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Looking for unique overnight RV camping experiences? How would you like to wake up on a vineyard in California or on a farm in Florida? Harvest Hosts is an RV membership program that provides unique camping opportunities across the United States and Canada. We have been members since 2015 and absolutely love the program. If you are looking for a different type of RV camping experience, read our Harvest Hosts review to see if it’s the right fit for you.
Harvest Hosts Review
Table of Contents
What is Harvest Hosts?
Harvest Hosts is an RV membership program that offers a different kind of RV camping experience. Instead of spending the night at RV parks or campgrounds, RVers can patronize a local business and spend the night on their property. Businesses include wineries, farms, museums, breweries, and even bowling alleys.
Keep in mind that RVs must be self-contained as most Harvest Hosts simply provide a spot on their property to park your RV overnight. Based on our experiences, this can range from a standard parking spot that can accommodate one small RV to a farm with enough room to host a large RV rally. Don’t expect to have water, electric, sewer or bathrooms. That said, we have stayed at Harvest Hosts where electric and/or water was available.
Harvest Hosts Membership Costs
For $99/year, Harvest Hosts members have access to a listing of over 2,000 hosts around the United States, Canada and Mexico. Each host listing contains information such as GPS coordinates, max RV length, number of spaces, pet policy, facilities, reservation requirements and more.
Harvest Hosts offers a 3 month 100% money back guarantee. You can try a Harvest Hosts membership risk free to see if it’s the right RV membership for you.
Membership starts on the day you join and will be up for renewal on the same day the following year.
Note: the $300 lifetime membership option is no longer available.
Harvest Hosts + Golf
For an extra $40/year, members can upgrade their Classic Harvest Hosts membership to access nearly 400 golf courses and country clubs.
This option is ideal for RVers who enjoy golf. When searching for nearby Harvest Hosts locations, the golf courses will show up in green on the search map.
What We Love about Harvest Hosts
More Than Wineries.
We’ve stayed at a number of Harvest Hosts location since 2015. Only a handful have been wineries. Others types of Harvest Hosts we’ve stayed at included:
- trading post in Arizona
- distillery in Colorado
- flea market in Georgia
- produce farms in Florida and Washington
- air museums in Oregon and North Dakota
- bowling alley in Wyoming
- tour operator outside Big Bend National Park
Every Harvest Hosts stay offers a unique experience and it’s always a nice surprise when we pull up in our camper.
More Than a One Night Stay
The guidelines state that members are limited to one night with each host. We’ve found that after we arrive and meet the owners/managers of the property, they will sometimes invite us to stay longer than one night.
Our very first Harvest Hosts stay was at Rio Seco Winery in Paso Robles. The host offered to let us stay three days on their property since we were visiting during the week and had the availability.
Some Harvest Hosts are only open on weekends or have events going on which can limit the number of nights a member can stay.
Support Local Businesses
We find staying with hosts to be a great way to shop local and support small businesses. Harvest Hosts suggests a minimum spend of $20 to support the business members are staying with.
Instead of going to a chain grocery store to buy produce, we can visit a local farm and buy directly from them. It also provides an opportunity to learn about their products hear their story. One of our favorite farms is North Ridge in Almira, Washington. We’ve stayed there twice in one year and got to enjoy two seasons of fresh produce grown on the farm.
Dog Friendly Harvests Hosts
Each host page includes information on whether they are pet friendly. Members can read the description for additional information about pets, such as leash requirement and business owner pets on property. It goes without saying that members are expected to pick up after their pets.
Connect with Other RVers
Harvest Hosts members are awesome! We’ve met some great people along the way that we stay in touch with. Especially if you’re new to RVing, it’s a great way to find and build community on the road.
There have been plenty of times where we are the only members parking overnight and that’s pretty cool too.
Peace and Quiet
The hosts we’ve stayed with are typically outside the hustle and bustle of the city. Once the business is closed for the day, the parking lot is empty and silence falls over the property. We take advantage of those peaceful and quiet times to enjoy a good book, watch the sunset or star gaze.
We have not run into a situation where the area was so remote we could not get cell coverage. If you’re concerned about connectivity, check out our post on Internet for RVers.
Member Reviews and Photos
The website includes comments, photos and videos submitted by Harvest Hosts members. Often times we will find helpful information such as cell coverage and road noise.
Rigs of All Sizes
About 80% of the hosts can accommodate RVs of any size. You can also use the filter to find hosts that can accommodate the size RV you have.
When we started RVing, we were in a small Class A motorhome towing a Jeep Wrangler. Then we downsized to Class B van life and now we live out of a 4×4 truck camper. While having a smaller RV gives us more host options, the majority of hosts we’ve stayed with can accommodate rigs as big as these custom Super C motorhomes.
Harvest Hosts Mobile App
The Harvest Hosts app is one of our essential apps for RVing for a reason. Available for Android and iOS devices, this app is easy to use and we can access all the information we need to book a stay.
Now you can even send an online stay request through the app.
Great Customer Service
Whether you’re an existing member or looking to join, you can contact Harvest Hosts customer support by sending an email to team@harvesthosts.com.
The One Downside
More hosts please! Some states/regions have more hosts than others and we wish there were more everywhere.
On a bright note, new hosts are added every month and we’re notified of those via the member newsletter. As we travel, we also encourage businesses that can accommodate RVs to join the program.
Harvest Hosts Video Review
Take a step back in time and watch the video we made about our Harvest Hosts experience when we were still traveling in a Class A motorhome.
Summary
We would recommend Harvest Hosts to RVers looking for unique dry camping opportunities across the United States. It’s a great way to visit areas off the main road, discover new experiences and test your boondocking skills.
At $99 for a single year membership, it’s more than worth it. Read more about our first Harvest Hosts experience in Tales From the Open Road: The Adventures and Misadventures of RV Living.
If you found our Harvest Hosts review helpful, consider using our affiliate link to join Harvest Hosts to receive a 15% discount on your membership.
Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to share your Harvest Hosts experiences in the comment section.
What do you have in the Charleston sc area?
As of today, there’s a farm and a brewery close to the area.
I like to learn more about this campsite and become a member
Maybe pushing the rules a bit, but your thoughts on a hard side A frame pop up with interior cassette toilet, and the question mark being that gray water would dispense into an exterior 15 gallon Rhino RV wastewater tank?
I would send that question to the support team at Harvest Hosts and see what they say.
I read that tent pop outs are prohibited. My camper has fold down sleeping areas that are canvas. Is that what is prohibited?
Here is what the Harvest Hosts FAQ section says about types of vehicles allowed:
“All classes of RV’s are allowed (Class A, Class B, Class C) including Motor Coaches, Fifth Wheel Campers, Travel Trailers, Toy Haulers, Camper Vans, Truck Campers, and Schoolies. Towed Vehicles are also acceptable.
All Vehicles must be fully self contained: Your RV must have an interior toilet and built-in holding tanks for waste water. Porta-potties are acceptable but must be dumped off-site at an appropriate facility. The dumping of any gray water on Host properties is prohibited. You must have interior cooking facilities. Sorry, no tents of any kind allowed.
Prohibited: Tents, campers with tent pop-outs, mini-vans, sleeping in cars or trucks.”
Now that you’re in a popup truck bed camper, have you tried to stay at a Harvest Host location? Or is popup the same as “pop-out” and you are excluded?
Hey Jay, we have stayed at quite a few Harvest Hosts since we got the pop-up truck camper including one we just stayed at in Arkansas. Since we our camper is fully self-contained, we are not excluded.
Hey Kate,
I just read your article. Harvest host’s members are great. You shared great information.
Keep it up.
Thank You
Are there any sites in the Midwest area of Iowa, Missouri & Kansas? How many golf courses in those states?
There are quite a few Harvest Hosts in those states. You can get an idea by scrolling down to the map on this page. For an exact number, you can contact Harvest Hosts directly by filling out this form.
We’ve been using it for about 3 months, and we have had a fantastic experience with it. I highly recommend it!
Our favorite thus far was a dairy farm in Missouri ~ Owners we fabulous!
I get that it is appropriate to spend money at the host’s business if possible, but is there an incremental charge for each stay or are all costs covered by the $79 annual?
What you spend at each host location for the stay is separate from the annual membership fee.
I just signed up for Harvest Host. I’m really interested in the etiquette of staying more than one night. You mention the host invited to let you stay more than one night, and I know the site states you have to be invited and shouldn’t ask. I just can’t put together how that conversation would really go down. I imagine I would just bluntly ask if it was ok. Can you tell me your experience with that?
Hey Justin, our experience has always been the host offering to let us stay more than one night. One time it was during check-in while they were showing us where to park. It all depends on the host, what they have going on during your stay and how busy it is.
Thanks for the great review! I will use your link to join as soon as I find the perfect sprinter van for my travels.
We do most our dry camping just overnight. Is it a problem if you come in late and leave early without purchasing anything? Places are usually closed when we are just looking for somewhere overnight.
So how do you handle getting fresh water and emptying grey and Blackwater if you are on a trip and wanting to frequent Harvest Host locations? Do you alternate with campgrounds with dump stations or have you found places that allow you to pay to dump?
We find places to dump and get potable water along the way. Allstays is the tool we use to locate those places.
I need to know locations before I join to make sure it’ll be where we are traveling. Beginning in Florida traveling either up I 95 or I 81 to Vermont.
How many will I find in California? Are there restrictions or are they closed because of corona virus Near San Francisco in California?
Is there any wifi?
Are there any on Ohio?
There are quite a number of hosts in Ohio including wineries, farms and breweries.
Hello. Can you advise if prices are in US dollars
The prices are in U.S. dollars.
We have a very nice museum your members might enjoy in Coalinga, CA – near Fresno. Contact us if you want to add us to your locations.
To become a host you can fill out this form on Harvest Hosts website https://harvesthosts.com/hosts/
is membership a 12 months or a calendar year.
Hey David. The membership starts on the day you join and will renew on the same day the following year.
Thank you both for so much info on your blog! Were new to the traveling world in our travel trailer. We’ve been running into more issues then expected with our pups, particularly our pitbull, whose is the sweetest real dumb dumb loves everyone type, have you had any indication that the hosts breed restrict? Thanks so much!
We’ve never heard of a breed restriction with hosts.
Does the membership run 12 from the month purchased or calendar year?
Hey Karen. When we joined the program it was 12 months from the date of purchase. Since policies can change at anytime, the best way to confirm the current policy is to send a note to their support team team@harvesthosts.com
Are you allowed to barbecue and/or have a campfire in a contained unit (eg Bonfirej.
That depends on the host. When you call the host, you can ask them this question and see what they say.
Have you run into any hosts without a business?
We are purchasing 28ac in Los Angeles county & are willing to host, however we are just people, not a business.
Hey Tammie. For individuals who want to host, there is a program called Boondockers Welcome.
How far ahead do you have to make a reservation? I mean in a typical spring/summer time frame.
Thanks!
It all depends on the host. We typically call the day before and haven’t had any issues.
Just joined the golf plan and found out that some golf courses require you to have to play a round of golf. That’s PAY TO STAY! I’m happy to have a nice beverage and a meal but usually no time for a 5 hour round of golf.
Is this a good option for families? You mentioned dogs, but are kids welcome also?
Hey Lauren. Children are absolutely welcome at Harvest Hosts. Many of the farms have activities specifically for children and all the museums are family friendly. The one thing you’ll want to check is whether some of the wine tasting rooms have age restrictions.
Is there a limitation on the size of the RV? I have small self contain camper van that i use to travel mosltly on weekends. Is that acceptable?
Some hosts can not accommodate larger RVs. Your camper van should be fine as long as it’s self contained.
Here is the answer on what types of vehicles are allowed “All classes of RV’s are allowed (Class A, Class B, Class C) including Motor Coaches, Fifth Wheel Campers, Travel Trailers, Toy Haulers, Camper Vans, Truck Campers, and Schoolies. Towed Vehicles are also acceptable.
All Vehicles must be fully self contained: Your RV must have an interior toilet and built-in holding tanks for waste water. Porta-potties are acceptable but must be dumped off-site at an appropriate facility. The dumping of any gray water on Host properties is prohibited. You must have interior cooking facilities. Sorry, no tents of any kind allowed.
Prohibited: Tents, campers with tent pop-outs, mini-vans, sleeping in cars or trucks.”
Is there many places to stay in New Jersey?
Hey Laurie. There are several hosts in NJ.
I’m interested in joining Harvert Host, my question is, do you have any idea what percentage of the host offer electric hook up? We have a brand new 5th wheel which is fully self contained, but a generator just isn’t in the budget yet. We will want to run our air conditioning and I think we need to be plugged in to do that.
Very few will have standard 20 amp outlets you can plug in to but that won’t be enough to run your AC. Almost none have 30/50 amp RV hook-ups. Also, unless you’re camped all alone someplace, it’s bad etiquette to run a generator all night as your neighbors or anyone in the area will have to listen to it all night.
If it’s so hot you need to run your AC, I’d suggest staying at a campground where you can hook up. When it’s cooler, you can run your fans during the night off your batteries which keeps things nice and cool. If you really like the idea of staying away from campgrounds, consider getting solar and more battery capacity rather than a generator.
I can’t find the code to receive the 15% discount to join Harvest Hosts.
Hey Paulette. When you click on our referral link http://harvesthosts.refr.cc/joeandkaitrusso you’ll see the code at the top of the page.
We will be traveling and towing a dinghy vehicle behind our motor home. Will we be allowed to take our dinghy out to sight see and leave our motor home parked at the Harvest Host location for several hours during the day?
When we had our Class A towing a Jeep Wrangler, we were able to leave the motorhome at the host location and go explore the area in the tow car. However, every host has different policies, my recommendation is to contact the host you’re interested in staying with directly.
Joe, I was interested in Harvest host but then the annual rate went from 49.00 to 79.00 30% increase in January
Couldn’t find an answer to why a such a high increase was warranted. So I’ M. OUT!
Hello! We will be travelling cross-Canada this summer. Towing our trailer, self-contained.
Is there a way to view the Canadian host locations? Haven’t yet purchased our membership but plan to do so! Many thanks. Susan and Mark
Hi Susan. I’d recommend contacting costumer service to inquire about the Canadian host locations especially if you have a specific area in mind.
We have a 24 ft trailer and use a quiet generator for power to be self contained. Is this allowed?
Connie. We haven’t run into any issues with generators. You can always double check with the hosts before you arrive.
Hello Kait and Joe! I have so enjoyed your videos as I prepare to go full time next fall!! I will be in a mini van though. Is there any restrictions on that?? I of course will have my own water and toilet set up. And cooking. But just won’t have tanks. I’m soooo looking forward to this next chapter in my life!!! Thanks for all you do for all of us!! Mickie
Hey Mickie – Your rig must be fully contained in order to stay at a Harvest Host location. If you have any questions as to whether or not your your van qualifies, shoot Harvest Hosts a note and I’m sure they can help. Congrats on this new chapter of your life!
Does one have to make a reservation with the camp host?
Hey Carla. There aren’t any camp hosts, but you will need to call the business ahead of time.
Thank you! What I meant to say was ‘host’, not ‘camp host’!
We have a 26′ trailer camper that we pull with a Dodge Ram. Are theses welcome at the Harvest Hosts places or is it just RV’s?
Hi Judy. According to the program your camper needs to be a self-contained RV. “No tent-trailers, outdoor kitchens or tents of any kind are allowed.”
Hello,
HHs sounds fabulous! My husband and I are wondering, however, if we may be limited in host options as we only will purchase organic fruits and vegetables.
Hey Laura. That’s a good question and one I would ask the owners of the program as they will be able to let you know if there are organic farms in the program.
Hi are there hook ups for water / elec / dump stations ? For any harvest host members.
This sounds like a lot of fun. Do you pay the camp host if so what are usually the cost ?
Terri – there is no cost to stay with the host, however it is expected that you patronize their establishment. There isn’t a minimum and typically we only go to hosts that we would be interested in purchasing something from. That said, if you don’t drink but want to stay on a vineyard, for example, then consider buying a bottle for a friend.
We are now overnighting at our first Harvest Host site. Thanks for the discount link. Looking forward to many more interesting stops across America!