Boondockers Welcome - Interested ??

[Matt Colie]

Ever read about Boondockers Welcome and Wonder??

We have been hosts almost since the beginning and I have gotten to meet quite a few really neat people.

The GMC coaches were designed to be self-contained travelers. Many of us take advantage of this fact.
If you are used to traveling this way and would like quieter places than Walmart or "rest areas" take the time to look up Boondockers Welcome.
While all that is promised is a quiet flat place, many hosts have more to offer.
If you get through reading about it and wondering why some of us - Like Carl Stouffer - do this, ask me.
The membership is really cheap and I may be able to help you on that.

Matt

 

[bdub]

We were members for a few years. Only were able to use it one time for 2 nights in Blue Eye, AR. Near Branson, it was very nice & convenient. I've tried every time we've traveled to stay at another, but they're just never in the right place at the right time. I finally let my membership lapse this year.
And forget about Passport America. Just too many conditions & timing there to be worth it.
RVParky better suits our traveling style. We just got home from a 15 day trip to Eastern middle Florida and never spent a dime on a place to stay. We did pay $10 to dump and refill water. (A good thing too, since fuel was a killer!)

 

[Matt Colie]

Billy,

I did say that we have been hosts for several years.
What I did not say is that we have never managed to take advantage. There just were not places where we needed them. I am hoping that the upcoming season is different. That is a good chance as the number of hosts has more than doubled in the last couple of years.

Unless a member, one does not have good access to the locations maps. To this end, if you are planning an excursion and you pass me the route, I will return the available hosts close to that route.

Matt

 

[RJW]

Ever read about Boondockers Welcome and Wonder??

We have been hosts almost since the beginning and I have gotten to meet quite a few really neat people.

The GMC coaches were designed to be self-contained travelers. Many of us take advantage of this fact.
If you are used to traveling this way and would like quieter places than Walmart or "rest areas" take the time to look up Boondockers Welcome.
While all that is promised is a quiet flat place, many hosts have more to offer.
If you get through reading about it and wondering why some of us - Like Carl Stouffer - do this, ask me.
The membership is really cheap and I may be able to help you on that.

Matt

Matt,

We have been members of Harvest Hosts since 2019 and have stayed less than a dozen times with their hosts. Each time has been great, but the free stay is offset by the stuff we end up buying at each host.

We try to camp cheap as we stay in state and national (1/2 price with our Golden Age Passport that is no longer sold ) forest campgrounds, state parks when they are not crowded and of course Wally World and other such no to little cost places. We hardly ever go to commercial campgrounds unless attached to a GMC rally. Count us in as people that never use campground bathrooms as we always use the one we bring with us.

To add Boondockers to our membership would add $70/year to the $49/year we currently pay for Harvest Hosts. I don't think that with our situation it would be worth the $70. We can't be a Boondocker host due to local restrictions so the free membership that way is not available.

 

[LQQKatJon]

Matt,

We have been members of Harvest Hosts since 2019 and have stayed less than a dozen times with their hosts. Each time has been great, but the free stay is offset by the stuff we end up buying at each host.

We try to camp cheap as we stay in state and national (1/2 price with our Golden Age Passport that is no longer sold ) forest campgrounds, state parks when they are not crowded and of course Wally World and other such no to little cost places. We hardly ever go to commercial campgrounds unless attached to a GMC rally. Count us in as people that never use campground bathrooms as we always use the one we bring with us.

To add Boondockers to our membership would add $70/year to the $49/year we currently pay for Harvest Hosts. I don't think that with our situation it would be worth the $70. We can't be a Boondocker host due to local restrictions so the free membership that way is not available.

People always question the cost of membership to either harvest host or boondockers welcome. Where I live one weekend at a state park is equal to the membership costs. I have been a boondockers host(pretty sure I am violating city ordinance but I just have an extra RV parked in my yard one night every could weeks in summer). So I dont pay for my membership to boondockers. I have been paying about 3 years for harvest hosts. That is on auto renew, so i forget.

But I figure if i stay 3 times in the next two years i am still money ahead. I know walmarts and such are out there, but if one ends up in a campground it can be $30-100 and rising a night.

My in-laws are now members of harvest hosts and have. A 45’ fifth wheel and photos of places they have stayed are amazing. Last one my father-in-law sent me photos of them getting 30 minute off road buggy ride. $25 a person. So for $50 they had a awesome stay with power and each had a 30 minute buggy ride. Really cool things.

When i joined in 2020, there was not many hosts. But the number of places to stay has balooned in 2022. I used to be the only one of 3 or 4 in MN. Now there is tons.

Next year i will get out and try some spots. There are lots of one’s less then an hour from me now. Good for a overnight getaway.

 

[Matt Colie]

Hey Jon,
I don't know how long or much you have been hosting, but we have been a while, and if you know someone you would like to help with a membership deal, get back to me. I am sure I can help them.
Matt

 

[LQQKatJon]

Hey Jon,
I don't know how long or much you have been hosting, but we have been a while, and if you know someone you would like to help with a membership deal, get back to me. I am sure I can help them.
Matt

I joined in 2020. I think 2 guests that year. 2021 maybe 6. This past summer it seemed someone stopped once a week or every other week.

I am mainly just a stop-over, as easy on/off of interstate. It is Just parking in my driveway as navigating any further is too difficult for most. I usually Move the gmc on the grass next to garage and they park and use the spot where my gmc sits most of the time. I have had a couple people stay a few nights for various reasons. Visiting friends, or we are a gateway to some bike trails. I learned that my house is literally on the “great river road”. As someone was running that all the way from new orleans to the startt of Mississippi. I am in town, and not on the Mississippi(maybe 1/4 mile away?- there are neighborhood between me and the river). But the road I live on eventually jumps back and runs along the river.

So it has been really a great experience hosting. Nothing fancy and everyone has been happy…. They get more then they pay for.

I have some sort of membership that i can gift. I tried to set my in-laws up with it, but he could not get it to work because he was already a harvest host member. We never did finish figuring that out. He is long- so he thinks the boondockers is not a fit. But I have seen many people with massive 5th wheels still finding some nice hosting sites that can accommodate them.

I wish I had more weekends to use the gmc. Going to set it up for a truck and treat tomorrow just to fire things up and get some motion out of it before it is parked for winter.

 

[Matt Colie]

Jon,
I have another case like that working, but at least it is a GMC. I was told by HH support that they can make the free membership number work, but the recipient will have to contact them directly with the gift number.
Matt