You probably know about Harvest Hosts. It’s a camping membership organization that brings RVers to cooperating farms, wineries, and more, where RVers can stay overnight for free. You may know about Bowlus RVs—a small upper-crust RV manufacturer that recently priced some of its travel trailers at a quarter million dollars.
Now the two groups have set out on their own adventure. Harvest Hosts declares all Bowlus RVs “Adventure Ready.” But we have to ask—so what? Could it be a sign that Harvest Hosts could go the way of the original Good Sam Club?
A third of RV Travel readers are Harvest Host members
When asked, 33% of RVtravel.com responding readers said they were already Harvest Host members, and another 18% said they were considering it. There’s obviously value in a membership, particularly if you like to get off the beaten track and experience unique overnight spots. But we’re a bit puzzled by the “Adventure Ready” program and Bowlus’ new entry into the plan.
Here’s what a joint press release from the two organizations has to say:
“Harvest Hosts, the unique RV camping Membership offering RVers access to one-of-a-kind overnight camping experiences, is excited to announce that Bowlus has joined the Harvest Hosts Adventure Ready program. As part of this partnership, all Bowlus RVs have been officially certified as ‘Adventure Ready.’”
What does “Adventure Ready” mean?
So just what’s so special about an RV that’s certified as “Adventure Ready” by Harvest Hosts? The membership group says it “identifies RVs that are fully equipped to meet the needs of modern RVers seeking off-grid adventures. To qualify as Adventure Ready, an RV must be fully self-contained, with an interior toilet and built-in black and grey water tanks.”
Really? Fully self-contained? Have an interior toilet? Equipped with both black and grey water tanks? If we guessed that 90% of the RVs on the road today had all these attributes, we’d probably be significantly under-guessing. The press release adds, “This certification means that all Bowlus RVs, known for their luxurious design and innovative technology, are ready to park overnight at any of Harvest Hosts’ 9,000+ unique locations across North America.”
The rest of the release goes on to gush about Bowlus products. It follows up with a comment from Bowlus’ CEO: “Joining the Harvest Hosts Adventure Ready program was a natural step for Bowlus,” said Geneva Long, CEO of Bowlus. “Our customers value the ability to explore without limits, and by certifying our entire lineup as Adventure Ready, we’re providing them with even more opportunities to experience the beauty and diversity of North America while supporting local businesses.”
How does this help Harvest Hosts’ paying members?
We’re scratching our heads a bit here. Just how does this Adventure Ready program benefit paying members? Will it help those who are thinking about ponying up for a membership? RV owners are clearly informed on Harvest Hosts’ site about the requirements for staying at a host site.
It smells suspiciously like a new “revenue stream” for the outfit. We have no information on if, or for how much, Harvest Hosts charges to certify a company for this “program.” However, Harvest Hosts says this in the release: “Harvest Hosts continues to expand the Adventure Ready program, with plans to collaborate with other leading RV manufacturers. This initiative is part of Harvest Hosts’ broader effort to inspire RVers to explore new places, create lasting memories, and contribute to the local communities they visit.”
Pardon if this sounds a bit jaded. But there is no such thing as a free lunch. We can see how the program could benefit Harvest Hosts. Those participating in the program can’t be hurt as they gain wider exposure.
The trouble is, it just sounds like the tide of today’s business world. Making a buck is getting harder, and the little guys, frankly, don’t make it. The big fish come along and swallow them up. Starting as a small company, Harvest Hosts was later bought up. The new Harvest Hosts ownership recently bought up the RVers’ fulltime organization, Escapees. Now a collaboration with RV manufacturers?
Is RV history repeating itself?
Somehow, it seems like this could be history repeating itself. If you can remember RV history back to the 1960s, you’ll recognize the name of Art Rouse. He’s considered the father of the original Good Sam Club, which for years truly served the interests of RVers. But then a big fish came along in the form of a company that owns Camping World. Ask folks who were Good Sam Club members “back in the day” about what’s occurred. Many bemoan what’s happened to the original club, now that a big corporation owns it.
We just hope that Harvest Hosts’ “broader effort to inspire RVers to explore new places, create lasting memories, and contribute to the local communities” doesn’t turn into repeat of what happened to the Good Sam Club. It may be great for its owners, but for RVers, it seems a different story.
##RVT1174b
I thought Harvest Host bought Escapees not the other way round. Not sure I see the benefit in any of this.
Hi, PJ. Yep, that’s what the post says: “The new Harvest Hosts ownership recently bought up the RVers’ fulltime organization, Escapees.” Have a good afternoon/evening. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Sounds like “Bowles Adventure Ready- Escapees – Harvest Hosts” (BAREHaHo) may be the next step?
🤣🤣
We were Good Sam members for many years until the magazine, online travel planner, local chapters, original purpose, and “club feeling” of the club all went away. Not much point in being members of a “club” that no longer bore any resemblance to a club.
So, if Harvest Host/Boondockers Welcome is headed in the same direction, we’ll pass on joining. Don’t see many advantages to paying a membership fee, plus the expected purchase of the host’s product, to dry camp in a business parking lot. We’ll just continue to use public campgrounds, Passport America, and actual boondocking/dry camping on our RV travels, with a special affinity for two favorites: COE lakes
and NM state park campgrounds!
Lifetime member of Good Sam Club and almost none of the original benefits that came with the membership are available anymore.
Having had the lifetime membership for a number of years agree that what’s offered wouldn’t entice me today as in the past. I still use the trip planner as a guide and appreciate a few percentages off at parks. We do have a camping world down the street from us, so sometimes use for Rv related supplies. Sure miss when GS really was a club and fear that our 20 yr Escapee membership is headed in same direction.
I agree 100%. When they bought Escapees I became very worried about their schemes on the membership. Lamonis came along and destroyed the good Sam club. Are we now witnessing the same with Escapees?
Yes, for sure this is the hands of harvest host washing the hands of the makers of Bowlus and vise Versa. Money opportunities for each, n but not so much an advantage for customers. Only investors. There is an article about this very thing.
Thank you, Russ and Tina! Certainly a head-scratcher. I guess I am a non-player in this game. We do not own a Bowlus and are not a Harvest Hosts member. Thanks again, have a great day, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂
I figure if you can AFFORD a Bowlus, you are probably not interested in spending the night on a dairy farm. Or anyplace without maid service! I cannot see who this is benefitting. Surely not us HH members….
RVOvernights is looking better and better…
Makes the previous owners of Escapees sell out statements about Harvests Hosts “integrity” somewhat suspicious.
Interesting article. As a HH member I don’t see any value in this unless your bragging you camp(?) In a $250k trailer. Bottom line they offer no more shelter or amenities than my “adventure ready truck camper”
I was an original member of both Harvest Host and Boondockers Welcome when they were separate entities. When they melded I could no longer access BW. Their customer service response? I had to pay extra for the Golf Course addendum to be able to access BW. Neither of us play golf. So glad I didn’t renew.
AS an Escapee since 2007 and a member of HH and BW for many years I have dreaded the consolidation under HH. I am lifetime Good Sam and regret that decision. HH seems to be grabbing member databases as marketing tools with little concern for the needs of the members. The Bowlus action sounds to me like a poorly thought out advertising campaign for Bowlus and a $$ grab for HH. Can’t wait to see who is the next “Adventure Ready” victim.
was a member of HH for a while, found the number to be about 50/50 for places to stay that were decent, let the membership lapse.
Is it “adventure ready” or just overpriced and ugly? I fear that moniker may rub off on HH in the not to distant future.
Adventure ready means they gave HH a bunch of $$
I cringed when my beloved Boondockers Welcome was purchased by Harvest Host. Thankfully, the sellers must have made a fairly strong operational contract and the true nature of Boondockers Welcome is still functional (although more complicated than it was as a stand alone). As a Legendary Host with Boondockers Welcome, I hate to see corporate greed override quality RV’ing programs and reduce their effectiveness. The last paragraph of Russ and Tina’s article expresses my concern accurately.
Great article on “what is HH direction”? As a member, I am too surprised at the continued bombardment of emails from HH pushing this, that , and what’s next. I believe they have lost their mission.
Sounds like marketing BS. Wouldn’t give it a second thought.
lipstick on a pig…just saying, the Bowlus rv’s aren’t a far cry in price from Airstream though, nice but I couldn’t afford either one new.