Harvest Hosts is a unique membership program that allows members to stay at various off-the-beaten path locations all over North America. These 5,000+ locations include stops such as wineries, farms, breweries and distilleries, golf courses, museums, and many other types of attractions. These places provide the special experiences that many RVers set out to find when they buy an RV in the first place.
With their new membership in hand, Harvest Hosts members are in for a world of special and exciting experiences that can only be found through this incredible program. However, even seasoned members may not be aware of all the ways they can use their membership to the best of their advantage. Here, we’ll list out some of the best tips and tricks we know for making the most of your membership. After all, RVing is meant to be experienced, and what better way to experience RVing than by using your Harvest Hosts membership in the best possible ways.
- Visit the Harvest Hosts locations near your home for easy weekend trips
- Check for Harvest Hosts locations along your travel route
- Stay at locations that interest you
- Purchase birthday/holiday gifts at Harvest Hosts locations
- Choose Harvest Hosts locations with food on long travel days
- Check for Harvest Hosts locations in areas you want to visit
- Utilize the request-a-stay feature whenever possible
1. Visit all the Harvest Hosts locations near your home for easy weekend trips
If you are new to the world of RVing, you may be planning your first ever epic “shakedown trip.” This term refers to the “maiden voyage” of RVing, or rather, the initial trip that one takes in their RV in an attempt to become accustomed to all the new processes. As many experts would recommend, most people prefer to plan their first shakedown trip to a location within an hour or two of their home.
However, not everyone lives in close proximity to campgrounds, and some campgrounds may not make for the ideal first RVing adventure that you have in mind. To ensure an exciting shakedown trip, consider planning one to a Harvest Hosts nearby your home. This will ensure a fun and exciting first experience, while also guaranteeing a smooth trip. If you are not a brand new RVer, you are still able to take advantage of all the Harvest Hosts locations within close proximity to your home. Are you wanting to plan a weekend getaway without hours of round trip driving? Find a nearby Harvest Hosts location, and spend the weekend sipping wine, touring a museum, or picking berries. The options and possibilities are endless, and Harvest Hosts can guarantee a myriad of unique and individual experiences waiting for you around every corner.
2. Check for Harvest Hosts locations along your travel route
Once travelers join Harvest Hosts as members, they gain access to an entire online database that lists each individual host location on its own profile page. Through the use of the search feature, members can sort locations by type, place, and route, while also filtering to include their specific preferences.
The route feature specifically is a handy tool that allows members to input a starting location and an ending location into their map search bar. With the start and end places set, this route feature will show you which Harvest Hosts locations are located along your specific route. For example, say you are beginning a trip in your hometown of Philadelphia and planning to travel to Acadia National Park in Maine. This trip totals eleven hours without any stops, so many people would suggest breaking it up over the course of two or three days, stopping for the night after a few hours of driving each day.
If you are unsure of where to break for the night, allow the route search tool to show you which Harvest Hosts locations are located along your intended travel route. You can even set the maximum number of miles you are willing to veer off-route. This way, you do not have to travel far off the path to find a safe, scenic, and affordable place to rest after driving. Plus, stopping at a Harvest Hosts location for the night is always nicer than stopping at a Walmart or a rest area.
3. Stay at locations that specifically interest you
While this may sound like a fairly simple idea, staying only at Harvest Hosts locations that specifically interest you (and the rest of your party!) will make for the best overall Harvest Hosts experiences. Perhaps you don’t drink alcohol. In this case, you would want to choose locations besides wineries and breweries if you want to be able to enjoy said location. Likewise, if you are not a museum person, it may be better for you to choose a farm or winery location if given the choice. After all, following your own specific interests will always lead to the most authentic and enjoyable times.
4. Purchase birthday/Christmas gifts at Harvest Hosts locations
Let’s face it: RVing can be quite expensive! And while a Harvest Hosts membership can allow you to save on campground costs, members are still expected to patronize their hosts whenever spending the night. This is usually quite easy to do, as our hosts tend to offer incredible experiences and items for purchase. However, if you are traveling on a tight budget and don’t feel you have extra money to spend, consider purchasing food in the form of produce and other products, or even items to be given as future gifts to others. This will allow you to continue to enjoy Harvest Hosts locations and patronize each host, while also saving you money in the long run.
We have seen members purchase beautiful wine selections, homemade jams and dips, and many other unique and incredible products to be given as gifts on holidays or just because. This holiday season, consider skipping the classic gift cards and offering hand-selected gifts from small businesses around the country instead - we know your loved ones will thank you (and us!).
5. Choose Harvest Hosts locations with food on long travel days
While RVing is a fun and exciting way to travel the country, some travel days can end up being rather long and tedious. However, even at the end of a long travel day, a Harvest Hosts location can be the best kind of place to relax and unwind. For planning purposes, consider choosing a Host location with food, especially on days where you will be on the road for quite awhile. Many RVers are too tired to cook after a long day of travel, but may not want to eat frozen meals or fast food. A Host location with delicious food offerings sounds like the perfect place to eat dinner at the end of a long day!
6. Check for Harvest Hosts locations in areas you want to visit
Are you planning a vacation to Yellowstone National Park? Or perhaps you are planning to visit Seattle, Chicago, or Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You may be surprised to learn that there are Harvest Hosts locations nearby each of these destinations, as well as locations nearby many other incredible places across the country. If you are only planning to visit these places for a day or two, you may be able to stay at a Harvest Hosts location as your basecamp.
If you want more time in these places (most Harvest Hosts locations do not allow members to stay more than a day), you can always stay at a Harvest Hosts location on the way to or from these destinations. After all, patronizing a local business may be just the thing to give you the inside scoop on what local life is like in these areas. Keep this in mind when you are planning all your future trips.
7. Utilize the request a stay feature whenever possible
Did you know that we have a contactless method for booking future Harvest Hosts stays? Our “new-ish” feature, called “Request a Stay,” allows members to request to stay with a specific Host in just a couple of clicks. We understand how busy life on the road can be and hope that our new feature can make it that much easier for you to enjoy your travels. Not all of our Hosts are utilizing this feature, but, when possible, this can be a great way to plan your future stays with ease and organization. Be sure to use this feature whenever possible to make your booking as seamless as you can!
Harvest Hosts allows RVers to travel in unique and exciting ways they may have never before thought possible! Newbies and even seasoned members may not be taking full advantage of all the ways they can use their membership, and we hope this article helps to put an end to that. After all, Harvest Hosts is here to make your RVing experience even better, and we intend to do just that! Consider any of these possibilities and tips when planning your future trips for wonderful memories that the whole family can share!
