Boondockers Welcome is an RV camping membership that connects RVers with private property owners for free camping all across North America. But there’s so much more to it than that!
We have loved our experiences with Boondockers Welcome and meeting new hosts, staying in unique places, and exploring all the program has to offer.
In this review, we’re diving deeper into what exactly it is, how it works, and whether or not there are good alternatives – and yes, we’re giving our loyal readers access to our discount code to save money on membership.
So is it worth your money or not? Let’s dive in and find out.
Table of Contents
What Is Boondockers Welcome?
Boondockers Welcome is a business model most similar to AirBnB. This membership connects RVers with private property owners so you can camp for free on private property.
Unlike Harvest Hosts, Boondockers Welcome hosts aren’t business owners. They’re regular people with a bit of extra land, a large side yard, a huge driveway, or a big ol’ farm that they’ve opened up to allow RVers to stay on for a night or two, free of charge.
All you pay is a yearly fee for your Boondockers Welcome membership and you get access to their network of almost 3,400 hosts across North America – where you can camp for free.
This program is a really great way to get a free safe spot to sleep, meet new people, and even have unique experiences like staying on an alpaca farm!
Boondockers Welcome is owned by the same company that owns Harvest Hosts which is a similar (yet different) RV camping discount program.
Join Boondockers Welcome Today
Get Instant Access to over 3,390+ host locations for free camping all over the US and Canada for one low yearly price! Use code BWFRIENDS15 at checkout to save 15% off of membership.
Why We Love Boondockers Welcome
We LOVE boondocking – it’s a great way to save money on campgrounds on road trips, and it’s also a great way to experience the wilderness. However, in some parts of the country, it can be really hard to find boondocking sites…
And if you’ve ever stayed in a Walmart parking lot overnight, you know it’s not an incredibly fun experience.
We use Boondockers Welcome when we are in parts of the country that don’t have a lot of BLM land or public lands for dispersed camping and boondocking.
It’s not that we don’t like campgrounds, we do like them sometimes! But when you just need a quick overnight stop, spending $40+ on a campground isn’t something you always want to do.
We have used our Boondockers Welcome membership in areas without public boondocking sites and have always been pleasantly surprised with the responsiveness of hosts, even when booking on the same day.
One of our favorite stays was at a farm that was also used as a wedding venue near Glacier National Park! It was a beautiful location, close to the park, and best of all… it was FREE.
Boondockers Welcome Price and Discount Code
A Boondockers Welcome membership is $79 per year – which is a pretty amazing price for an entire year of free camping.
Here’s what you get with your membership:
- Unlimited stays with any Boondockers Welcome host (according to their availability)
- Special subscriber discounts on RV-related products and services
- Access to the app and website with all the hosts, host information, booking, and more
- A free boondocking guide
Plus, you can get an additional 15% off your signup by using this link and the discount code BWFRIENDS15 when you sign up.
Boondockers Welcome Discount Code
Sign up at this link and use code BWFRIENDS15 at checkout to get 15% off – you’ll only pay $67.15 instead of $79 on your first year of membership.
Are There Additional Costs?
The only fee you have to pay for Boondockers Welcome is the yearly subscription fee of $79.
Booking with a host is free. Keep in mind that this is for boondocking so you won’t have things like water, sewer, trash disposal, or electrical hookups.
However, some hosts will offer hookups to you for an additional fee. This is typically an optional expense and a gesture of goodwill on their part. Boondockers Welcome hosts do not make any money to host RVers on their land.
Boondockers Welcome Locations
There are currently over 3,390 Boondockers Welcome host locations across the US and even some in Canada.
You can click here and scroll down the page to see all of their current active locations.
Boondockers Welcome Reviews
We have had our own fantastic experiences with Boondockers Welcome. Every time we’ve booked, hosts have been very responsive and we’ve even had several hosts allowing us to book with a same-day booking request. This makes it so easy when you decide you need to stop driving to sleep but don’t know where to stay… But don’t take our word for it, here’s what some other members have to say:
“There is a saying, “the third time is the charm”. Not in this case. The FIRST time was the charm. Our first BW stay has spoiled us. After meeting our host and setting up, we husseled out to sightsee before dark. Not wanting to be intrusive, we didn’t pull out our mat or chairs. However, upon returning, we noticed our hosts had literally put out a large “welcome mat” for us along with an extra step!!! We enjoyed beverages and laughs out on their deck both nights we were there and even shared a meal. They provided a beautiful, quite space for us with water and electrical. Best of all, we know have new friends.” – RVBaby
“Boondockers Welcome rocks! I decided to give my new Boondockers Welcome membership a shot. I picked a place, and all I can say is WOW. My host was so friendly and her land was to die for gorgeous, and she even gave me some fresh-laid eggs from her chickens. I went to sleep and woke up to a fantastic view of the Sierra foothills and horses happily playing in their corral but feet from my van. For both of us, this was our first Boondockers experience. We are off to a great start.” – Sssnoo
Boondockers Welcome has Thousands of Positive Reviews
“This is a great way to travel and meet other RVers. All the hosts have been friendly and helpful. Many provide electric and water hookups. Some even have full hookups. Since hosts live in whatever area we are camping in, they are excellent sources on the best restaurants, shopping, and sightseeing. The small yearly fee to join the BW website is well worth it.” – USNretDiverDan
“We began using Boondockers Welcome two years ago and it now has become our preferred way of planning our travel! We love meeting new people and feel that this platform works great for our lifestyle! Thanks for being here for us!” – The Sandbirds
How a Boondockers Welcome Membership Works
Let’s look at how to get signed up and started with a Boondockers Welcome membership.
Sign Up
Signing up for a membership is super easy – go to their website here (don’t forget to use code BWFRIENDS15 to save 15%) and sign up and go through the process of setting up your profile and putting in your rig information.
The reason they ask you to upload your rig information and complete your profile is so hosts know they can trust you! This is their personal private property, after all.
When you’re logged in to your account, your dashboard will look like the photo above. It has a super easy-to-use interface and everything you need to access can be found right here in your user dashboard.
Search for a Stay
Whether you’re planning a trip or need to find somewhere to stay ASAP, you can click “Search Hosts” and look for hosts in a particular location.
If you definitely need electrical or other kinds of hookups, you can filter by hosts that offer certain amenities. Just remember that you may have to pay a fee for use of utilities.
You can also narrow down your search by:
- Location
- Distance
- RV length
- Pets allowed
And more.
Viewing Host Profiles
Hosts have profiles just like you do – and this is so you can learn more about them, their property, and decide if it’s somewhere you want to book.
Host profiles usually have pictures of the property, the hosts, along with any details you need to know about staying there.
When you hover over a host location on the map, you can see:
- Max stay length
- Max rig length
- Host’s availability for the next several days
- Add host to favorites
And if you click in to view their profile, you’ll see everything else, including reviews from past travelers.
Request to Book
Once you find a host you want to stay with, send them a booking request directly from the website or app.
First you’ll input the dates that you want to stay and then you will require a full booking request form that will provide the host with all your details and rig information so they can choose to accept.
Wait for a Response
Hosts don’t always respond immediately – sometimes it takes hosts 24 hours or longer to respond, so it’s best to plan ahead when using Boondockers Welcome.
However, in my experience, I’ve booked with a few hosts on the same-day and they responded within hours. This was due to lack of planning on my part and I think I got really lucky that they were so responsive!
But keep in mind that hosts don’t get paid for this so it’s not like they monitor it all day like a full-time job… So plan ahead – in other words, don’t be like us ;).
Pros and Cons of Boondockers Welcome
Boondockers Welcome is an amazing service for RVers, but it won’t be right for every single person. Let’s dive into some pros and cons.
Pros
Thousands of Hosts
There are over 3,390 active Boondockers Welcome hosts all around the country and this number is growing by the day. This is a great opportunity for RVers to find free camping spots in areas with no campgrounds, no boondocking, or if you just want a unique experience.
Member Discounts
Members can save money with over $1,500 worth of discounts from brands and businesses both inside and outside the RV industry. Learn more on their partnerships page here.
Generous Hosts and Accommodation
BW hosts are very generous and accommodating, with many offering utility hookups and much more. And BW hosts often allow you to stay multiple days, where with other services like Harvest Hosts you can only stay 1-2 nights.
Make New Friends
It’s no surprise that many reviewers say they left their Boondockers Welcome location with new friends for life. It’s hard to meet like-minds in the RVing lifestyle, but connecting with hosts and other RVers is a great way to do it!
Easy-to-Use Booking Process
The Boondockers Welcome website makes it so easy to find and book new host locations. It’s simple enough that even the least tech-savvy person can do it!
Join Boondockers Welcome Today
Get Instant Access to over 3,390+ host locations for free camping all over the US and Canada for one low yearly price! Use code BWFRIENDS15 at checkout to save 15% off of membership.
Cons
Response Time
If you’re a poor planner (like we can be sometimes) it might be hard to find last-minute accommodations. You should try to plan ahead at least 24 hours when requesting to book with a host.
May Be Difficult for Big Rigs
While some host locations can accommodate large RVs, some locations are in cities or residential areas and they lack the space or maneuverability to host big rigs. This isn’t true for all hosts, though!
Options Limited at Peak Times
Mosts hosts only have the capacity to host a handful of rigs per night. So depending on if it’s peak camping season or not, your options may be limited. Although there are new hosts all the time, it definitely pays to plan ahead.
Is Boondockers Welcome Worth It?
We definitely think so! Boondockers welcome is $79 a year (which works out to $0.21 per night) for free camping with some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet – we think that’s a pretty good deal. We’ve been members since 2020 and we haven’t even used it every year!
The price of the membership works out to a little less than $7 a month to get access to over 3,390 hosts across the US. So of course you’ll save money – but there are more benefits than that.
- No stressing about finding campgrounds.
- No dealing with crazy hectic party weekends at campgrounds.
- No camping in Walmart parking lots.
- The ability to find free legal and safe overnight parking on road trips.
The list of benefits honestly goes on and on.
And it’s not even always boondocking – so if that was a dealbreaker for you, it doesn’t have to be. Because you can filter host locations based on who has utility hookups… So it can be like a full hookup experience for a fraction of the price of a campground.
Boondockers Welcome Alternatives
There isn’t anything truly like Boondockers Welcome, but if you want alternatives, here are the closest options.
- Harvest Hosts: owns Boondockers Welcome and you can also bundle memberships to get access to over 7,800 host locations. Harvest Host locations are with businesses and not individuals.
- HipCamp: HipCamp is like an AirBnB type service for tent camping and tent campsites, but you can find hosts that have RV and van spots too.
Boondockers Welcome vs Harvest Hosts
The main difference between Boondockers Welcome and Harvest Hosts is the host type. Boondockers Welcome hosts are private property owners and everyday individuals, where Harvest Hosts are places like wineries, museums, golf courses, and other privately owned businesses.
Both memberships give you access to unique places to stay and since they’re the same company now, the rules are similar.
Harvest Hosts locations are almost exclusively boondocking and you can only stay 1-2 nights per location. With Boondockers Welcome, you’ll find that many hosts offer hookups and you can stay up to a week in some locations.
You can even bundle the memberships for one low price and to get access to every single property they both have to offer.
Boondockers Welcome FAQs
Is Boondockers Welcome the same as Harvest Hosts?
They’re owned by the same company and you can bundle the memberships but no, they are not the same. Boondockers Welcome allows you access to private property owned by individuals for camping, and Harvest Hosts allows access to privately owned commercial properties.
Are pets allowed?
Almost all host locations will allow your pets on a leash, but you can filter your host search by “pets allowed” to only find places that happily welcome your furry friends. Many host locations are farms and have leash rules to protect their farm animals as well as your beloved companions.
Are there hook-ups?
Although it’s not required, many hosts offer hook-ups to campers like electric, water, and more. If a host offers hookups, they usually provide them at an additional optional fee. You can filter your search to only see hosts who have hookups if you desire.
How long can I stay?
Hosts set their own rules when it comes to how long you can stay. Some have a 1-2 night length rule, while others may let you stay for an entire week.
Are generators allowed?
Some hosts allow guests to run generators while others would prefer not to. Each host has their own rules listed in their host profile that you can review before requesting to book.
What type of vehicles are allowed?
The main rule on your vehicle type is that you must be traveling in a self-contained RV or camper. This means that your RV must have an interior toilet and holding bladder or waste tanks for holding waste water. Porta potties that remain inside your camper are acceptable but they must be dumped off-site at an approved dumping location.
All RV types are allowed but tents, minivans, cars, or pickup trucks are not allowed to be used as camping vehicles at Boondockers Welcome locations.
Do Boondockers Welcome Hosts get paid?
No, Boondockers Welcome hosts do not get paid. However, they do get a free guest membership and they have access to Host Rewards like coupons, merch, gift memberships, and more.
Is Boondockers Welcome safe?
In this day and age, it can be hard to know who to trust, and it can feel unnerving to stay at a stranger’s house in an unfamiliar place. This is why Boondockers Welcome has everyone – hosts and members – fill out profiles so that you can learn who you will be staying with before you decide to book. Never stay somewhere that doesn’t feel right to you! You can read reviews from previous guests and learn as much as possible about your potential hosts before deciding to book a stay.
Join Boondockers Welcome Today
Get Instant Access to over 3,390+ host locations for free camping all over the US and Canada for one low yearly price! Use code BWFRIENDS15 at checkout to save 15% off of membership.
