Cynthia Wiseman is happily married, but RVing is “her” thing, not her husband’s. “I have an RV that’s my RV,” she said, adding that she purchased a 24-foot foot-long Coachman motorhome in 2020, the same year she joined a women’s adventure group called the Lemon Drop Divas.
Like many other RVers, Wiseman is a member of a travel club where she participates in coordinated meetups, trips, get-togethers, and campouts with other female travelers. There are dozens of different travel clubs in the U.S., many of which cater specifically to RVers and campers.
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What Is An RV Club?
RV clubs can offer a variety of benefits for their membership dues. Some are specific to the type of RV, others target types of RVers (i.e. full-timers), some are specific to campground franchises while others operate independently of RV types and campgrounds. The general idea is that you pay for access to certain amenities and/or organized group meetups.
Benefits Of Joining An RV Club
“What brings everybody together is we all have a common interest in going out and camping and being with other women who enjoy the RV lifestyle,” Wiseman said of the group, which includes all kinds of women of all ages, both married and single.
“Camping is a big part of what we do. But there’s a lot of us that do other things when we camp, such as kayaking or bicycling. Sometimes we’ll have shared meals, activities, crafts, card and board games, and campfires.”
Many female RV enthusiasts enjoy being members of women-only camping clubs, and there are several of them out there, including RVing Women. “What happens when you camp with a group of men with women is it changes the dynamic,” Wiseman said. “We need our women time.”
Of course, there are RV clubs for just about every type of RV enthusiast, and all of them organize frequent camping events or “rallies” that provide opportunities for like-minded RVers to socialize with one another as they explore different campgrounds across the country.
Jeret Burnett of WagonMaster’s Travels organizes rallies for owners of Grand Design RVs. “They have over 12,000 members across the country,” Burnett said, adding that rallies are held each year at parks that cater to RV clubs. These include rallies every April at Bonelli Bluffs RV Resort and Campground in California and a large national rally every August at the Elkhart Fairgrounds in Indiana.
“A lot of people like going to rallies for specific manufacturers because of the camaraderie and the opportunities these events provide to meet people who share their interest in RVing,” Burnett said. “It’s a way to meet people you wouldn’t otherwise meet, and get to see people from all over the country and different walks of life that you wouldn’t otherwise meet, let alone run into.”
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Wiseman agrees, noting that her membership in the Lemon Drop Divas has enabled her to visit campgrounds all over the West at least once a month, from the Southern California desert near Anza Borrego State Park to Yosemite National Park and western Arizona, all while cultivating friendships with other RV enthusiasts.
“The people I met through the Lemon Drop Divas have become some of my best friends now,” Wiseman said, adding, “I feel like I have been waiting all my life for these people.”
RV Clubs In The U.S.
There are numerous RV clubs across the country, including clubs for RVers with specific brands of RVs as well as lifestyle interests.
Airstream Club International: A club for Airstream trailer owners that organizes rallies across the country.
Campers for Christ Ministries: This nondenominational organization provides a means for Christian campers to get together for fellowship at local and national levels. The group offers opportunities for members to participate in meetings by singing, playing instruments, sharing testimonies, preaching, and teaching.
Escapees RV Club: This club is composed of both full-time and part-time RVers of all ages and with different types of vehicles from toy haulers to Class A motorhomes. Some members are retired while others work on the road. The club offers rallies and educational programs, including an RVers Boot Camp, discounts on products and services, as well as a mail forwarding service.
The club also has subgroups, called Birds of a Feather, in which RVers with shared lifestyle interests can connect with one another and participate in various activities. Birds of a Feather groups exist for RVers who enjoy boondocking, working on the road, disaster relief, biking and hiking, amateur radio, and quilting. Other groups cater to baby boomers, pet lovers, solo RVers, and more.
Family Campers and RVers: The mission of this group is to share the fun, friendship, fellowship, and family feelings of camping together and to promote and enhance the experience and enjoyment of recreational family-type camping and RVing. The group organizes camping events across the country.
Family Motor Coach Association: The purpose of FMCA is to organize social activities, exchange RV information, and offer benefits made possible, in part, by collective purchasing. The association is also involved in political and legislative action. FMCA supports recreation programs and the legal rights of RV owners. FMCA benefits include a mail forwarding service, an emergency medical evacuation program, conventions, and area rallies.
Forest River Owners Group: A club for owners of Forest River RVs. Activities include rallies for Forest River RV owners.
Good Sam Club: The largest RV club in the U.S. organizes RV rallies across the country in addition to offering a variety of discounts on RV products and services.
Habitat for Humanity’s RV Care-A-Vanners: This volunteer program invites anyone who travels by recreational vehicle to make Habitat for Humanity’s humanitarian projects part of their journey, or even the destination.
Handicapped Travel Club: This club was established in 1973 to encourage people with a wide range of disabilities and their families to travel, interact with one another, and share information on making RVs more accessible. The club has local get-togethers and sponsors an annual rally as well as an occasional regional rally.
National African American RVers Association: This club for African American RV enthusiasts has rallies and other special events across the country. Association rallies include live music, parades, food, dancing, health and education seminars, contests, local tours, vendors, RV safety workshops, scholarships, ecology projects, and opportunities to socialize with other members.
National Square Dance Campers Association: This group brings together RV enthusiasts who enjoy square dancing, round dancing, line dancing, and the outdoors.
North American Family Campers Association: This group is primarily for RV enthusiasts from New England states and Florida. The group organizes rallies and other special events.
Rainbow RV Club: This club has over 10,000 members and caters to members of the LGBTQ community. The club has numerous events as well as a listing of campgrounds.
RVing Women: The mission of this club is to provide female RVers with a supportive network and the opportunity to enjoy the RV lifestyle in a safe and knowledgeable manner.
RV Radio Network: This group is an ARRL-affiliated association of Amateur Radio Operators who share an interest in RVs. It hosts rallies, hamfests, radio nets, and other activities of interest to club members.
Special Military Active Recreational Travelers: This club brings military veterans and their families together to share camaraderie, travel, camping, and support to veterans. The group welcomes all active, retired, and honorably discharged veterans from the U.S. and Canadian Armed Forces who are interested in recreational travel.
Thor Diesel Club: This club is an official chapter of the Family Motor Coach Association. Thor Diesel Club members must be Class A owners of diesel motorhomes from Thor Motor Coach, Damon Motor Coach, Four Winds International, or Mandalay Luxury Coach to be included in rallies.
Tiffin Allegro Club: This club is for Tiffin RV owners and organizes rallies across the country as well as provides discounts on RV products and services.
Tin Can Tourists: This club promotes the interests of all vintage trailer and motorhome owners. The club works with campgrounds, parts manufacturers, vintage trailer restoration companies, historians, and others to make sure the vintage RV community is appropriately served. There’s a directory of vintage-friendly campgrounds, member-only discounts, and various rallies throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Winnebago International Travelers: An RV club for owners of all types of Winnebago RVs and provides discounts on RV gear and camping memberships like Harvest Hosts.
