It’s been a while since I added to the series about RV memberships. With a plethora of RV membership organizations to choose from, how do you figure out which ones are right for you? That’s a worthy question to be sure. One of the features of a membership that might speak to you is knowing you have something in common (beyond RVing, obviously) with other members. As such, today I want to talk about memberships specific for the LGBTQ Travelers community.
Previously I featured groups that you might have something in common with: Solo Travelers and the more specific, Solo Women Travelers.
In my research I found two membership clubs specific to LGBTQ Travelers. If you know of others, please share in the comments.
LGBTQ Travelers: Rainbow RV Club
Billed as “North America’s largest gay and lesbian recreational vehicle (and tent) camping club,” the Rainbow RV Club boasts over 10,000 members. The organization began in 1997 and is geared to both singles and couple alike.
Membership costs $39.95 and is renewed annually.
Like other social rving clubs, Rainbow RV members organize and operate trips, events and activities. From what I can tell, except perhaps for the founder, there is no staff and members serve in volunteer roles. Like some other clubs, they are organized by chapters which can be helpful for getting to know a group of people if you RV in one area of the country predominantly. It isn’t as helpful if you are all over the place but I’m guessing that you’d have access to all chapters’ info so can meet-up with whichever chapter you are nearest to at any given time.
Two Types of Events with Rainbow RV Club
They categorize their events and activities in two ways. These, according to their website, are the cornerstone of the club.
First, there are the KAMP WITH US gatherings. These are more informal and any member may post and host a gathering. These will then show up on the website’s calendar for others to see. Additionally, members can view a map with the location of other members should you want to try to meet up when you are in the same campground or area.
Additionally, Rainbow RV Cub offers the more formal events, organized by the club’s management. These events generally charge a fee to cover costs of hosting the event. Interestingly, many of the formal events started as KAMP WITH US events that grew in popularity and attendance.
Protection and Safety
As I’m sure you know, unfortunately, LGBTQ Travelers have to be cautious about their safety. The Rainbow RV Club website promises a protected network and doesn’t sell emails. Additionally, members can submit a campground. The website doesn’t specify what it is for but I assume members can indicate if they experienced any discriminatory or derogative treatment so that others will be warned and not patronize those places.
Birds of a Feather
One of the membership clubs I previously highlighted was Escapees RV Club. As the largest and oldest RV club they have a lot to offer. And one feature of Escapees is the many Birds of a Feather (BOF) subgroups. Groups include everything from Friends of Bill W. to Square Dancing, from Metal Detecting Enthusiasts to Photographers.
I’m in the Genealogy BOF, Whole-Food Plant-Based BOF, Geocache BOF and, when I am a pet owner again in the future, I’ll join the Pet Lovers BOF.
They also have a BOF group called Stonewall. The group welcomes all LGBTQ travelers and their friends. They are an informal group (as are many of the BOFs) that “gather at Escapades, Pride events and in Quartzsite every January.”
Some of the Escapee BOFs have an additional fee to join. Stonewall does not. It is free. To join Escapees, you can click on my affiliate link in the right column.
With so many RV membership clubs, it will be a while before I complete the series. So, keep watching for more to come. And if you have any specific requests about a membership organization you’d like to see featured, email me or share your ideas in the comments below.
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I am a member of Escapees, specifically Xscapers, and met hundreds of great friends. A wonderful community
Oh yeah, I’m a member of Xcapers too. I forgot to mention that in the article. Yes, indeed, some really great people and events with Escapees. I think there is something for everyone.
Is there a place for RV’s in Myrtle Beach that is gay friendly ?
Hi David, I haven’t ever made it to the east coast so I can’t speak to RV parks there. In general, however, I have found the RV community kind and helpful. Good luck in your travels.