of dollar's per year. The upkeep on my RV may cost $800.00 per year, because I keep up the preventive maintenance on my RV, so as not to have any problems. I cannot understand your bills. My internet, phone, insurance, electricity and food bills come up to under a thousand dollars per month.
Do you have any info about Central Florida Locations? We're looking to go this route. Any ideas an info would be appreciated!
Sounds like you've got it going on just right for you. Thanks for watching.
I could be wrong of course, since I've never owned or driven a motorhome. But I think the reason it's so expensive to RV is that motorhomes are so large! You might as well be driving a Greyhound bus! it costs so much to fuel, with $5 in some areas per gallon. It costs a lot to maintain, It costs a lot to drive. Even a *full-time* RVer needn't drive a behemoth of 40'+ to be comfortable. I'd be comfortable and happy with something between 20' and 30'. Even a diesel pusher doesn't need to be 40' in length. I've seen some that look like tour buses, with the shape of the cargo boxes they were shipped in. That's not how I'd want to travel. I'd be happy RVing in something between 20' and 30'.
Nice job with this video Liz. You do a great job with scripts and editing. We tried TT for a year. You get a free year one-zone membership from most dealerships when you buy a new rig (not sure about used). We live on the east coast and tried quite a few different parks during that year. Most of them are older and maintenance is an issue in most. We like one in KY (near TN). It was nice and clean but most sites are in a gravel lot with no shade. We hated the one in Yemissee, SC. We couldn’t find a single site that was close to level that had working electric (lots of power surges). This park is very close to I-95; we used it for one night on the way to FL but chose not to stay there on the way back because of our experience. We liked the park at Lake Gaston; it is older but well maintained. You can’t beat the location! The flies there were like no where else I’ve ever stayed. We stayed at a Trails Collection park in Bar Harbor that was awful! Horrible brown water and sites were very un-level. They did offer free bottled water each day but taking a shower in that brown water made me feel dirty! We discovered that even though we had a one zone pass, we were able to get a discount on the Trails Collection park by calling TT and asking. That was a nice perk! We decided not to renew because we were not impressed with the East Coast parks we had stayed at. We prefer the always clean and well maintained COE parks. With our senior national park pass, we get half price sites at COE parks. The sites are usually quite large and level. We have also stayed at some very nice State parks and a few small local town parks (very inexpensive). I use RVTrip wizard to find parks along our route and often plan our route to stay in as many federal govt parks (including COE) as possible. They are the best parks for the lowest price with the senior pass.
Hi Alice! Thanks so much for this! In Yemissee I stayed next door at the KOA- talk about loud, that campground is right next to the I-95. But it has a pizza, wine and coffee cafe! Happy travels.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
The problem I found with Thousand Trails (TT) when a friend offered to transfer me his membership for free, was that the three campgrounds I tried to get reservations at were booked and I could not get in...so I tried to get a reservation for the same dates at the same campgrounds paying cash without the membership and they had plenty of openings. Some, maybe all TT campgrounds limit the number of members they allow in per night and sell other sites to cash paying customers leaving TT members out in the cold. Very unethical.
Liz, can you do a video about health insurance for those RV nomads over the age of 65?
Hi there! I don't have any direct experience with that, maybe in five years!!! Thanks for watching.
Liz you are right and also amazing. It is less expensive to stay in a hotel or cruise ship. Quality is not the same.
Yes indeed! Thanks for this, Bruce!
Hi I am on the beginning stages of my transition to life on the road. Actually I am probably one of the OG road life warriors as I lived on the road with my fugitive father for several tears in the 1960s so I am going back in a sense. This is one of the best videos I have watched in my preparations...thank you!
Oh, thank you so much! Looking forward to seeing you on the road!
I had access to the whole system gifted to me by my parents. What turned me off on Thousand Trails was when as a member I couldn't get reservations at Russian River campground but there were still purchasable sites for the dates I wanted. To me it seemed to be only way to prepay for sites that may or may not be available to you. At the end of the day, I canceled my gifted nationwide pass. I can't believe they are still selling passes for thousands of dollars for "memberships" in parks that are available to everyone even those who aren't members. Crazy.
So sorry it didn't work for you. With 120 days advance notice I've had no problems with reservations whatsoever. Thanks for your comment!
Yes Liz. Very good explanation and I learned something I didn’t know. I did not know we could go TT to TT directly by staying only 4 days. I thought we had to wait 7 days between each stay. We have the annual camping pass and it pays for itself after a couple of 2 week stays. Going to TT in Colorado this July. Can’t wait.
Texas - in the summer is too hot. We live in Fort Worth, Texas. I do not recommend Bridgeport, TX We scoped it out and was not impressed. Lake Whitney is okay. They have started upgrading some of their 50 amp sites but it is amongst cedar trees (if you have allergy’s). Lake Conroe is really nice but in a congested area. Lake Texoma very quite and peaceful (it’s secluded-but there is a Dollar General close). Love your channel and thanks for sharing this info.
Hello there! Thanks for sharing the Texas Thousand Trails info. I definitely need to explore there. Glad you now know about the four day options. I've met several folks fulltiming moving every four days. It can be done! That TT in Colorado is high on my list. I was going to go there after leaving RMNP at the end of September. Alas, they close October 1. Next year! Let me know how you like it, I hear it's gorgeous!
I really enjoyed this video, one of your best. So informative, please do more on your favorite sites, thank you very much
Great feedback, thank you so much for this, Dan!
$200/ night at Fort Wilderness?? My family camped there in the late ‘70s, early ‘80s when camping was still considered a poor man’s vacation. It was very nice but holy moly, I can’t believe it’s so high! 😢
That’s a lot of good information you gave us , I really had no idea how it all worked !
Yay, thanks for watching Norman!
It's true about saving money, but 1000 Trails parks I have seen are not maintained well - many have LOTS of spaces in which the electric outlets and sewer hook ups are out of order. The toilet / shower spaces are well maintained, though. Also, you have to move every two weeks, and be out of their network for 1 week out of three. Driving a big rig is scary in all of the ones I have seen due to steep grades and huge potholes. I'm in Washington state.
Hi again Liz, another great video. I love the way you described trails membership I am now going to look into a membership. Nobody's ever explained it this well before. Thanks again so till next time take care and be happy. 🥰🥰🥰👍👍👍🥂🥂
Hi Larry, why that is so kind of you. Thanks so much and I sure appreciate the love! Have a great weekend and see you in the next one.
I love my Thousand Trails Elite membership. Going on 4 years full time. Park to park is the way to go 🤙🏼
Yes indeed! Looking forward to meeting you in a campground. Thanks for your comment!
Excellent analysis! Have been a TT Member for over 25 yrs! Got an excellent buy in price and have never looked back! It’s not perfect but nothing is!
Yay! So glad you have been enjoying your membership all this time Peter! Exactly that, nothing is perfect but overall, I think it is such a good value. Thank you so much for your comment!
We recently priced out a year to stay on our motorcoach at places that can "handle its size and power requirements" and the budget is not for the faint of heart that sell everything or even potentially must sell everything to do it. Well into the 6-fiures per year when counting maintenance and the rates now of nicer / safer controlled parks.
That's shocking! Definitely watch this video to do it MUCH cheaper. Hope to see you out here.
Thousand Trails marketing for sure. I checked out - hard to select start and end date (gotta fix that bug first), if you manage to select a date - in the entire Dallas, Austin, San Antonio I was able to see just 3 campgrounds. Probably the site is still in prototype stage but the marketing portrays it as a life saver. .
I have not had any problems with the online reservations, maybe they were doing software updating when you tried. It definitely is a good deal! Thanks for watching.
One can also opt to pay weekly (or monthly) at campgrounds which would be a little less expensive but it still going to add up quick
Do you also use any other campground memberships such as RPI and or coast to coast ?
Yep, I talk about that. It works for some but can cut into travel, plus nothing cheaper than the $2 a night average I talk about in the video. Thanks for watching.
Your videos are refreshing, to the point, honest and informative. Thanks.
Aww, thanks so much. Feel free to share this video.
After you pay the membership is it first come, first serve to get in? petitchenil 5 months ago says.....
I agree it's good for full-time that travel the three coasts. We tried the park pass entry level low cost year to year membership to try it out as part-timers. The biggest downsides are not being able to book weekends because it's only 60 days out; people with the paid membership get first shot. You have to jump on first thing in the morning 60 days out to book a weekday stay. By us, most spots are 30A & water; you are very lucky to get full hook-ups. You cannot reserve a set site - it's first come, first serve
When you make a reservation you are not reserving a specific site. I love that because then I can see the campground for myself and pick out the site I want. But not everyone likes having to pick out their site. There are some Thousand Trails campgrounds that will tell you what they have open when you check in, which is really convenient.
Can you stay at thousand trails campgrounds in a tent? I’m living out of my car but I prefer to stay in a tent that is quite large it’s a tiny home in and of itself . It a great place to get dressed and anytime I need to be standing and not just for sleeping .
Yes you can in some parks for sure! However technically you must sleep in the tent, not your car, which it sounds like you do. Get all your questions answered here (and get the best deals - special sale going on now!) form.jotform.com/joanna_depace/LizAmazing
Other than TT being WAY too expensive, the other issue I have is that they're not particularly skoolie friendly. Since I have a 40' skoolie and our fixed budget as a disabled couple is very low, most of which goes to fuel and insurance, TT is a non-starter for us.
Just can't beat $2 a night. I know that they require that your RV be RVIA certified so that's probably why your Skoolie isn't allowed. Sorry about that.
Great information and video. We just stayed at a COE campground for $12 a night. Stay up to 14 days.
That's great. I used to do COEs when I was in Kentucky. Hard to find water, sewer and electric at them but they are often very secluded. Thanks for watching.
Wow that's quite an upgrade. From a glorified van to a fifth wheel. The rig to pull that thing must have been quite the outlay of cash. How did you make that happen? I'll look for the video where you upgraded. The thousand trails sounds really good . The black hole west of the Mississippi is a problem. But you did warn us.
Aww, thanks for your comment. I worked as a Realtor before I went out on the road. It sure helps to have savings! Thanks for watching.
When my husband and I first signed up I was in sticker shock! But when we started traveling we realized over a year in that we were saving money
We were winter Texans. Liked Tawakoni, lake Texoma, Medina lake, and Colorado River. We liked Lake Whitney also but the roads were horrible!stayed at an Encore park in south Texas that is a fun place to stay.
Thanks for the videos!!
Thank you for this, Jean, and for watching. Looking forward to seeing you on the road.
I’m glad you get to stay in those lovely places. Thank You for sharing.
Thank you for watching, check out my latest video right here: th-cam.com/video/SpB_9ku-2AQ/w-d-xo.html
Almost at 90K! Go girl!
Yes!!! Almost there, thanks Edward!
BEAUTIFUL ❤ , great video , great info . If l can get two showers a day I’m in lol. You are amazing Liz have a great weekend
Yes! Thanks Jeff!!! Happy to see you here and enjoy your weekend as well.
Still thousand trails is like a time share and the monthly fees are crazy. Good luck trying to get out of it…Sounds like an add for thousand trails….
Does your average $2 per night include the heavy upfront investment and high annual fees? I am also wondering myself if this makes sense for us if we're planning to full-time only for the next 2 to 3 years.
You have got the most informative RV channel I have seen. Thank you.
Wow, thanks! So very kind of you. Thanks for watching and see you in the next video.
ditto. We are full time, with an elite membership from Kim at Campground Membership Outlet. Kim is great, We have saved a lot of money with TT. By the way we stayed at the Las Vegas TT for 11 nights and it was ok.
Yeah, that is my least favorite campground, so if you can handle that, you can handle anything! Thanks for watching and glad you are enjoy your Thousand Trails membership!
So 1 to 3 week maximum on stays . Are you saying some parks won’t let you stay more than 1 week ? And aren’t there charges for electric or taxes ?
There are no charges for utilities, a few parks charge five dollars or so at night if you want 50 amp. But never a charge for 30 amp. You can stay up to two weeks at a time with the Camping Pass. Higher memberships you can stay up to three weeks at a time.
Are they growing and opening up any new Thousand Trails anywhere? I worry about over crowing and long waits to get a reservation, kind of like Time Shares.
Hi Liz, great video & appreciate your hard work. We have the Odyssey membership and are currently enjoying a stay of 35 days in a TT park. We have had TT since 2019 and started with a camper pass. Wow! TT prices, like everything else have soared. We bought new from TT and have no regrets. We have 160 day booking window. Bottom line, unless you really want the cabins, buy a used membership. And preferably an Odyssey, or Adventure if staying a lot in Florida or Arizona. They could not pay me enough to sell my Odyssey or trade for an Adventure membership. Oh, yes Texas and the Northwest is similar to the rest of Thousand Trails. I love the campgrounds, but each has a trick bag with it. Advice is to stay positive and be patient with campground management!
Thanks for this. And am happy for you to have the Odyssey~! Looking forward to seeing you out here.
Hi Liz, we we're looking back at your first videos and wondered why you don't use your drone to get those beautiful shots anymore. Do you still make a living with your drone photography?
Lots of drone shots in this video! And no I don't make my living as a drone photographer anymore. It was too hard to do on the road. Thanks for watching.
I use thousand trails tra and coast to coast . Very worth the buy in . 2 bucks a night seems high but she is right …. This is a great honest channel.
Awww, thanks Bryan. And so glad you are enjoying your Thousand Trails membership. Looking forward to meeting you on the road!
@@LizAmazing I don’t use our thousand trails much . I use tra and coast to coast most of the time . I do enjoy your channel. Enjoy
I know that you have advertised for Brooklyn bedding in the past. FYI
they won't / don't honor letters or prescriptions from Dr.'s to take care of the taxes.
That would be worth mentioning in your ads.
Thank you. I don't think it's going to be one of my talking points bc very few people expect to get a mattress with a doctors note. I'm super happy with my mattress and pleased they sell at reasonable prices.
Assumming you can spend 365 nights at a membership campground is a stretch being as spread out the regions are.
I’ve met many folks who do this, typically bouncing back and forth between their favorite campgrounds
Sounds like a timeshare which are nightmares.
This is great explanation Liz. I don’t ever plan to live in vehicle full time or RV but I want to know what’s going on with these RV parks, too (member vs non member). It seems to me that paying $100 to $200 a night in peak season near a great attraction if I could find a space is the norm today.
Yes, it's crazy how fast campground rates have gone up. $70 to $80 now seems the norm at KOAs! Yikes! Thanks for watching and looking forward to seeing you out here.
You explained things so clearly and logically
Thanks so much, Carol. Feel free to share this video. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
These videos are the Masters of RVing!
Thank you!
Great video and advice about Thousand Trails! Thank you for sharing this information 😊….. Lisa
Hi Lisa! Thanks for watching and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Thank you so much for sharing! Very informative video and I learned so much! We are new to RV living and soaking up all the info that we can before setting out on our venture.🌹
Awesome! Can't wait to see you out here!! Happy planning, and thanks for watching.
Getting ready to purchase a C class 30 ft. We had a fifth wheel before and sold it. I mostly hear night mare stories and I'm taking note believe me. Is there a manufacturer out there that has a good reputation?
good sales pitch , your hired
I love this life. But, there is so much to it. First off, these big fifthwheel trailers, house on wheels, are very expensive and fall apart on every owner. It's because they make them with flashy looks but cheap material. I bought a smaller motorhome. These, if purchased knowing what to look for, can be less of a headache. However, if your not a handyman and mechanically inclined, you'll be dishing out cash. These trailers need constant maintenance. I have a couple thousand dollars of RV tools and save lots of money. Keep this in mind for your venture and new lifestyle.
Also, there is a lot of safety issues you need to be aware of when puling big trailers. Tire pressure and weight inside your trailer are a big one. I recommend you visit youtube channels of full time RV people. There are serious safety issues that isnt talked about enough. Another example is the electrical boxes on camp sites can fry all, i mean all of your electronics inside your RV. Yes, you need an EMS PROTECTOR. Not a surge protector. This are things you dont hear about until it thousands of dollars too late and a nightmare experience. Believe it or not there's more. I'll leave it to you to do your homework. Like any adventure do your homework. This guy in this recent sub accident all over the media is a perfect example. He, the CEO/BUILDER new the crazy risk. However, the passengers, especially father and 19 year old son had no idea/only what the CEO had shared. Costly mistake. As I said do your homework. It's a great life if you know what you're getting into and can meet the challenges.
You got that right, Alfred. If you're not handy you'll become handy in RV life...or go broke! Thanks for your comment and see you in the next video.
Yep. Walmart parking isn't happening. Moving around gets old. And things break and need expensive repairs and dreams shattered.
Yep. It takes a lot of planning and preparation for this life. Thanks for watching.
WOW, you are amazing! I love you Liz, great stuff!
We have been on the road for 8 months now, using Thousand Trails in the US. The south Texas Encore parks that were included as regular TT zone pass usage were our favorites on the whole trip. We would definitely go back to Sun n Fun and Tropic Winds for the whole winter, bouncing back and forth. We have ovet 100 nights on just the xone camping pass with 4 zones.
How do you “BOUNCE BACK AND FORTH” in Encore parks? I have to stay out 6 nights between Encore parks with my zone pass and Trails Collection.
How do you “BOUNCE BACK AND FORTH” in Encore parks? I have to stay out 6 nights between Encore parks with my zone pass and Trails Collection.
Thanks for letting me know about the south Texas Encore parks, and glad you are enjoying your camping pass! You've definitely made your money back!
Maybe they are staying someplace in between those 2 parks?
Thanks for the info Liz! Never knew about the membership details!! Happy Camping and Safe Travels!! ❤️❤️
Glad this was helpful, thanks for your comment, Lynn! Safe travels to you as well.
Thanks, great video! We've been interested in Thousand Trails for a while, but are just now getting to the point where it might make sense for us. The big struggle, of course, is choosing between the long-term commitment memberships like you have and the no-commitment annual passes - which makes a lot more sense until you start hearing all the stories that the people with the annual passes have so much trouble getting reservations. I need a crystal ball!
Hi Jeff! It does seem a full membership is the way to go, based on what I'm hearing, too. But I guess it depends where you live. I have met people on the West coast with a camping pass moving every four nights and staying 365 nights total in TT so it's possible! Maybe pay retail rates at several Thousand Trails campgrounds to be sure you like them, then do a full membership. Thanks for watching!
If its too expensive to live in an RV, you are not planning what you do, where you go or your job or lack of one. Many of the main highways have government rest stops with garbage, public toilets and no fees. Few can drive every day continuously without costing a lot for fuel, mechanical repairs or replacement of your vehicle. I'm not an American or have the ability to stay with an unlimited time limit. Food, fuel and your Rv expenses have to be covered as well as any health issues that may bring hospital, doctor or prescription fees. You can avoid nightly fees and limit your fuel and repair costs providing you limit your travel costs. Sharing costs is an option if its a viable option in sharing your RV. I would never consider a pay campsite unless severe weather or some other situation forces you to stay with no other options.
That's exactly what this video is all about. You'll see how you can camp for as little as $2 a night. These are gated campgrounds, most with pools, horseshoes, clubhouses, etc. But it sounds like you like to boondock. Nothing wrong with that, thanks for watching.
Thank you for giving the lowdown on Thousand Trails Campgrounds. Very informative.
Thanks so much,glad it was helpful
Tried the Camping Pass but unfortunately I see Thousand Trails as a security risk.. poor management of facilities and in disrepair .. and not any kind of security.. no cell signal. I feel safer in State Parks even County… where they seem to take much better care of their parks and re-invest. We have to DISAGREE on this one.
Ok by me Glad you tried it. Thanks for watching.
I'm ADVENTURE ... love the booking window. Honestly probably wouldn't do it again in hindsight, but would do an Elite as I had prior. Big expense but I do everything big- mostly wanted the trails collection plus
Yep, I was super tempted with the Adventure. You can always get what you want! Thanks for your comment!
Glad I coughgt up with you this evening . Good information as usual . Been doing some plumbing on the house grrrr.
Oh no. That's never fun. Hope you didn't have to make too many trips to the hardware store, and thanks for watching.
Thousand Trails is just timeshares for RVs. Dont get suckered in!
Watch the video and you’ll see it’s not like that at all. You can camp for less than $2 a night average, unbeatable deal!
Thanks for sharing and I will keep you in prayer
Thanks so much, William!
I inherited my membership from my parents. We love Seaside in Oregon😅 and used the Long Beach in WA when my Mom was alive.
Yep, can't beat being in the PNW, especially on the coast! Sounds like you've had some good adventures, thanks for your comment.