Harvest Hosts has acquired the Escapees RV Club, a thriving membership organization of 70,000 RVers which is based in Livingston, Texas. Joel Holland, a technology entrepreneur, purchased the Harvest Hosts website alongside his wife, Mary Ashland, in 2018 from Don and Kim Greene.
“I’m thrilled to announce that Escapees RV Club is now part of the Harvest Hosts family,” said Harvest Host CEO Joel Holland. “For those of you who don’t know Escapees, it’s a remarkable RV membership club founded in 1978 by the Peterson/Carr family with a big focus on community, support, and events for RVers. It has been a beloved cornerstone of the RV lifestyle for over 46 years, and this acquisition brings incredible opportunities and strengthens our commitment to enhancing your RV experience.”
In a letter to Escapees members, the club explained that “after much emotional reflection and heartfelt discussions about what is best for our members, we, the Carr family, are writing to inform you that the management and operations of Escapees RV Club’s membership, support services, educational programs, and events will be transitioning to the Harvest Hosts family. This transition excludes the Escapees Mail Service and Escapees RV Parks, which will remain under existing management and ownership.”
Why Harvest Hosts?
“While we have been approached by other companies before, we have never felt the devotion to shared values and instilled trust as we have with Harvest Hosts,” the club noted in its message to members. “The legacy of Escapees RV Club and our family history means more to us than most will ever know.”
For RVers, Harvest Hosts offers unique and memorable overnight experiences at more than 9,000 locations, including wineries, farms, breweries, and attractions, providing unique and interesting experiences, offering a variety of scenic and peaceful places to stay while supporting small businesses. Harvest Hosts is also deeply embedded in the RV community through it’s Boondockers Welcome program, which it acquired in 2021, underscoring its understanding and commitment to RV communities.
“With these values and commitments, we are confident that Harvest Hosts will bring exciting new opportunities and benefits to you, our valued members,” the Carr family explained. “Their resources and innovative approach to an extensive network of unique camping locations will usher in a new era of improvements and benefits for the Escapees team.
“This collaboration promises fresh insights and expanded services, all while maintaining the founding philosophies of Escapees RV Club. We believe this transition will positively transform both the Escapees RV Club and Harvest Hosts brands into the best community and support network in the industry.
“We believe that under the leadership of Harvest Hosts, Escapees RV Club will continue to flourish and evolve, offering even greater value and opportunities for members. We are excited about the future and the possibilities that lie ahead.”
The brand name of the Escapees RV Club will not change.
For more information on Harvest Hosts, click here. For more information on the Escapees RV Club, click here.
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I’m wondering how long it will be before the annual fee goes up?
It’s Always about the $$$$.
How long before Camping World takes them over too?
Yep,that too!
Thank you, RV Travel! 🙂 We got the email telling us of the acquisition. We haven’t been Escapees members long. I guess we’ll let it lapse. Something about Harvest Hosts (HH) puts my teeth on edge. We hosted a Boondockers Welcome (BW) site when HH acquired them. Ultimately that became an unpleasant experience after they ported BW into the HH site. Not a fan. Thanks again, have a great weekend, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂
Remains to be seen. Did not care for HH when I belonged. Escapees has been fine. Supposed to stay a “wholly owned subsidary”.
Some of our greatest RV memories and experiences were because of HH. We’re looking forward to the benefits of the Escapees acquisition.
Another good thing becoming a conglomerate mess!
It’s not a good idea when an organization buys out other organizations and gets bigger.
That’s called capitalism, the bedrock of our country (for now).
Typically acquisitions do not bode well in the RV industry. I hope this proves otherwise.
Boondockers Host for many years. I agree with Neal, the website was so nice, have never liked the website since HH took it over. Used to have two host sites but now just one since moving. Was going to add my new home as a host site but no easy way to have two host sites under HH. Had been thinking about joining Escapees but now not sure.
So, do I have to buy memberships separately? Are both one price?
As a very satisfied member of HH, I see this as a positive for my membership opportunities.
Seems like a good thing. Both companies focused on camping and travel opportunities for rv’ers.
This is another Camping World / Good Sam disaster in the making. It will only be a short time before membership rates go Way up and you have to be a HH member . What will happen to our domicile and mail forwarding ? Does HH really want to be bothered with maintaining them ? I think the Carr family has made a big mistake when Escapees disappears into HH.
Re-read the second paragraph, it specifically states “This transition excludes the Escapees Mail Service and Escapees RV Parks, which will remain under existing management and ownership.”
Sure they will say that for now but how long will it stay that way ? Not long , after all that is what mergers are all about .
Question is will that small sliver of the business be profitable?
I fully agree with Ron The Tumbleweed. Back in the early 80s before Camping World was able to sell Retail units, all of the Industry said if they were ever able to get into the industry in a huge way that would be the beginning of the end. They would destroy rving. Well, they bought Good Sam and all it is is an advertising arm for camping world. I have been a lifetime Member of The Escapees and Good Sam for at least 40 years and now I have watched them both start down the road to the end. Maybe I should just hang up the Keys and say it has been a good ride (camping).
Mr Goodwin, 21 years an Escapees and lifetime Good Sam. Understand your sentiment. Thinking we are headed back to how we camped/RV’d 40 years ago-kind of like back to the basics. Trying not to let these clubs, etc define how/where we park the RV.
Holding our breath to see what changes come. Full timer who relies on Escapees for mail and love staying in their parks. Change is never good when companies say there will be no changes .. 😂
We’re twenty-one year Escapee members. Received the email. Read through it as well as Q&A for HH. As I understand it, the mail service and campgrounds will stay with Escapees. (Have to verify the campground piece.). When we full timed, the mail service was great along with park access. Now that we are part timers, our style of travel has changed but we really enjoy the information Escapees publishes. All said, we’re disappointed with this sell out but not surprised as years have passed since Joe and Kay started the Escapees and it seemed to us to become more of a business modeled organization. Tried HH but a not for us. Likely will fade out of Escapees next year.
Buy outs, mergers or consolidation is NEVER good for the consumer!
No wonder the cost of HH has gotten so high. I dropped mine this year after being a member for many years ☹️
i am one whom was a member of HH, which to say is, that they do not require any observation of any and all HH locations… I went to a farm on a one night stay and had to pay a $50.00+ purchase of a product that the cattle farm produced… After the purchase of $57,
I was sent to a field of overgrown tall grasses and cow dung all in the field they sent me to!!! I was not very happy… I could have spent the money at a full hook up campsite for the same monies!!! I cancelled my HH… I have been a member of SKP for 8 years and very happy with them, maybe until now!!!
SKP ?
Hi, Michael. SKP is kind of short for “Escapees” (RV Club). Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
This…. does not feel good.
Escapee since 2007, Harvest Host member since near its founding and also BW. They have served different needs for us over the years. As I understand it Mail Service (my FT lifeline) will continue to be managed by the same people and under the same ownership as it has been and the Escapee parks will also continue to be owned by the family. The Coops are independent corporations owned by their members, their only requirement is that members must be Escapee members. That last is subject to change at the will of each coop’s membership. It remains to be seen how the Hollands will keep the Escapee spirit alive. Their emails and website are overloaded with advertising and that does not bode well.
This was a total surprise. Can’t help wondering why the Escapees leaders would give up such a great organization to make this change. Are they trying to improve on perfection? Too much to lose in this deal, but I hope there’s something to gain for the thousands of loyal SKP members. Time will tell.
I have been a member of HH/BW for several years and have always enjoyed staying at various sites; whether it was a farm, a brewery, a restaurant, or even a church. I’ve always felt welcome. Now I’m hoping to be felt welcome by Escapees. Here’s to the future.
“Houston, we have a problem”.
Did HH for one year and quit. Experience was a 30/70 between a great place to boondock and a really bad experience. Not worth the fees to continue when no one verifies these locations.
Acquisitions are paid for by the customers of the two companies. That’s you and me. Watch your pocketbook!
I’d like to see Chucks comments on this since he commented on the status of FMCA.
I am a member of HH and BW. The BWs I’ve used in the past are no longer there and I hear that many left when acquired by HH. I have never used HH…don’t drink wine or beer, and many are those, so why park somewhere I’d have to buy $30+ of something I wouldn’t use…why not just pay a few more $s for hookups in a park.
RVillage was sold, POOF it disappeared. Good Sam disappeared with CW. Will Escapees go POOF?
Vanessa, I will write something about the Harvest Host/Escapees sale. As it is right now, I don’t have a good feel about whether it is a good move for RVers or not. Things are changing fast in the RV world. I know at RVtravel.com we have big challenges now that we never had in the past. We are on top of things, many of which we have anticipated for years. But it ain’t easy.
Happy Escapees members nearly 30 years… I’m crying for Kay right now.