How to Find the Best Campground Deals for Spring and Summer

Camping season is just around the corner, meaning you’re going to want to start booking campsites as soon as possible to make sure you snag the spots you want. That said, with RVing continuing to become more and more popular, campsite fees have gotten pretty steep. Because of this, many RVers are on the lookout for good campground deals.

The good news? There are still some deals to be had!

Here are the tricks my traveling family uses to keep RVing as affordable as possible.

Look for Discounts

The first thing I recommend doing? Looking for any possible discounts. There are a few different ways to get campsite discounts, and sometimes if you find a way to save on one campground, you can apply that same method to several camping spots. 

Try all of the following:

• Membership Discounts — Organizations like AAA and AARP offer camping discounts.
• Government & Military Discounts — National and state parks often have reduced rates for veterans, active-duty military, and seniors.
• Loyalty Programs — Some campground chains (like KOA) have rewards programs.
• Coupons and Deals — Look for coupons on campground websites and/or social media pages.

Find State, County, or City Parks

Even if you can’t find any discounts you can make use of, you can still save money by seeking out low-cost camping options that don’t require a discount to be affordable. Yes, the fancy private parks might be tempting, but state, city, and county parks tend to be lovely as well and they are almost always more affordable. 

We’ve been traveling full-time for many years now, and very rarely do we find a place we’d like to visit that doesn’t have an affordable state, county, or city park within a half-hour drive. You might not have access to an onsite pool or gym, but you’ll have electricity, water, restrooms, and an affordable place to park your rig. 

Try Boondocking

Looking for something even cheaper than the state, county, and city parks mentioned above? Consider boondocking.

This does mean going without any amenities and it requires a bit of prep. That said, it’s almost always completely free, and some of my favorite views have been from boondocking spots. 

At this point I’d say that boondocking is actually my favorite way to camp. I love that it allows us to camp in beautiful, wide-open spaces without rangers breathing down our necks or grumpy neighbors griping about anything and everything. Of course, the fact that it is free camping is also appreciated!

Use Websites to Search for Campgrounds

Not sure where to find the aforementioned state parks, city parks, county parks, and boondocking spots? This is where the websites made for searching for campgrounds come into play. There are several to choose from, and I will actually use them all to make sure I know about all available options when choosing a campsite. 

I recommend:

• Campendium
• RV Life Campgrounds
• Allstays
• The Dyrt

Know When to Camp

Many campgrounds offer off-peak pricing, midweek discounts, or seasonal promotions. Booking when these sorts of deals are offered can save you a ton of money. If the timing of your trip is flexible, check different dates (especially mid-week and during slow seasons) to see which ones might be most affordable for you. 

Stay Longer for Lower Nightly Rates

Most private campgrounds offer lower nightly rates for those who stay for a full week, and those who stay monthly will pay even less per night. If you’re able to stay out for long periods of time, this can be a great way to save on nightly rates and extend your vacation without spending a ton.

Personally, I love staying in one spot for a few weeks or even a month, as it allows me to really get to know an area and actually see everything there is to see without feeling rushed. 

Camp with a Group

A lot of campgrounds offer discounts for group bookings, meaning you might be able to save on camping fees by joining an event or putting together a group of friends or family who’d like to save on camping. 

Another option is to share a campsite with another family. You’ll all need to stay in the same RV, but some campgrounds will allow up to 10 people on a single site, meaning two families could easily split a site and share the cost. This would cut the cost of camping in half for both parties. 

Snag a Camping Membership

Depending on how often you camp and where you like to go camping, it might make sense to invest in a camping membership to get some good campground deals.

We’ve had several memberships over the years. Below, I’ve listed my favorites. 

Thousand Trails

• Offers access to 80+ campgrounds across the U.S. with different regional plans.
• Great for full-time RVers who plan to stay in member parks often.
• Not usually ideal for part-time RVers. 

Good Sam Club

• Discounts (10% off) at over 2,000 campgrounds.
• Perks include fuel savings, retail discounts, and trip planning tools.
• KOA Rewards
• 10% off stays at 500+ KOA campgrounds.
• Earn points for free nights and get exclusive discounts.

Passport America

• 50% off camping at 1,100+ campgrounds across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
• Discount is typically for short stays (1–2 nights).
• Cost: $44/year.

Coast to Coast

• Offers access to a network of private RV resorts with free or discounted camping. 
• Requires a home park membership; often used with Thousand Trails.
• Cost: Varies (typically requires a resort buy-in + annual fee).

Harvest Hosts

• Dry camp for a single night at wineries, breweries, farms, and golf courses for free (with an annual membership).
• Perfect for self-contained RVers.

Boondockers Welcome

• Connect with private landowners who allow free overnight RV parking for 1–5 nights. 
• Mostly dry camping with some limited hookups. 
• Ideal for road trippers and van lifers.

Escapees/Xscapers RV Club

• Provides boondocking locations, RV park discounts, and community events.
• Great for full-time RVers and remote workers.

State Park Passes (Varies by State)

• Many states offer annual passes for discounted camping.
• Best for campers who stay in one state often.

Of course, you will need to pick and choose which memberships make sense for you. I recommend only buying a membership when you plan to use it. Once you do have a membership, make a point of using it whenever you can, especially if it provides you with free camping. 

As you can see, there are a number of ways to find campground deals so you can camp all season long without breaking the bank. Why not put these methods to use now and start filling your camping season up right away?