When we decided to live and travel in an RV, one of our goals was to seek out new experiences.  So this year, we tried out a new type of camping experience called Harvest Hosts. We discovered Harvest Hosts is an excellent match with our sense of adventure, and desire to try new things!

What is Harvest Hosts?

Harvest Hosts is a membership program for RVers that for a fee grants members access to a network of host locations that provide free overnight camping for RVers.  There are over 700 host locations across the U.S and Canada. With two different plans, the annual fee for membership is either $79 or $119.  You can find more information on Harvest Host plans here.

Why Do We Love It?

The cool thing about Harvest Hosts is that members can park their RV overnight on unique businesses. The businesses include farms, ranches, museums, wineries, breweries, golf courses and more!

We love Harvest Hosts because it is a fun, non-traditional RV camping experience.  For anyone with an adventurous spirit and a self-contained RV,  it is a great option.

What Are the Hosts Locations Like?

The majority of the Harvest Hosts locations are beautiful and uncrowded, but each one is different.  Typically, a host will offer a space where you can park your RV overnight. They also welcome and encourage visitors to explore their place of business.

Keep in mind these locations are businesses and not campgrounds.  Be prepared to boondock or dry camp (camping with no hook-ups) as most offer no electric, water or sewer hook-ups.  Occasionally, you may find a host that provides water or electric, but that’s the exception rather than the rule, so come prepared.

We have stayed at several, and our camping experiences have been amazing.  It’s exciting to see the host location for the first time and discover where you will camp for the night.

We made two stops at wineries this past year. We met passionate business owners and helpful staff that always made us feel right at home.  They encouraged us to walk around their grounds, take in the views and of course sample the wine!

Each location has its style, beauty, and charm. Select a vineyard and drive up to find rolling hills and grapes on the vines. Or maybe you visit an orchard with apples ripe for the picking.  It’s exciting that each venue provides a different experience. So far, our stops have all been fun discoveries that align with our sense of adventure. We (and our big RV) have been greeted enthusiastically at every location and then directed to our spot for the night.

Can you find us tucked back in the corner?  We are grateful for this beautiful vineyard and the chance to camp here overnight free.

We are still oohing and awwing over the sunset. The views beg us to slow down and appreciate what is all around us. We do.

There is something wonderfully peaceful about the chance to spend the night on a vineyard and wake up to birds chirping. Refreshed, we are ready to hit the road.

How Do We Find These Incredible Locations?

First, we plan our travel.  Second, we use the Harvest Hosts website and query by State and City to see what type of location coincides with our route.  Then, we check to see if the host location has something unique we’d like to experience.   Members of Harvest Hosts can access information from the website such as geographical location, number of RV spaces available, and what size RVs the host can accommodate.

Additionally, you can view details, photos, and reviews about the location from the website.   You can get a sense of what to expect from all this information, but you won’t know what the situation is going to be like until you arrive. For us, this unknown is part of the adventure! Once we decide we’d like to stay overnight, we call the business and inquire about availability.

What better way to start the day than with this view and morning coffee?

Why Do We Feel Good About Harvest Hosts?

We enjoy finding ways to contribute to the local communities as we travel. When we overnight with Harvest Hosts, we support local farmers, and businesses by purchasing their products.  Would you like in-season vegetables, fresh apple cider or wine to take back to your RV?  We love the chance to buy farm-fresh and local.   Depending on the host location, you might purchase organic vegetables from a farm, or cheese from a dairy farm.  Maybe you could use a pair of mittens or a hat from an alpaca farm.

In our case, we did a wine tasting and bought a bottle of wine.  If farms and wineries aren’t for you, pick a museum, distillery, or golf course.  There are a variety of venues that provide opportunities to  “shop small” and support local farms and businesses.

The guidelines of Harvest Hosts encourage RVers to purchase something at each of the locations visited. The hosts provide a space for you to park your RV on their property overnight.  In return, they hope you’ll support their business and make a small purchase.  These purchases are the only compensation the hosts receive in exchange for letting you stay on their property.  We feel it’s a great trade-off and we enjoy these unique camping experiences much more than a traditional campground.

What Else About Harvest Hosts Makes Us Happy?

We love to learn about the areas we travel through. Harvest Hosts owners and staff are happy to teach you about their business and share their passion for what they do. At a recent stop, we had a chance to chat with the staff of a winery. They shared with us what inspires them to work at the winery.  They also gave us a brief talk about grapes and the regional climate. Not only did we meet interesting people, we learned something new along the way.  We had an incredible place to overnight camp and took a bottle of wine back to the RV.  We had a great day of fun and learning.  These opportunities to connect with others and learn something new make our travel memorable.

What Else Should You Know?

Are there things we don’t like about Harvest Hosts overnight camping? We haven’t had any negative experiences or found anything we didn’t like yet.  Here are a few things to be aware of:

  • Harvest Hosts locations are not campgrounds, so there are no full hook-ups, so if you are looking for the convenience of water, sewer and electric, this type of overnight camping may not be for you.  It’s dry camping the majority of the time.
  • Some host locations are farms, wineries, fruit orchards and more, so these type locations may not be conveniently located right off the highway.  Some may take you out of your way and be on winding dirt roads off the beaten path. Remember, I said it’s an adventure.  We have found it useful to call and ask about their road conditions and if their road access will accommodate our size rig. This way you’ll know before you go if this location is right for you and your RV.
  • If you stay at one of these locations, you may not always be on a hard level surface.  The designated overnight parking area may be on grass, gravel or dirt, or possibly in a paved parking lot. It pays to find out what type of surface you’ll be parking on for the night.  You can do this by calling the host location or checking the website.

The photo below is a Harvest Host location where we parked on a dirt/grass surface.

We’ve had fun at each of our Harvest Hosts stops. We have met interesting people, supported local communities and made lasting memories. It is an adventurous way to camp that provides a unique experience. We love it, and if you are an RVer, we think you will too!

Want More Details About Harvest Hosts Camping?

If you are an RVer and want to learn more about the program or want to sign up, click here. This link provides a 15% discount to the annual fee for either of the Harvest Hosts membership plans.

If you have questions about the program, check out the website’s FAQ document, or send me an email.

“We live in a world full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” Jawaharial Nehru

 

Disclosure:

This website contains affiliate links, which means when you click on the link and make a purchase, there is no additional cost to you, however; Angie and Dave receive a small percentage of any product or service you purchase when you use the link. Outdoor More to Explore is currently participating in the Harvest Hosts affiliate program. Harvest Hosts is a membership program that offers members unique RV camping experiences, such as wineries, farms, breweries, and golf courses across the U.S., and Canada.