Is Harvest Hosts Worth It?

Harvest Hosts is a camping membership that allows self-contained RVers to stay at wineries, farms, breweries, museums, local attractions and more. For a yearly membership fee, you can stay for free* at over 3,600 small businesses across America and Canada.  I put that *asterisk there because you’re asked to support the small business with a minimum $20 purchase. More about that later. So, is Harvest Hosts worth it?

Is Harvest Hosts Worth It?

My answer is a resounding YES! And here is why. Harvest Hosts is a great alternative to staying at a Walmart or boondocking on public land when traveling from one destination to another. One of the Harvest Hosts slogans is “Trading wineries for Walmarts.”  If you use your membership just twice in a year, it’s a good financial value. But the value goes beyond financial, of course.

Benefits of Harvest Hosts:

• You’re likely to discover unique places you would have never seen had you not stayed at a Harvest Hosts location
• You’ll be staying location that is usually much prettier and quieter than Walmart
• You’ll meet locals, learn about their farms, wines or small businesses
• You get the opportunity to support a small business rather than a big box store
• Your hosts can let you know about nearby attractions that only locals would know about
• You can meet other travelers in places where more than one RV is allowed
• As a solo woman, you’re likely to feel safe at a Harvest Host location
• Even if you only have it as a back-up in case of emergencies, the price point is low enough that it can offer you a peace of mind

How Does Harvest Hosts Work?

Once you join, you’ll gain access to the Harvest Hosts app and website. Harvest Hosts has several membership levels. You can get a basic membership with access to all the farms, wineries and businesses, for an additional fee you can also add golf courses.

Harvest Hosts recently acquired Boondockers Welcome. You can add Boondockers Welcome to your membership too, and with that you can overnight at homes and properties of private individuals. I personally have the membership with golf and Boondockers Welcome and have stayed at all three kinds of properties. I like having different options.

Most Harvest Hosts only allow for one night. Many Boondockers Welcome sites allow for more than one night.

Most Harvest Hosts locations are dry camping, with no hook ups available, although some will allow you to fill your water or offer an electric hook up. Many will offer a picnic table or sitting area. Some Boondockers Welcome spots offer water and electricity. They will often ask for a donation for the use of these amenities.

In order to stay at a Harvest Hosts location, you must have a self-contained RV or camper. This means no tents, no outside cooking and definitely not knocking on the host’s door to use the bathroom. Some hosts have rig size limitations.

How to Make a Reservation on Harvest Hosts

You can search for Harvest Hosts locations either around a certain city or destination, or you can search along a specific travel route. You’ll see icons on a map indicating whether host is a winery, a farm, an attraction or a golf course. You can click in to get more information, including photos and reviews from past guests, rig size allowed, what offerings they have and any other specific information about driveway length and parking pad.

Once you decide where you’d like to stay, you will reach out to the host to request a reservation. Most have an availability calendar and will allow you to make an online reservation. A few will require you to call. You can see if the host allows same day reservations or not in the app.

It’s really very easy to use. I’ve had great luck and great stays at Harvest Hosts. Even the ones that haven’t been amazing, I’ve met really nice people and definitely better than staying in a store parking lot!

Are Pets Allowed at Harvest Hosts?

Many Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome locations do allow pets. Most will ask that you keep them on a leash and pick up after them, of course.  

What if I Don’t Drink?

You don’t have to be a drinker to enjoy Harvest Hosts. There are more and more host options that are not associated with alcohol. Even if you do stay at a winery with no other purchase options, you can offer to make a small donation to the host for that night’s stay.

What if I Don’t Golf?

Some of the golf courses do require you to play a round of golf to stay at their location. Others just ask that you contribute to their business in some way. I do not golf and have stayed a quite a few golf courses. I will buy some snacks at the pro shop or have even stayed at one place that had a restaurant and they brought the food out to my RV in the parking lot.

A few things You Need to Know about Harvest Hosts

While you can stay for free, it is recommended that you spend at least $20 at the business you are staying with. The reason these hosts are allowing RVs to stay at their property is to attract new business that they would not have otherwise.

As I mentioned earlier, you need to have a fully self-contained unit. This can be a van, an RV, trailer or schoolie—as long as you do not rely on the host for amenities.

How to Join: Harvest Hosts Discount

If you join via my link you receive 15% off.

What’s in it for the Hosts?

There are a few benefits for host. The most obvious is having customer they would not have other wise had. In addition, people who stay at Harvest Hosts often like it so much, they post about it on their social media. This kind of word of mouth publicity is the best kind for any business.

Interested in becoming a host? Find out how here.

Is Harvest Host Welcoming to Solo Women and Minorities?

As a solo woman RVer, I say it is! Harvest Hosts has a pretty robust non-discrimination policy. Here is some of the language from it:

We believe everyone should be treated equally regardless of race, color, sex, gender identification, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, native language, religion, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, political beliefs, genetic information, pregnancy, status as a veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.  Any reported allegations of harassment or discrimination will be investigated promptly.  Upon review, we reserve the right to remove any Host Location, member, user, or employee over conduct that violates these terms.

As a solo woman, I do read through the descriptions of hosts to determine my comfort level. I look at the photos to see where the host is located, but I have stayed in a brewery parking in downtown Sandpoint and felt totally safe.

I’ve only had one uncomfortable experience and that had nothing to do with the host—just a bunch of rowdy teenage boys in the area. As a matter of fact, I think staying at a Harvest Host feels much safer than stealth camping, staying at a big chain store or even a truck stop.

My Favorite Harvest Hosts Thus Far (June 2023)

• Blue Heron Cheese Factory, Tillamook, OR
• Andante Vineyard, Dallas, OR
• SuLei Cellars, Walla Walla, WA
• Almosta Farm, Cove, OR

Want to Know More?

Listen to the Solo Women RV Podcast interview with Harvest Hosts CFO Leigh Ann Schultz: What Solo Women Need to Know about Harvest Hosts

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may get a commission if you decide to make a purchase via my links.