Our First Year with Harvest Hosts: Is It Worth the Hype?

We’ve officially had our Harvest Hosts membership for a full year, and now that it just renewed, we thought it’d be the perfect time to look back and run the numbers. Is it actually worth it for us? How much did it really cost? And what did each night average out to?

In this post, we’re breaking it all down- how much we spent, how often we used it, how the new CampersCard benefit fits in, and a few different ways to calculate the true cost per night. If you’re thinking about signing up or just curious about whether it’s a good value, read on for our honest breakdown and experience!

What is Harvest Hosts?

Harvest Hosts is a membership program that lets RVers stay overnight at cool, off-the-beaten-path places like wineries, farms, museums, and more- all for free (well, kind of). Instead of paying for a campsite, you’re encouraged to support the business by making a purchase, whether that’s a bottle of wine, some fresh produce, or a tour. You do need to have a self-contained RV since most hosts don’t offer hookups, and most stays are just for one night, but it’s a great way to meet people, support small businesses, and camp somewhere way more interesting than a parking lot.

How Much We Spent Our First Year as Harvest Hosts Members

We joined Harvest Hosts on March 29, 2024 (check out our blog post with our first impressions here), at the basic membership level and paid $84.15 thanks to a promo code. The membership itself is a one-time annual fee, and from there, the idea is that you stay at host locations for free, though Harvest Hosts does ask that you support your host with a purchase of around $25 if you can.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what we spent throughout the year:

• April 2024 – Wertheim’s Farms, IL: $30 on homemade candy (budgeted as a restaurant treat because… chocolate is essential, right?)
• September 2024 – Muffleheads Brewing, OH: $8.40 on a necklace and $19.20 on beers and popcorn (split across clothing and restaurant in our budget)
• September 2024 – Unity Church, PA: $20 donation
• October 2024 – The Farmers Market, NJ: $25.49 on groceries
• October 2024 – Mispillion River Brewing, DE: $37 on beers and a few gifts
• November 2024 – 450 North Brewing, IN: $66.64 on pizza and beers (definitely a splurge night, but worth it)
• January 2025 – Pink Elephant Antique Mall, IL: $12.76 on gifts and $39.67 on food
• February 2025 – Slaughterhouse Brewing, IL: $49.04 on beers and snacks

Altogether, that adds up to $308.20 spent at host locations over the course of the year- on top of our $84.15 membership fee, bringing the total to $392.35 for our first year.

Of course, many of those purchases were fun meals or things we’d probably spend money on anyway, but it’s good to see it all laid out when figuring out the true cost per night. Let’s dig into that math next!

How Often We Used Our Harvest Hosts Membership

In our first year, we used our Harvest Hosts membership for 9 nights total. Most of the time, we used it as a convenient overnight stop on longer travel days- four times for 2-day drives, twice for a 3-day drive, and twice just for the fun of staying in new states (hello, New Jersey and Delaware!).

One of our favorite uses was last fall when we had a little gap between stays in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Instead of booking a traditional campground, we spent one night at a New Jersey farm and the next at a Delaware brewery, mostly just to say we’d officially RV’d in those states. It worked out perfectly and made the travel days more enjoyable.

Since most of our campground moves are under five hours, we usually just drive straight through. That means we didn’t use Harvest Hosts all the time, but when we did, it filled a really useful niche in our travel style.

What’s New: CampersCard Discount Program

Starting in March 2025, CampersCard officially became part of the Harvest Hosts membership, and it’s now included as a free benefit. Previously, it was a standalone membership, so this is a nice little upgrade for anyone already subscribed to Harvest Hosts.

CampersCard gives you access to discounts at over 1,200 campgrounds across the country. You can find them right on the Harvest Hosts map, mixed in with the regular host locations. Discounts vary- some are 10–25% off, some apply to weekdays only, some are just for the first night, and others are for your entire stay.

We used our CampersCard for the first time during a stop in Talladega, Alabama, and scored 25% off our entire stay, which saved us about $100. That one use more than paid for our whole Harvest Hosts membership! And the best part was it made a private RV park with full hookups cheaper than the nearby state park. Definitely a win in our book.

This is a newer perk, but it adds a lot of value- especially if you like a mix of boondocking and traditional campgrounds.

Let’s Do the Math: What Did it Really Cost Us?

Alright, so here’s where we break it down and look at the numbers a few different ways. Depending on how you budget or think about Harvest Hosts, the “cost per night” can look very different.

1. Simple Nightly Cost (Just Membership)

If we only look at the $84.15 membership fee and divide that by the 9 nights we actually stayed at Harvest Hosts sites, that comes out to about $9.35 per night. Not bad at all for unique overnight stays that aren’t Walmart parking lots.

This is how we personally budget it- just the membership fee under “camping,” and any purchases we make at host locations get slotted into our usual categories like restaurants, entertainment, or gifts.

2. Nightly Cost with Host Spending Included

Now, if you look at the total $308.20 we spent at host locations plus the $84.15 membership fee, and treat all of that as camping-related expenses, the cost per night jumps to $43/night. That’s definitely more than a cheap campground, but it includes food, drinks, and souvenirs we would’ve likely bought anyway.

3. Adjusted Nightly Cost (With CampersCard Savings)

Since we saved about $100 using the new CampersCard benefit in Talladega, we could subtract that from our total Harvest Hosts spending. That brings the total down to $308.20 – $100 = $208.20. Add in the membership and divide by 9 nights, and your average cost drops to about $23/night.

So depending on how you look at it, our Harvest Hosts nights cost us anywhere from $9 to $43 per night- with the truth probably landing somewhere in the middle. Either way, it gave us flexibility, fun stops, and a few memorable nights that definitely beat a parking lot.

Final Thoughts: Is Harvest Hosts Worth It to Us?

So, is it worth it? For us, yes, absolutely. Sure, the cost per night varies depending on how you run the numbers, but the more you use it, the better the value gets. And honestly, it’s not just about saving money.

We genuinely enjoy staying at unique places we wouldn’t have found otherwise. It’s pushed us to check out new breweries, farms, and even a church or two, and we’ve had some awesome experiences along the way. In Delaware, we spent three hours chatting with a local at the brewery- something that never would’ve happened at a typical RV park. In Illinois, we camped next to a giant UFO at the Pink Elephant Antique Mall. And in Pennsylvania, we kicked off spooky season by waking up on October 1st next to a cemetery. You just don’t get that kind of charm at a KOA.

There’s also the convenience factor. A lot of Harvest Hosts locations are right off the highway, which makes them a great option for travel days. Sure, free overnight spots like Walmart or Cracker Barrel exist, but those aren’t our style, we’re just not super comfortable with them. We’ve always felt safe and welcome at Harvest Hosts, and that peace of mind matters.

So yeah, for us, the cost is more than worth it when you add up the fun, the flexibility, and the one-of-a-kind memories.

Ready to Try Harvest Hosts?

If you’re thinking about giving Harvest Hosts a shot, using our affiliate code gets you the best deals on membership- often better than what you’ll find just browsing their site. It’s a great way to save on your first year and support our blog at no extra cost to you!

We’ve really enjoyed our experience so far, and if you love unique overnight stops, friendly hosts, and a little adventure between campgrounds, we think you will too.

As Harvest Hosts affiliates, we earn commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.