By Cheri Sicard
Come along as we count down to adventure and education at three terrific aviation and space museums where you can spend the night in your RV as a Harvest Hosts member. (If you don’t already know about Harvest Hosts, see the bottom of this post. It’s one of the best values around for RVers).
A lot of RVers stubbornly hang on to the misconception that Harvest Hosts is all about wineries, but that’s only a small part of the variety of experiences awaiting Harvest Hosts members. This week’s picks featuring three great stops for space and aviation buffs of all ages make terrific examples.
*Please note: To view the links to the host locations below you must be a Harvest Hosts member. Sign up here using code RVTRAVEL for 15% off your membership.
Three out-of-this-world Harvest Hosts space and aviation museums
American Space Museum and Space Walk of Fame, Titusville, FL
This small museum with heart not only preserves individual space artifacts but also the human stories behind them. Exhibit halls offer everything from spacecraft parts to astronaut suits to photos and working launch consoles, and even Soviet cosmonaut mementos. Wander through galleries dedicated to Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Shuttle, Women of Space, unmanned missions, and the future of space. Be sure to peruse the “Walk of Fame” just down the street in Space View Park, where you will enjoy beautiful steel and granite monuments and engravings dedicated to all those who made space exploration a reality.
How to support this host:
Purchase museum admission, shop in the gift shop that, despite its diminutive size, offers something for everyone.
Harvest Hosts RV parking at the American Space Museum:
This host offers two RV parking spaces at no more than 35 feet in length, and that includes your tow vehicle, your toad, or any other factor that adds to your rig’s length.
- If you are a Harvest Hosts member, check out details on spending a night at the American Space Museum here.
- Visit the American Space Museum and Space Walk of Fame’s website.
Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, McMinnville, OR
A chance to see Howard Hughes’ awe-inspiring Spruce Goose is reason enough to visit this attraction. Even those with little to no interest in aviation can’t help but marvel at the sheer enormity of it. But the Spruce Goose is just the beginning. The collection also includes designs by the Wright Brothers and a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.
More than just displays of artifacts and memorabilia, the Evergreen Museum strives to create an environment that teaches children and adults alike not only about aircraft, but also the importance of human skills like mathematics, science, teamwork, determination, and perseverance.
As a side note, the Wings & Waves Waterpark is also located on the same property, and this museum is located near some amazing wineries (many also part of Harvest Hosts). For anyone visiting Crater Lake, it’s an easy stop and worthwhile to add to your itinerary.
How to support this host:
Purchase museum admission, and/or shop in the gift shop.
Harvest Hosts RV parking at Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum:
Each night, the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum offers Harvest Hosts members a whopping 15 RV spaces in their level, paved parking lots (they are rarely all filled). With a maximum length cap of 45 feet, this place is also big-rig friendly.
- Harvest Hosts members, learn more about Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum’s guidelines here.
- Visit the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum’s website.
Stafford Air & Space Museum, Weatherford, OK
This attraction, an official Smithsonian affiliate museum and the recipient of a Trip Advisor Choice designation, is located along historic Route 66.
Named in honor of legendary test pilot and astronaut Lt. General Thomas Stafford, the museum showcases thousands of items and artifacts representing the evolution of aviation and spaceflight. It seeks to educate the public on our nation’s rich aviation and space history.
How to support this host:
Purchase museum admission, and/or shop at the large gift shop.
Harvest Hosts RV parking at Stafford Air & Space Museum:
The Stafford Air & Space Museum has four large, level, paved RV parking spaces with a length limit of 45 feet. And this is Oklahoma, so rest easy that the property has a storm shelter on site.
- If you are a member, learn more about Stafford Air & Space Museum’s Harvest Hosts accommodations here.
- Visit the Stafford Air & Space Museum website.
About Harvest Hosts
Harvest Hosts represents an amazing value for RVers. For one low annual fee, you can overnight stay at thousands of attractions, restaurants, farms, wineries, breweries, churches, and more, across the county (as well as some in Canada and Mexico). Overnight camping is free, although members agree to spend money with the host, so it is a win/win for everyone. Some have water or electric available for an additional fee.
Get 15% off your membership by clicking here and using the code RVTRAVEL.
More Harvest Hosts locations for RVers:
##RVT1128
We stayed at the RV park next door to the Evergreen Museum in McMinnville. We don’t belong to Harvest Host so we paid full boat for this stay. Didn’t matter – this was a museum to spend the entire day (and a couple hours the next day) at. The word ‘fabulous” comes to mind. And then, as an added bonus, we spent a couple more days visiting local wineries. A great area to spend time in. Of course, this being Oregan, it rained the entire time!
Last time I was at McMinnville, one didn’t need to be with Harvest Hosts. Just had to have a ticket for the museum to stay. I can wander around there two days easy.
The Mid-America Air Museum in Liberal, KS, is also a Harvest Host site. We stayed overnight last year, after visiting the museum, in the huge parking lot just across the fence from the taxi-way and runway. However, there were no plane flights during the night and we were the only RV there, so very quiet. And, BTW, the museum was great, with planes from WWI to the Vietnam era–fighters, bombers, cargo planes, helicopters, Army, Navy, and Air Force. It also included photo, engine, bombsight, and recreated barracks room displays of the WWII B-24 bomber training field at Liberal.
Thank you, Cheri.
If you’re ever near Oshkosh Wisconsin, take time to visit EAA ( EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION).
all types of aircraft from Wright Bros. To warbirds. You can’t see it all in one day. There’s an rv campground across the highway.
$5 to $8 last time I was there (EAA, not campground)
Another great Harvest Host Air Museum is Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
I was there a few years ago! The SR-71 is just spectacular!
The Naval Air Station in Pensacola is so awesome.. my dad was in the Air Force and worked at General Dynamics / Lockheed Martin in the 70’s.
Thank you for the descriptions, Cheri! These are interesting places to visit. Have a great day and safe travels!