Diane and I bought the Thousand Trails Elite membership last fall. The pitch is simple — pay upfront for the membership and get free camping at their parks. Sounds like a no-brainer for full timers like us. And after six months and eleven different TT parks I have thoughts.
What You Actually Get
Our membership cost about $600 per year for the basic zone. That gives us access to parks in one geographic zone with stays up to 14 nights. Theres a mandatory 7-night gap between stays at the same park. You can upgrade to multiple zones or the "Trails Collection" for more money.
The Parks
Quality is wildly inconsistent. Some TT parks are genuinely nice — clean facilities, well-maintained sites, decent amenities. The one in Palm Springs was our favorite. Heated pool, mountain views, good wifi.
Others are rough. I wont name names but we stayed at one in Florida where the bathhouse hadnt been updated since the 1980s. Mold in the showers. Broken dryers. The pool had a permanent green tint.
Most fall somewhere in between. Perfectly adequate for free camping but nothing you'd write home about.
The Math
At $600/year and the number of nights we've used it, we're paying about $4 per night average. Thats hard to argue with even at the mediocre parks. The membership has absolutely saved us money.
Bottom Line
If youre a full timer or serious part timer who camps 60+ nights a year and you can handle inconsistent quality, Thousand Trails membership is a legitimate money saver. If you camp 10 weekends a year and expect resort quality, skip it.
The savings are real. The expectations just need to be realistic.
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yep been saying this for years
After years on the road I can confirm — this is solid advice.
Tried the rainy day tip last week in Tennessee. Kept the kids busy for hours!
Tom and I just did this on our Pacific Coast trip. 10/10 recommend.