Giving Back to the RVing Community by Being a Boondockers Welcome Host

Giving Back to the RVing Community by Being a Boondockers Welcome Host
Why a long-time Winnebago employee and Solis owner enjoys hosting other RVers.

By: Brooke Baum, GoLife Blog Editor

As a dedicated Winnebago employee of 25 years, Winnebago District Sales Manager Duane Cyrus has had the opportunity to tour and even test camp in many different Winnebago models. Although Duane and his wife Carol have enjoyed camping in these RVs, they didn't plan to own one until the Winnebago Solis 59PX debuted! With its small size (that still provides room for outdoor gear!), pop-top for the grandkids to sleep in, and other features ideal for their travel style, they were excited to join the growing "van life" community in the Solis.

As avid boondockers, they soon learned that Harvest Hosts was an ideal way for them to find the kind of untraditional RV camping spots they enjoy most. With Harvest Hosts, they can stay at wineries, breweries, golf courses, and other unique locations. Later, they also signed up for Boondockers Welcome as an add-on to their Harvest Hosts membership. This gives them access to a list of people who will allow an RV to be parked on their private property overnight. It wasn’t long until they decided to become hosts as well since they liked the idea of giving back to their beloved RVing community!

Why Sign Up to Be a Boondockers Welcome Host?

One benefit to being Boondockers Welcome hosts is that Duane and Carol now get to use the app for free, but an even bigger perk is getting to connect with other RVers. They have met people from across the country–and even from across the world! Since they live near the Adirondacks, it is a very popular place in the summer for concerts and other events as well as in the fall for admiring the changing colors of the leaves.

When asked why they signed up to be a Boondockers Welcome host, Duane shared that "it is a way to give back to the RV industry that has been so good to my family."

Their welcoming nature and great reviews from past visitors recently earned them the "ultra host" designation with Boondockers Welcome. Duane said that guests are usually very grateful for the free place to park their RV and often bring gifts such as wine or jam and one guest even brought a homemade apron for Carol! 

They have also had a great time using Boondockers Welcome and meeting other people as guests. In their experience, everyone communicates well, and they have never had a bad encounter. Duane doesn't always reveal that he works for Winnebago, but he enjoys hearing the varying stories from different RV owners they meet through their membership. Sometimes they will even give each other tours of their RVs!

If you are interested in becoming a host for Boondockers Welcome, Duane shares that it is a very simple process which includes a questionnaire and sending photos of your location to verify it. You also don't have to be an RVer to be a Boondockers Welcome host, so this would be a great option for someone who is interested in RVing that wants to have a chance to be exposed to many different types of RVs. They would also get genuine insights from actual owners to help inform their purchase decision. "It's like a shopping experience brought to your house,” Duane joked.

Top Reasons for Choosing the Winnebago Solis 59PX

When asked why they chose the Winnebago Solis 59PX, the ability to boondock and stay at the more untraditional camping locations is a top reason Duane pointed to. The Solis allows for comfortable off-grid camping with everything you need on board!

However, the additional pop-top sleeping area and two front-facing seats (which allow for car seat installation) really made the Winnebago Solis 59PX stand out as a great RV option for Duane and Carol, who were eager to share their adventures with the grandkids. They also like being able to let their kids borrow the Solis so they can enjoy RV life as well!

As road bikers, another reason they chose this model is that the longer length of the 59PX allows them to put their bicycles inside with enough room to still sleep comfortably in the motorhome. Recently, Duane and Carol even used the Winnebago Solis like a pickup truck when they needed to haul a larger item that wouldn’t fit in a car — a play kitchen set they got as a birthday present for one of their grandkids.

Learn more about the Winnebago Solis.

Benefits of Camping with Harvest Hosts & Boondockers Welcome

Duane also really enjoys Harvest Hosts and noted that the app is easy to use. He estimates there are close to 10,000 overnight camping options to choose from across Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome. Many hosts even offer same-day stays, which can be a huge help if campgrounds are booked. 

One stand-out Harvest Host stay for Duane and Carol was up near the Canadian border at a brewery during a recent solar eclipse. They were able to stay the night to avoid all of the additional traffic from eclipse viewers and had a much nicer drive home the next day!

If you have never heard of these unique camping options before, Harvest Hosts is a network of businesses (from farms and wineries to unique attractions) that invite RVers to stay overnight. This allows for a comfortable stay in a memorable location. Plus, it is free with your membership! Members are just asked to make a purchase from their hosts to show their gratitude. (And some hosts that offer electric hookups may charge a fee for that.)

Boondockers Welcome offers a private spot on an (often scenic) property, and 70% of hosts even offer hookups! The flexibility, unique locations, and ability to meet new people are all top reasons these memberships are so popular. To use these offerings, you must pay an annual fee to access the list of host locations, and you must be in a self-contained RV. 

Both memberships include access to an app that makes it simple to search for locations and message hosts. If you decide to get memberships to both, you will be able to search across all locations with one app.

Plus, members of Winnebago’s exclusive owner discount program, GoLife Perks, can also save on both of these memberships. Receive 50% off the $99 Harvest Hosts Classic plan for the first year and 25% off the $79 Boondockers Welcome plan, or 25% off the combo plan, for the first two years. (Note: This offer is for new Harvest Hosts memberships only.)

Learn more about GoLife Perks here.

If you also use Harvest Hosts and/or Boondockers Welcome, we’d love for you to share one of your favorite experiences in the comments!