Harvest Host Stays In 2023
Written by Nancy Carter, Making My Own Lane
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What is Harvest Hosts?
Harvest Hosts is a subscription membership program you can join that gives you the opportunity to stay overnight at a local business, like a farm, brewery, museum, or vineyard for some very unique experiences.
You get unlimited access to almost 5,000 locations across North America, depending on the package you chose. This year, I decided to just do Harvest Hosts. But you can add on more locations, like golf courses and private properties with Boondockers Welcome.
Most will allow you to stay for one night without any camping fees, and all they ask in return is that you purchase something from them for $20 to help support their businesses.
You do need to be a self-contained unit, meaning you have your own electricity, water, and bathroom for the night. Because I am only staying one night and moving on the next day, I don’t unpack everything at the location. This also allows me to get back on the road faster in the morning, after a good night’s rest.
I decided to join Harvest Hosts as an alternative to staying at a Cracker Barrel or Walmart overnight while traveling. I felt it was a safer alternative for me, as a solo female rv traveler, and you also get to meet great people and stay places and have experiences that usually aren’t open to the general public.
The fact that you can book ahead online works great for planners like me who really want to know that they have a safe place to stay every night.
It’s also nice that if you stay at a winery, distillery, or mead maker, you can sample the product and not worry about having to drive later.
And, most are pet-friendly for friendly pets.
In 2023 I stayed at 8 Harvest Hosts
and I plan on staying at many more in the future. Some of the ones I wanted to stay at weren’t open on the days I planned on being there.
You can easily find a Host, see where the location fits into your plans, check out their business and what they offer, and see ratings from other campers so you can decide if this host might be a place for you to call home for a night.
Reservations are required, even if you do it the same day to check availability for the night.
I chose the hosts based on stops close to where I was traveling, or passing through for the night. However, I think that many of them are a destination on their own, if only for a night, and I plan on staying at some as an overnight getaway spot in 2024.
Some of these are open to the general public to visit and shop. If you are interested in a specific business, please click on the links for more information. In most cases, overnight stays can only be booked through Harvest Host.
Here is a list of the Harvest Hosts I stayed at in 2023.
Debellation Brewing Company. Richmond Hill, Georgia.
I stayed at this one twice! Once on the way North and again on the way back South.
Handcrafted beer with a Viking theme and a food truck with great food and amazing remoulades. Absolutely try a flight (or two) and the DefBurger.
The people are friendly. The exit is right off of 95, which makes it a great travel stop for me coming and going from Florida.
A beautiful, 30-acre wild horse rescue where you can wake up with horses. Take the time to walk along the trails on the property, and meet all the friendly horses and learn their rescue stories.
I had no idea what mead was before I stopped here, but after getting an education in mead, and tasting 14 different meads I am now a mead lover.
I ended up spending more than $20 here, and I slept great that night!
There are also friendly goats and chickens you can visit and feed.
Arlington Farm. Cape Charles, Virginia.
A 13-acre farm with great walking trails. My amazing guide was Buddy, the dog. I was able to pick blackberries along the way. And Buddy made sure I knew all the right places to stop.
Click here to watch a short video about a hike with my new friend, Buddy.
There are goats, chickens and guinea fowl. It is also within a 10-minute walk of Custis Tombs, a historical landmark on the tidal Plantation Creek, where Martha Washington’s son is buried.
If you are lucky, there will be a bonfire under the stars for you to enjoy with the hosts. While I was there, we got to watch the International Space Station pass over us!
Yes, a reindeer farm along my route! I got to meet the reindeer and wake up with them right outside my window the next day.
You may get a tour of the farm and a lesson in reindeer from the knowledgeable and friendly host.
Because I stopped here on my birthday, the host even brought me out a birthday cupcake.
A farm-to-table Berkshire pork farm located in the Catskill Mountains. I got a tour, and the chance to buy farm pork products, including thick-sliced bacon and the best Italian sausage I’ve ever eaten and a quiet place on a mountain to spend the night.
Close to Boothbay Harbor, this is a restaurant with great handcrafted beers and cider, and a large selection of food.
I decided not to go into Boothbay Harbor and just treat this stop like a destination. I ordered the hummus platter, which was delicious with tasty hummus and a large selection of fresh veggies.
The other campers were so friendly and the conversation was fun.
Is Harvest Hosts for you?
Each stop became its own destination, with its own unique experience and the opportunity to connect, not only with the small business, but with other campers. I got to meet and talk to many people from all walks of life.
I love listening to people's’ stories about their lives and how they came to be where they are right now. This was so easy to do in these places, and I am looking forward to many more Harvest Host stops.
Try it for yourself and get 15% off your subscription!
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