If a campground sports a Good Sam logo and advertises it’s a Good Sam Park, does that matter to you? Are you more inclined to stay there?
We’re talking about staying at a Good Sam affiliated RV park vs. another independent park without such an affiliation. We understand that KOA, Thousand Trails, Jellystone, Encore properties, etc., have their own reputations, so we’re not suggesting you include those when answering this poll.
Good Sam Parks are most often independent parks that pay Good Sam a fee to be part of its system. Bottom line, it’s an advertising expense for the park.
So what’s your thinking on this? If two independent parks are a mile apart and their prices about the same, will you tend to favor the Good Sam park over the other?
I prefer not to stay at GS.
Traveling cross country we used GS, Passport and Big Rigs Books to check on ratings. Our preference was Big Rigs.
These Campground are not owned By Marcus why take out your feelings on the poor campground owner! I have found the majority of campgrounds are or were the condition as represented in the GS. But our stays were usually one nighters and we wanted a safe, clean, place to spend the night.
And another thing (LOL) I have read that trailer Life and Motorhome were losing money. I subscribed to MH for years but became so tired of reading reviews that most of the time gave rave reviews about what they reviewing. I enjoyed the articles about specific places to travel to.
Give the camp ground owners a break. There are good ones and bad one just like most everything else.
I don’t like the things that Marcus has said or done either. But there are an awful lot of companies that are saying, doing and giving money to some organizations that I don’t agree with either.
will avoid good sam when ever possible
Marcus Lemonis does not own these campgrounds. All “Good Sam” does is rate over 10,000 campgrounds and publish a directory. The vast majority, if not near all, are privately owned, many by families. Even some of the “evil” KOA’s are owned by families. We like supporting local families in the areas we travel.
Like many others, I refuse to put one penny in Marcus Lemonis’ pocket!
I don’t support Camping World or its subsidiaries.
If we can’t stay in Military famcamps or State/National Parks, then we look for a Good Sams location. So, while we do look for it, it’s definitely NOT the first thing we look for. (And since I just joined Harvest Host, maybe a GS park will drop to fourth on the list).
I want a good site – enough distance between sites, shade, hookups, safe place to “potty” the dogs – for a decent price. I don’t really care about affiliations. Currently, we haven’t been traveling enough to warrant the cost of memberships vs recouping that cost via discounts.
I always check the reviews. If the parks have the same amenities, the RV park with the best reviews win no matter what the price is.
I am trying to move away from expecting a GS discount. Most places will give me the same price for AAA or AARP and sometimes Escapees or FMCA. I will look at the GS symbol on RV Trip Wizard when I am planning my trips, but I ALWAYS check the reviews too. A recent trip of 39 nights we stayed in 11 parks and only one was logoed as GS. Current trip, 69 nights, 20 parks, 5 with GS logo.
As long as they have what I want at an affordable price I am so there. Otherwise I use my husbands veteran discount. You get better results.
I don’t plan my trips and camping stays based on a Good Sam park. That’s nuts
All things equal, it comes down to the reviews.
I agree B. Williams – reviews are worthwhile. Now, how many of you take the time to write reviews to help others. I will admit to not doing so for every park. I try to write something on RVillage most frequently and sometimes on CampgroundReviews.
Most times I am staying longer than a week so good sam discounts don’t apply.
I look at the pictures and the rating of the park ,I have had good results in relying on Good Sam website and guide.
Good Sam is no guarantee to quality or being nice. I have worked in RV parks where when they know the inspectors is coming to spruce it up. Then afterwards go back to their normal ways. The park I am in does it – always know when the Good Sam inspectors is coming cause weeds get pulled, flower beds spruced up, gravel is kept cleaned off the sites, etc.
If the price is right, the park is clean and staff is friendly – that is what I care about.
We do our best to avoid commercial RV parks. When we end up having to use one a Good Sam listing means nothing to us. When we do end up needing a “port in the storm” we usually head for a KOA. Not only is their reservation system slick and easy but they’re a lot like McDonalds; you always know what you’re going to get.
The “Good Sam” name / brand is NO LONGER what it used to be. In my opinion, Marcus “Lemon” has sucked the life and value out of “Good Sam”. If there REALLY was “truth in advertising” I expect it would now be called the “Good SCAM Club”.
I agree with Mr. Koenig
As do I.
It doesn’t really matter to us but we much prefer state or county parks and the like to commercial parks.
If all else is equal, including price, I favor Good Sam.
A well rated Good Sam park has is my likely choice IF, and that is a big if, the location is right, the price is not exorbitant for the area, and the reviews are decent. Mostly I will overnight at truck stops while en route to a destination, then look for a state or local government park or national forest campground. National Park CG’s are to hard to get into these days, they are more likely to be the destination and planned for well in advance. Generally, I am not looking for the extra amenities that too many GS, KOA, etc. CG’s are offering. (Unless I am meeting my grandchildren there.)