Traveling across the US we stayed in fancy rv resorts full of top class cars and rvs and much easy going national and state parks. Going back in time a bit we'd like to share a great experience we had, one that we were most curious about - BoondockersWelcome. Our adventure with boondockers started in Tampa area, before we went north.
The idea behind BoondockersWelcome is more or less the same as the one behind coachsurfing, but for people traveling with rvs. You have a backyard or a driveway and you can let someone stay there - you sign up. You want to stay somewhere for free - you sign up to to look for potential hosts.
Annual membership is 25 USD if you don't have a place to be a host and 20 USD for those who can offer a place. Once registered you get an access to the database of all the registered users. Now it's over 700 places across the US and Canada. .
This is how it works:
- You want to stay somewhere. You can search the area you're interested in, just write the name of the place, specify your requirements and hit search. You get the map and list with all the users in the area.
- Click on user's profile and there are the details: when they are available (often it's people living few months here, few months there), what they can offer, do they accept kids/pets, what they do, and, what;'s the most important, how long can we stay there. In southern Florida where most people stay for long vacation it's usually 1-2 nights. It's probably just to be on the safe side but if the host and the guest get along well, it can be longer than that. The further north, the more often a maximum stay is longer, often it's simple information "We’ll play it by ear".
The idea is that the it's free. It can be few acres of forest far from civilization, it can be a driveway with all the hook ups, laundry in the garage and breakfast on the porch, it can be parking space on the street in front of hosts' house. Whatever it is it's always free.
The idea behind BoondockersWelcome is more or less the same as the one behind coachsurfing, but for people traveling with rvs. You have a backyard or a driveway and you can let someone stay there - you sign up. You want to stay somewhere for free - you sign up to to look for potential hosts.
Annual membership is 25 USD if you don't have a place to be a host and 20 USD for those who can offer a place. Once registered you get an access to the database of all the registered users. Now it's over 700 places across the US and Canada. .
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| Kalina enjoying her first boondocking experience |
- You want to stay somewhere. You can search the area you're interested in, just write the name of the place, specify your requirements and hit search. You get the map and list with all the users in the area.
- Click on user's profile and there are the details: when they are available (often it's people living few months here, few months there), what they can offer, do they accept kids/pets, what they do, and, what;'s the most important, how long can we stay there. In southern Florida where most people stay for long vacation it's usually 1-2 nights. It's probably just to be on the safe side but if the host and the guest get along well, it can be longer than that. The further north, the more often a maximum stay is longer, often it's simple information "We’ll play it by ear".
The idea is that the it's free. It can be few acres of forest far from civilization, it can be a driveway with all the hook ups, laundry in the garage and breakfast on the porch, it can be parking space on the street in front of hosts' house. Whatever it is it's always free.
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| With our hosts Lois and John |
In the beginning when we were looking for a place to stay in Miami area we got discouraged. There are just a few places and out of those most were unavailable, those who wrote us back said they could not accomodate us and some did not write us at all. Not a good beginning..
Few hundered miles north and the situation changed completely. Everyone we wrote, wrote us back. Those who could not invite us wished us a good journey. We got a few invites. When we selected the best one for us and we wrote back the other ones that we're not gonna stay with them we got emails that it's too bad, and maybe other time and if we need to do laundry or anything we can stop by any time. We hope it'll stay this way.
For the first boondocking experience we chose Lois and John living in Hudson, less than an hour from Tampa. Our hosts were very nice. We rested, we did the laundry, with John's help we fixed couple things in our trailer, we talked about the world, Maciek made friends with their grandchildren, and at last we stayed there a day longer than we planned.
Lois and John some time ago planned to become fulltimers, they bought an A-class which is standing in their backyard. Unfortunately life had a different plan for them, so now they just invite other travellers to their place. They've lived in Hudson for over 40 years. When they moved there, there was nothing around. Now there are a few schools just around the corner - only in elementary there are 1500 students, so there are traffic jams of school buses (which Maciek really enjoyed).
We talked also to John's sister whose husband was Polish (he left his homeland in 1947) and listen about traditional family models from 2+6 to 2+9. We spent some times in hammocks and look up in the stars. Not for too long though, as evenings were quite chilly...
Before we stayed with John and Lois we thought that Boondockers Welcome would be a way to save some money. After staying with them for a couple of days we know it is a way of discovering US we didn't think of in Poland. It maybe even more interesting than seeing all national parks, monuments and historic markers. It is for free but brings more joy and inspiration that we can buy with money.
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| Kalina wirh Patrick and Leoni, our hosts' grandchildren |
We talked also to John's sister whose husband was Polish (he left his homeland in 1947) and listen about traditional family models from 2+6 to 2+9. We spent some times in hammocks and look up in the stars. Not for too long though, as evenings were quite chilly...
Before we stayed with John and Lois we thought that Boondockers Welcome would be a way to save some money. After staying with them for a couple of days we know it is a way of discovering US we didn't think of in Poland. It maybe even more interesting than seeing all national parks, monuments and historic markers. It is for free but brings more joy and inspiration that we can buy with money.
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