Resources
Along the way, I’ve discovered resources that have been helpful to us, and I wanted to share them with you—whether you’re traveling the open road or navigating everyday life. These are links I personally trust and return to often.
National Parks & Travel Planning
National Parks Service
Official information on parks, alerts, closures, and trip planning,
America the Beautiful Pass
A cost-saving annual pass that provides access to national parks and federal recreation lands.
RV Life & Practical Travel
Practical tools we’ve found helpful for planning, budgeting, and navigating life on the road.
RV Life Trip Wizard
Trip planning, campgrounds, calendar, reservation builder, budgeting tools.
Thousand Trails
Thousand Trails is a nationwide network of RV campgrounds that offers a membership-based way to camp more often while keeping costs manageable. With locations across the U.S., it has been a helpful option for us as we travel and look for reliable, well-maintained places to stay.
Thousand Trails no longer sells lifetime memberships. However, current members who no longer wish to camp may sell their memberships. For full-time RVers, a lifetime membership—in our opinion—can be one of the best values available. These memberships are often found through Facebook groups or by using a broker (broker fees are paid by Thousand Trails).
Campgroud Membership Outlet
Campground Membership Outlet is a brokerage service that helps connect buyers and sellers of campground memberships, including Thousand Trails lifetime memberships. We used this service to purchase our membership because we felt more comfortable working with a knowledgeable broker rather than sending money directly to an individual. While private sales may offer more room for negotiation, a broker provides added security and understands the current market value.
Passport America
Passport America offers discounts of up to 50% at over 1,000 participating RV parks across the United States. We often use Passport America when we are unable to stay at a Thousand Trails campground, making it a helpful and affordable backup option while traveling.
Kampgrounds of America
KOA (Kampgrounds of America) offers a wide network of campgrounds across the United States, providing additional flexibility when traveling. With a KOA Rewards membership, campers receive 10% off daily registration fees, making it a convenient option for overnight stays or stops between longer stays.
Escapees RV Club
Escapees offers 15–50% discounts on camping at over 1,180 parks nationwide. Membership also includes additional benefits such as discounts, magazines, mail forwarding services, roadside assistance, and opportunities to connect with other RVers through interest-based groups.but