# Happy Camper Half Price Club



## Tassiedevil (Jan 22, 2006)

Hi Everyone, can anyone tell me if it is worth joining this club? Are the parks that it covers worth staying at. I'm looking for all ways possible to save money on our RV holiday and this looks like a goer.I've also found a web site called "Freecampgrounds .com " and I was wondering if any of you have stayed in these places. I have been looking through the Woodalls North American Campground Directory and was surprised by some of the prices charged for a hookup. What is a reasonable price to pay per night, we don't want internet or satalite TV connections, just the basics, hoping someone can give me some advice on costs at campgrounds, thanks Sue ( Can you guys send us some cool air we are sweltering down here in Australia)


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## Krazeehorse (Jan 22, 2006)

Happy Camper Half Price Club

I'm a weekend camper in Ohio.  I usually stay at a state park campground.  Most of my experiences have been very good.  Nice facilities etc.  A spot with electric hook-up is around $20 per night.  The state campgrounds aren't going to honor any of the camping club discounts though.  If you get to Ohio, let us know.  Krazee


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## hertig (Jan 22, 2006)

Happy Camper Half Price Club

Don't know anything about Happy Camper.

But check out Passport America.  They are a 1/2 price club which pays for itself within 2 or 3 nights.  I've gone diagonally across the US from Arizona to upstate New York, and I find that you can usually find a campground from $10 to $35 a night, with most around $20.  Of course, it it is really fancy or near some major tourist attraction, it can be more.  It is probably higher along the east coast.

Planning trips between Passport America sites, I can usually stay a night for perhaps $12 on average.

Some offer Electric only (great for overnight) for a lower price than full hookup.  A fair number charge more for 50 Amp electric, and some charge extra if you run the AC or a heater on 30 amps.

You often get what you pay for; sometimes the cheapest places are somewhat ugly with few amenities.  But not always; I stayed several days at Lei Te in Batavia New York (Passport America site) for about $15 a night (extra person) and it was pretty nice.


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## turnipbwc (Jan 23, 2006)

Happy Camper Half Price Club

All this free information tassiedevil is getting we will probably be reading in her book some day. Hertig and Krazeehorse, make sure you get your cut out of it.
turnip


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## mking (Jan 23, 2006)

Happy Camper Half Price Club

The same here in South Carolina/North Carolina.State Parks are usually the cheapest.If your going anywhere along the North Carolina/South Carolina beaches during the months of June,July,and August you better have a reservation.And exspect to pay $48--$60 a night for full hook-up.In the 'off-season'the prices run $20--$35..[this is for campgrounds other than state parks]


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## Kirk (Jan 23, 2006)

Happy Camper Half Price Club

The thing about either Happy Campers or Passport America is that they cost less than $50 a year and if you do not feel that they were worth the cost, all you do is to not renew the next year. It you think of it, how many nights at 1/2 price will it take to get your money back? Not many. If you travel very much, they very quickly pay their way, although I doubt that it would pay to join both. I was looking into that and by comparing the listed parks in the directories of both, they seem to have many of the same parks as members. 

Keep in mind that the parks that join a 1/2 price group do so for a reason. That means that they are not the newest, fanciest park right off of the highway. They are usually well back from the highway, or are older parks. No park owner would let people in for 1/2 price if they were always close to full for full price. The best parks are usually destination parks that are well away from the highways and who use the 1/2 price groups to fill unused spaces.


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## hertig (Jan 24, 2006)

Happy Camper Half Price Club

Certainly some of the parks are as descibed by Kirk.  In the SouthWest, at least, I can usually find a Passport America park within 1 or 2 miles of the Interstates.  I think only once did I have to go 10 miles away from the freeway, and once there was no Passport America park which I could not reach in a day of driving.  Most of them were pretty basic, but met our needs.  There was only one which was so crappy we wouldn't want to stay there again overnight at least.  And every so often you find a really nice one, like Lei Te in Batavia, NY, and Canyon Gateway in Williams, AZ.  Of course, my experiance so far have been with a 25' 30 amp trailer; it could be completely different for a 40' 50 amp motorhome


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