Check Out What the GoLife Community Groups Were Up to This Summer!

Check Out What the GoLife Community Groups Were Up to This Summer!
From themed meals to fun at festivals and even some group adventures in nature.

Have you ever attended a Winnebago owner meetup? The GoLife Community Groups are a wonderful way to connect with other owners in your area or who have similar interests. 

Groups usually meet at a campground to share meals, RV life tips, and stories – often over an evening campfire. Games are also popular in the GoLife Community, including Bingo, Left Right Center, cards, bean-bag toss, and some even take on the challenge of charades! 

Members will often split off into smaller groups to tour the local area, do some geocaching, enjoy a bike ride, spend time on their favorite hobby, or relax while doing a puzzle. More DIY-inclined attendees may take on some RV mods or crafts together.

If you are a foodie, these meetups will not disappoint. Great local dinners, potlucks, themed meals, and farewell breakfasts are all common for groups to plan during a get together. Hosts are great at making sure no one goes back to their rolling home hungry! Planning a fun happy hour (or a few!) is also a common practice for many groups, especially on the first night.

Of course, enjoying local activities is also the highlight of many meetups. Groups will often plan outings around an event or with a certain attraction in mind. Some even come up with really creative event highlights or themes!

GoLife Community Groups Summer 2023 Meetup Highlights

This summer was filled with fun GoLife Community meetups from coast to coast. These groups definitely made the most of the RVing season and are sure to have many new cherished memories together. 

Here are some of the highlights from across the GoLife Community owner-organized meetups:

Foodie Fun

Good food seems to always be a theme when the GoLife Community groups plan a meetup, but some groups really made their mealtimes special this summer.

• A barbecue “chuck wagon” dinner, with attendees dressing up in their best western attire, was a highlight of the New England WIT Rally in June (including attendees from the CT Nutmeg Winnies, Quinebagos, and MA WIT groups). The wine and cheese social was also a meetup favorite!

• The Golden Bear Winnies had a seafood boil at their May meetup that was a big hit. Before starting on evening games, the group enjoyed double fudge brownies with ice cream for dessert – YUM! 
• The Cardinal Capers had great weather during their July meetup in Pearl City, IL, so their picnic lunch at Krape Park was a success. Some attendees even rode the carousel after!

• The View/Navion June meetup at Sampson State Park in Romulus, NY, included a welcome breakfast with coffee, pancakes, and sausage to get their event started with full stomachs and plenty of caffeine. They kept the fun going with a beer and wine evaluation at a nearby winery!

Adventurous Outings

Getting out in nature or enjoying an outdoor activity is a must for many members, especially if the summer weather hasn’t gotten too hot where they are meeting!

• A seven-mile kayak/canoe trip at Morgan’s Outdoor Adventures was a hit with attendees of the Indiana Meanderers’ May meetup in Brookville, IN. And only one group toppled over in their canoe! Some attendees also visited Wolf Creek Habitat & Rescue to see and interact with rescued wolves.

• The View/Navion owners kept active with yoga, hiking, and lots of pickleball at their June meetup at Sampson State Park in Romulus, NY.
• The Golden Bear Winnies arranged a rental of a patio boat at the Sugar Barge Marina to cruise along the river delta in Bethel Island, CA.

• In August, owners who attended Oregon's Cascade Travelers meetup on Diamond Lake went out on a pontoon boat, spent time at nearby Crater Lake National Park, and/or took the 13-mile bike ride around the lake.

Exciting Entertainment

When possible, meetup hosts enjoy finding fun entertainment for attendees – whether a local festival or having entertainment arranged at the campground. Some hosts really get creative!

• The Quad City Airshow was the main focus of the We-Wan-To-Go’s June meetup in Eldrige, IA, and it did not disappoint. According to an attendee, it was a “spectacle of awesome airmanship.”
• With beautiful weather and music by the Credence Revived band, the fun Bushwhacker Days Festival was the main focus of the Missouri Chief Winnies’ June outing in Nevada, MO.

• At the New England WIT Rally in June, a cowboy themed dinner was followed by a Country-Western band playing for the group. A magic show was another highlight of the rally!

Unique Museums & Local Tours

Group leaders seem to have a knack for finding unique museums to visit or local tours to sign up for. Some of the popular activities the groups enjoyed this summer include:

• The Vol State Winnies toured the Cumberland Homesteads Tower Museum and House – including an optional climb up the tower for great views over Crossville, TN.

• During their June meetup in Richmond, IN, the Indiana Meanderers took a day trip to Dayton, OH, to visit the National Museum of the United States Air Force – the world’s oldest and largest military aviation museum.
• The We-Wan-To-Go June meetup in Eldrige, IA, included a trip to the Isabel Bloom Studio, John Deere Davenport Works plant tour, and a visit to the Freight House Farmer’s Market. Then they had a very history-focused meetup in July which included viewing Lee County’s Freedom Rock and a restored Dutch smock windmill.

• An outing to the Chico Air Museum, which showcases close to 100 years of aviation history, was a highlight of the Chardonnay Travels June meetup in Chico, CA.
• Not only did the Cardinal Capers visit the Hinckley Historical Society Museum during their June meetup in Big Rock, IL, they received a private tour! During their July Meetup in Pearl City, IL, they planned a visit to the Arcade and Toy Museum and schoolhouse located at the Stephenson County Historical Society.
• At the Who’s Yur Winnies state rally in August, the group had fun exploring the area from their base in Elkhart, IN. They enjoyed Wellfield Botanic Gardens, the RV/MH Museum, the National New York Central Railroad Museum, Linton’s Enchanted Gardens, and walks along the Elkhart River.

Learn More About These & Other GoLife Community Groups!

To learn more about the groups included in this GoLife Community summer recap, or to inquire about joining, reach out through the contact information listed below:

• California-based Chardonnay Travelers
  • Contact: Carol Kenyon, [email protected] 
  • Next Meetups: September 14-17 in San Juan Bautista, CA; November 9-12 in Lodi, CA; and a Christmas Luncheon in Rio Vista, CA. 
• California-based Golden Bear Winnies
  • Contact: Pamela Schmidt, [email protected] 
  • Next Meetups: October 19-22 in Oroville, CA, and November 30 to December 3 in Lodi, CA.
• Connecticut-based Nutmeg Winnies
  • Contact: Ken Bly, [email protected] 
  • Next Meetups: September 7-10 New York WIT Rally and September 12-17 CNW Quarterly Meeting in Perkinsville, VT.
• Illinois-based Cardinal Capers
  • Contact: Barbara Watne, [email protected] 
  • Next Meetups: September 7-10 in Elgin, IL, and October 12-15 in Kieler, WI.
• Indiana-based Who’s Your Winnies (which now includes the Indiana Meanderers)
  • Contact: Ron Kline, [email protected] 
  • Next Meetups: September 14-17 in Thorntown, IN, and October 12-15 in Nashville, IN.
• Iowa-based We-Wan-To-Gos
  • Contact: Karen Corning, [email protected] 
  • Next Meetups: September 10-14 Clay County Fair Campout, as well as luncheons on October 14, November 11, and December 2.
• Oregon-based Cascade Travelers
  • Contact: Greg Brown, [email protected] or Joe Stutesman, [email protected] 
  • Next Meetups: September 21-24 in Enterprise, OR; October 19-22 in Coos Bay, OR; and the annual holiday luncheon shortly after Thanksgiving. Plus, planning is underway for the 2024 Oregon-Washington Rally!
• Massachusetts-Based Quinebagos
  • Contact: Jim Slattery, [email protected] 
  • Next Meetups: October 12-15 in Salisbury, MA.
• Missouri-based Chief Winnies
  • Contact: Rick Cordt, [email protected] 
  • Next Meetups: September 22-24 Winnie Mo-Tasca Fall Rally (Ozarks, Winnie Mo-Tascas, Gateway Winnies, and Chiefs Winnies groups) in Mountain View, MO; October 13-15 campout in Branson, MO; the November 11 luncheon in Leawood, KS; and the December 9 luncheon in Lee’s Summit, MO.
• Tennessee-based Vol State Winnies
  • Contact: Steve Rogers, [email protected] 
  • Next Meetups: September 27 to October 1 Semi Annual Campout in Lebanon, TN.

For a full list of Winnebago owner groups, click on the lists linked on the GoLife Community page, and click here to see a list of upcoming owner events. If your group has a meetup that’s not yet included on the calendar, complete the online submission form on our GoLife Community page.

As a Winnebago owner, you are already part of the community, but finding a group can add a lot of fun to your RV life – plus, they are a great resource when you have questions!