Thousand Trails RV parks

[JonClark]

Yup. Not happy with the northeast zone. Live in NH and closest is Moody Beach in Maine. Was not impressed. The only good part was with our "free" yr with the new trailer we could stay at a couple encore Cg and those were actually better. Gateway to the cape in ma was pretty good and lake george escape in NY was actually awesome. N.E. is just to far spread out and like alot of others have said to many seasonal and most of them had attitudes.

[wicked1]

I agree NE Zone too scattered so we are using 30 days for the year and mixing in some other campgrounds to see what we like, we also have a mix of friends with Class A's and travel trailers but they all seem to stay at the same place, too boring for me in mid 40's maybe when I am 60+ but not now


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[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by wicked1

I agree NE Zone too scattered so we are using 30 days for the year and mixing in some other campgrounds to see what we like, we also have a mix of friends with Class A's and travel trailers but they all seem to stay at the same place, too boring for me in mid 40's maybe when I am 60+ but not now


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TT Orlando with over 800 sites has the full gamut from newly weds thru the 80's with kids and grandkids. They even have a family pool and an adults only pool. We stay in the sites usually far enough away from the pools, etc we are not bothered by the noise.

[D_B Travelers]

Originally Posted by wicked1

I agree NE Zone too scattered so we are using 30 days for the year and mixing in some other campgrounds to see what we like, we also have a mix of friends with Class A's and travel trailers but they all seem to stay at the same place, too boring for me in mid 40's maybe when I am 60+ but not now


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Hey now Wicked1! I am 66, not allowed to discuss DW and age , but we would be bored with one place all the time! Rarely do we go back to the same campground except when we are only getting away for the weekend or staying close to the home of our children and grandchildren. That way they can come out and visit for the day. Otherwise it is go and see and enjoy!

LOL, I know what you meant. We just like to travel and next year DW retires so we can do that a LOT. I am going to keep working but can do that from the TT on my laptop. LOVE getting SS and still getting paid full time!

[wicked1]

Originally Posted by D_B Travelers

Hey now Wicked1! I am 66, not allowed to discuss DW and age , but we would be bored with one place all the time! Rarely do we go back to the same campground except when we are only getting away for the weekend or staying close to the home of our children and grandchildren. That way they can come out and visit for the day. Otherwise it is go and see and enjoy!



LOL, I know what you meant. We just like to travel and next year DW retires so we can do that a LOT. I am going to keep working but can do that from the TT on my laptop. LOVE getting SS and still getting paid full time!

Lol I hear you, I am in IT and could take my trailer anywhere for months at a time and travel Xcross Country but the girlfriend has a 12 year old daughter my boys are 21 and 19.

I just bought a 2012 Shasta Revere 27RLSS my first one. I love it but got the itch for a 29 PR Crusader have to say 5er's tow better than TT my neighbor let me drive is 5er what a difference. Well we will enjoy it for now and who knows what will happen at the next RV Show...lol. Enjoy your trips and Happy Camping


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[camaraderie]

Got my TT southeast zone 1 year free membership with the purchase of my unit from the dealer. Payed moderately discounted rate at Sea Pines in NJ...which was a disappointment. Headed out to Lake Gaston NC this week to try camping in my own zone. Will comment on that upon return.
Southeast has 23 campgrounds and a good geographical spread including several within a long week ends drivability for us. I don't think we'd lose money on the deal if we bought it ourselves...so the big question for us is what condition the parks are in and how will we like them. One thing I really don't like is the inabiity to book a specific slot even as a member. So...we shall see. Wouldn't have spent my own money on this at this stage of ownership...but I'll sure know whether it is right for us by the end of the year!
Passport America membership seems a lot more beneficial if you don't HAVE to camp on weekends and can take advantage of the non weekend offers. We paid for our membership with our first booking. Plus you can use it all over.

[JonClark]

Camaraderie, that's what we have been doing this yr to. Checking out the different grounds to see what is offered but up here in New England I'm sad to say they don't offer much. Nicest park we have been to was Lake George Escape but that's New York and I think it's encore. Moody Beach in Maine will never be visited by me again and that's the closest one

[wicked1]

Well we are in Chestnut Lake in NJ which is part or the Northeast Zone and we will not be returning, very plain and not much to offer it's campers even though we had our choice of 10 uneven sites, also no fire rings and all tables are broken and rotted.


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[JonClark]

Sorry to hear this wicked1. Try and enjoy

[Wa11y757]

Sounds awesome........... Not! Hey camaraderie, I would very much like to hear how your Gaston trip goes. That is close to us and have thought many time of going.

[camaraderie]

Hey Wa11ly...just back from Gaston and have a mixed review of the Thousand Trails facility there.
On the good side...
1. It is a beautiful location on the lake and heavily wooded in the campsites.
2. The Pool and beach areas are well kept and they just finished installing a little kiddie playground as we arrived. Shuffleboard court and miniature golf ditto though the golf could use a good sweeping.
3. The people working there were nice and friendly and accommodating.
4. There is also a small marina with slips there if you rent a boat...and plenty of spots with well groomed lawn and benches along the lake for fishing or just enjoying the views.
5. Bathrooms were clean and well maintained even though well past their prime.
6. Office has a grill for breakfast etc. and icecream & small sundry store.
7. Very few sites have full sewer. BUT a honey wagon will come pump you out for free twice a week...Tuesday and Friday.

On the downside:

1. The roads are atrocious rutted dirt and gravel...busted a piece off my scooter while going 5 mph.
2. MANY sites are FAR from level. And I'd say 80% of available 50 amp sites were occupied with long term campers who have built decks etc.. I'm glad we arrived off season on a Sunday as we were able to get a great site close to the lake. I'd hate to try in July and as always with TT...sites are guaranteed available on reservation...but the particular site is first come, first served.
3. There's no cable...just the PBS over the air...and no ability for a dish to see through the trees. Bring DVD's!
4. There's no wifi except at the office locations. Good connections there.
5. There's not much around to see and do. Littleton...about 4 miles away does have a Piggly Wiggly and a Hardees & Hardware store & Family dollar. Most of the store fronts in town are deserted. Closest major shopping is in Roanoke Rapids about 15 miles away.

A much better run campground than the last one I stayed at... and we had a nice but quiet camping experience...but probably will not return.
If I had an inflatable or kayak/canoe ... that would have been a big plus for this location...Thinking about that!

[Wa11y757]

Well....that sounds like it sums it up for us....I take my kayak and fish , and my wife watches DVDs.

[D_B Travelers]

I sent an email to TT regarding my trip to the Lake Texoma TT park, which I outlined in the first post of this thread. I received an email response from them on 9/5/2014 that they had received my email and their goal was to respond in one business day...fast forward to 9/10 (slightly more than one business day) I received an email from joanna_shoemake@equitylifestyle.com on behalf of Member Services. She again thanked me for contacting them and said my email has been forwarded to corporate office. I don't think they realize the image that most of the posts have painted of them, perhaps they do and don't care. Still waiting for "corporate".

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by D_B Travelers

I sent an email to TT regarding my trip to the Lake Texoma TT park, which I outlined in the first post of this thread. I received an email response from them on 9/5/2014 that they had received my email and their goal was to respond in one business day...fast forward to 9/10 (slightly more than one business day) I received an email from joanna_shoemake@equitylifestyle.com on behalf of Member Services. She again thanked me for contacting them and said my email has been forwarded to corporate office. I don't think they realize the image that most of the posts have painted of them, perhaps they do and don't care. Still waiting for "corporate".

I'm sure you are familiar with the phrase "Passing the buck"? I would be very surprised if you get a response from "corporate". I have found that Equity Life Style is strictly a stock holder money maker and they really don't care about the members like myself and others. Now, knowing what I know and have experienced with TT, I would NEVER join TT in any type zone pass or membership. The campgrounds are just not that great even at a reduced rate. We will continue to use TT Orlando, because at the annual fee of $526/yr and us staying 7-8 weeks, it comes out between $9.39 & $10.73/night for full hookups.

[D_B Travelers]

Yup, they don't care as long as the parks are still bring in some money. Imagine what they could earn if they spent some money on roads (seems the #1 issue) and worked with the permanent residents to keep it still looking like an RV park should. DW and I have been in a couple of other RV parks around the Texas coast that had permanent residents, but their sites were not the prime sites by the water and there was a STRICT enforcement of no junky trailers or sites.
I did just send another email after seeing Camaraderie's post. Our experience with TT was actually two experiences...first and last rolled into one. We will never stay in another.

[rockwood06]

Originally Posted by gljurczyk

I was wondering what is the cost to join TT and I know that they have zones that you have to pick. But once a member what will it cost a person per year to camp, or is it free after you join? Do you have to pay for maintenance, power or water. It seems as if it sort of like a time share Condo? What happens if you do not use it at all one year? Are they allowed to rent your space if you are not using it. What happens if I pick like the eastern zone but I want to travel to California, can you use other sites free in different zones? Really don't know to much about them. But I thought I seen that thing about a zone you need to pick. Is the savings really that great compared to staying at public CG'S?...Thanks

I have the East Coast package and the cost back in 2001 was approx $-000.00 this a one time cost for the package then i have to pay an annual maintenance fee of $-00.00 and this is due January 1st of every year.

I can go any where on the East coast in a TT's campground and pay nothing, and all amenities are free and all I have to do is call and make a reservation.

You CAN NOT rent your space out to anyone.

If you want to use campgrounds in other zones you have to up grade your membership and that is an additional cost.

[wicked1]

I am on the East Cost TT as well and I won't go to NY because check in time is 4:00 PM and I am 3 hours away so won't use NY of Mass so that leaves me with 3 in NJ and 5 in PA will be going to Circle M and PA Dutch Country for a week on 9-27 so we will see. I have 30 days of free camping and used 2 nights so far in NJ at Chestnut Lake and it was horrible so we we will not be renewing our membership too expensive to add another zone for the same 30 days of camping. All my camping friends prefer to go to other CG and I like trying others but TT CG's are just boring an not that nice in the East Coast Region


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[doc73]

We have been members since 2006 when we had our pop-up. For the $500 in dues we pay a year it is well worth it to use to go just about anywhere we want. Sure, I have had some interesting experiences at a few of the TT parks but nothing I would even care enough to write home about.

To me they are a "free / cheap" place to camp for my $500 dues a year anywhere in the US we want at a moments notice. It is a place to park with connections, we have never actually used of the parks activities other than when at Timothy Lake and the CG's water park this past Labor day. We generally just sleep there and explore the areas around the CG.

Our home CG is Hershey which is a very nice CG IMO, but then again I used to camp in a tent and pee in the woods, so I have low standards! LOL

[dblr]

Originally Posted by wicked1

I will be going to Circle M and PA Dutch Country for a week on 9-27 so we will see.


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I check into Circle M Sept. 30th for 2 nights, if you see a big gray Kenworth pulling a Cedar Creek stop by and say hi. Just left Pa Dutch after a 2 week stay for the Hershey show.

[wicked1]

Originally Posted by dblr

I check into Circle M Sept. 30th for 2 nights, if you see a big gray Kenworth pulling a Cedar Creek stop by and say hi. Just left Pa Dutch after a 2 week stay for the Hershey show.

We are at Circle M from 9-27 and leave 9/30 then head to PA Dutch from 9/30 to 10/4. I will look for you but this will be me




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