Lauren Pineda
Owning an RV camper has always been something super cool in my opinion. But our society likes to work in a fast-paced environment, with instant access to everything, including travel. We fly, stay at hotels that cater to our every need, and use vacation to be as lazy as possible as opposed to the little bit of work it would take to travel in an RV. But 2020 definitely decided that to humble high-end travelers, and it’s no wonder RV sales are at an all time record high.
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COVID-19 is no joke, and with the coronavirus pandemic shutting everything down, people have quite literally lost it trying to come up with things to do during quarantine. Social distancing has severely limited everything, making it much more difficult to travel even to your local bar just to grab a nightcap drink. Nevertheless, this couldn’t be a better time to shine for RVers. Even though state parks and campsites have closed and limited their parking spots, an opportunity has now arisen for those who are over quarantining in their home. And I’m talking about their non-mobile one.
Harvest Hosts is a membership-based network that offers RVers free overnight access to over 1,500 wineries, breweries, farms, museums, and attractions. Harvest Hosts locations span across the United States, Canada, and Baja California, targeting the fact that flying in and out of North America is basically impossible at this time. So this obviously is no ordinary travel membership program or camping experience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPI73EqlXjQ&feature=emb_logo
Besides owning an RV (assuming you have one, I mean, people are buying these things like crazy this year!), you only have to pay a $79 annual Harvest Hosts membership fee, which is basically the cost of two to three overnight stays at decently budget-friendly RV camping parking lots. And if you really want to get into it, another measly $40 annually gets Harvest Hosts members access to 350+ golf courses and country clubs across the continent.
Personally, what I would count on (what I’m dreaming of basically since I unfortunately don’t own an RV), is the fact that I wouldn’t have to struggle in going to a local bar for a nice drink after a day’s work. With jobs going remote, it would be pretty awesome to experience distilleries, wine tasting, and breweries across the entire CONTINENT, all while RVing. I’ve never had an RV camping experience, but I know that maybe someday, I’d like to be an RV owner.
It’s pretty clear that I’m excited about all the alcohol I would get to try during a pandemic and the fact that I wouldn’t have to worry about always having a bottle of wine on deck. Without exposing myself too much, let’s just say in a general sense that peoples’ drinking habits have probably increased exponentially because of quarantine. But, regardless of what you’re interested in for your travel, Harvest Hosts stays do include so much more. You can still check out other unique attractions and/or unique experiences like national parks or alpaca farms. And yes, I said alpaca farms.
There are a few rules that need to be followed, of course, before you experience your first Harvest host camping option. The RVs need to be self-contained, meaning no tents of any kind or sleeping in the car. It’s incredibly encouraged too to spend money at the host sites, in order to keep supporting the locations so that they can remain open during the pandemic.
I may have gotten way too excited about RV travel all of a sudden, but my need for adventure is heightened while stuck inside the same four walls everyday. First things first, however, does anyone want buy me an RV?
