Harvest Hosts is one of the main tools we use when it comes to finding a place to stay when we are on the road. By having this membership, we have saved tons of money by staying away from expensive RV parks (sometimes who don’t even allow DIY rigs like ours), and overpriced state/national park’s camping grounds.
It is an online program which has over 4170+ ever expanding RV friendly camping locations featuring wineries, farms, breweries, museums, and other unique attractions you can enjoy with no camping fees. This online program requires an annual membership fee to access. However, for a limited time, by clicking on the link below, you will receive 15% off your annual plan for the first year!
15% off the Harvest Hosts annual membership!
In order to use Harvest Hosts, you will need access to a computer, or an app downloaded to your mobile device with internet connection for searching a host near you and booking your stay.
There are three different tiers of plans offered by Harvest Hosts. The basic tier of “Harvest Hosts Classic “is good enough for most RVers in my opinion. There is no need to go all in with all the ” Whistles & Bells” from the beginning. You can always upgrade to the plan where you can book on golf courses, or the all access version if you find the need for all the extras down the road.
If you want to learn more how Harvest Hosts membership helps you to ” Go far, and spend less “, keep reading on to learn more about our genuine experiences.
How much does it cost ?(really)
Harvest Hosts Classic membership is $99/per year, but once again by using this affiliate link, you will receive 15% off! This is the best deal available any time of the year, and we appreciate your support.
Now, you ask ” As a HH member, I can stay on any of 4170+ properties for FREE, anytime of the year?” Well, not quite. Basically how this program really works is that majority of the hosts in the Harvest Hosts network are hardworking farmers, winery owners, brewery operators, or some type of small business owners in general. You are expected to make a purchase (around $20 as suggested by HH) of their offerings/products in lieu of camping fees. This could be fresh organic eggs, artisan cheese, a couple mugs of beer, a visit to the museum, or whatever surprises they have for you!
In our experiences, $20 a night is less than what most RV parks charge in the US. It is less than most of the state parks/national parks camping fee for anything bigger than a 4 door sedan if there is any availability. And, on top of spending less on an overnight stay, you will create lots of unforgettable experiences!
Now if you are really on a tight budget, and the host campground is large business with many other fellow campers, nobody is going to chase you down for that $20. But, please don’t abuse this privilege, and ruin it for the rest of us. Harvest Hosts is not the Walmart parking lot.
what types of vehicles are allowed ?
According to Harvest Hosts membership guidelines, “All classes of RV’s are allowed (Class A, Class B, Class C) including motorhomes, fifth wheel trailers, travel trailers, toy haulers, camper vans, truck campers, and schoolies. Vehicles towed behind RVs are also allowed at our Host locations.”
Prohibited are “Traditional pop-up campers, otherwise known as folding camping trailers, where the middle and sides of the trailer pop up and out .” Also prohibited: Tents, such as ground tents or car rooftop tents; sleeping in cars, trucks, or minivans; over landing in jeeps, bikes, or atvs.”
We have seen all types of vehicles, and rigs on Harvest Hosts campgrounds, and some definitely does not conform the above guidelines. It is your responsibility to contact the host ahead of your arrival to let them know if your vehicle is the “grey area” of the guideline, and seek their approval.
Most importantly, your vehicle NEEDS to be SELF-CONTAINED, which means you will need a place to do your private business inside the camper, a place to cook inside the camper, and a place to clean yourself and your dirty gears inside. Majority of the Harvest Hosts campground DO NOT have facilities especially after business hours. There are some exceptions, and you can read more about it in this article Five Insider Tips For Using Harvest Hosts.
It is extremely important to follow the guidelines, be respectful guests, and leave the place cleaner than you found it. Nobody is going to inspect your rig for conformity, at least not in our experiences. In other words, being “self-contained” does not necessarily mean you need to have the top of the line wet bath ensuite, or some German made incinerating toilet.
Before we had our composting toilet, we used a simple camping bucket toilet for less than $25. In order to avoid cooking too much inside our rig, We brought Take-Out food to pair with the wines offered by the hosts. The point here is understand and abide by the rules established by the Harvest Host guideline. But be resourceful and creative with your solutions.
What are Harvest Hosts campground like?
On Harvest Hosts campgrounds, there are no check-in booths, or camp hosts ushering you around the property. Most host will personally greet you upon your arrival, take you to your designated spot (if there are any), and possibly setting up a tour of the property with you. Other than that, you are free to enjoy the stay however you like it (Within the guidelines, and boundaries established by Harvest Host, and your host of the night).
One major distinction Harvest Hosts campground has is that these properties are setup for ONE overnight stay. It is not for long term dwelling, or vacationing. It is set up this way, so that the owners of these properties can still operate their business 100% during business hours, and travelers like us can easily find affordable, safe, and unique places to sleep overnight traveling from point A to B.
However, on a few occasions, we were offered to stay more than one night by the hosts. It is totally the hosts’ discretion to allow extra stays or not, and it is recommended that you don’t overstay your welcome.
Harvest Hosts campgrounds come in all shapes, and sizes, LITERALLY.
There are wineries, and olive tree farms in central California which have hundreds of acres of beautiful farmlands. There are small town breweries, and Japanese Sake distilleries who would host you and other camper on their blacktop parking lots. There are working horse boarding facilities, and world class air space museums. They all just depend on the area you are traveling through, and that is one of the most exciting part of Harvest Host member.
You can find out the length/size of vehicle your desired host location can accommodate by reading the property description and other guest’s review of the property. According to HH, 80% of the host locations can accept vehicles of any length .
I know we all love those flat, spacious, pull thru- spots when RVing, but sometimes that’s not always the case. Harvest Host campgrounds such as breweries, and museums usually is your best bet for no hassle large rig parking because you are “camping” on their parking lots. On the other hand, boutique wineries, and small working farms can be tricky for 40+ foot Class As. The best practice is to contact the hosts, and read other guests’ reviews.
Like I have mentioned before, Harvest Host campgrounds are not RV parks equipped with hookups, and facilities. And, majority of the campgrounds don’t have them! Now, in our experiences, we have came across a few places that have water/power hookups, clean hot showers, and bathrooms. These businesses usually charge an extra fee for providing the services. You can always login to your Harvest Host app and check individual campground’s amenities before booking.
how to use your harvest hosts membership?
The first thing you need to do after purchasing your Harvest Hosts membership is to download the HH app onto your mobile device. You will easily find the app in the respective app store of your mobile device.
The Harvest Hosts app is very user friendly. Make sure you enable location services while using the app, so that they can automatically determine the nearest hosts available to you. Once you have found where you would like to stay, click on the icon and you will see a snapshot of the location. Click on the “Check Availability ” to see if the campground is still available for your desired date. Some hosts do not have the “Check Availability”. In that case, you will have to message the host directly for availability.
Majority of the Harvest Hosts allow same day booking which is always a plus. Because if you are one of those “Go with the flow, we will go where the road takes us” type of traveler who doesn’t like to plan ahead, you can contact these hosts for last minute booking.
Just right before you book the stay, please take your time to read the reviews from previous guests. By reading the reviews, you can view pictures of the campground from other RVers, you can gain insights on where is the best spot on the host property, and where to get the best view. You can also find out what type of offering you can purchase from the hosts to decide if you really want another bottle of wine. Scanning through the reviews is extremely helpful, and definitely worth the time.
The last step is to send out your stay request to the host. It is highly recommended include a personal message briefly describing who you are, what type of rigs you drive, and any additional questions you may have before your arrival. From our experiences, most hosts respond very quickly to stay requests ( between 10 minutes to a couple hours).
Once the stay request is approved, follow the driving instruction integrated into the app to your host’s location. Sometimes, you will get more detailed instruction from the hosts for navigating through the property when you arrive at the address.
final thoughts
Having options is extremely important being on the road. Harvest Hosts not only provides an alternative to expensive RV parks and noisy highway rests stops, but also helps you cultivate unique and unforgettable experiences. From wineries in Central California, Alpaca farms in Oregon to small breweries in Texas , there is something for everyone to enjoy. So get out there and make some new memories with Harvest Hosts! 🙂
Remember to use our affiliate link to receive 15% off your first year of membership.
15% off the Harvest Hosts annual membership!
Disclaimer: This article may contain affiliate links where we may receive a commission when you click on our links and make a purchase. This, however, has no bearing on our reviews and comparisons. Thank you for your support!
