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Winter Home Base Hangouts

November 1, 2020 - February 28, 2021

Winter Home Base Hangouts 1

Arizona, Texas & Florida • November 2020 - February 2021

Activities  •  Safety  •  Locations  •  Inclusions & Pricing  •  How to Register  • After You Register  • Cancellations  •  FAQs

Spend the winter safely with your Escapees friends

These are weird times for RVers. The COVID-19 pandemic has put a damper on traveling and all the socializing we normally enjoy. While we need somewhere safe to land during the winter months—preferably somewhere warm where we can enjoy the outdoors—we also all miss seeing others in our Escapees family. 

That’s why we’ll be making your winter dreams come true with a new kind of event called Winter Home Base Hangouts. As the name suggests, this program features three “home base” locations for Escapees members in some of the country’s most popular winter destinations: central Arizona, southeast Texas, and north-central Florida. Each location provides a place for you to ride out the months of November through February in a safe and responsible way with your Escapees friends.

Activities

Each Winter Home Base Hangout will be a relaxed gathering of friends. A member host at each Winter Home Base location will organize a few activities each week where we can safely catch up with one another and have some fun. The rest of the time will be yours to work, relax, discover new interests and make new friends.

Many of the activities will take place in or near the RV park. These may include hiking or biking on nearby trails, pickleball, yoga sessions, dog walks, geocaching in the local area, campfires, happy hours, and group dining (without sharing of food).

Other activities may include occasional excursions away from our Winter Home Base park to enjoy some of the highlights of the region. These activities could include riding OHVs (off-highway vehicles), kayaking or sailing, exploring the area’s national park sites, visiting outdoor museums, and so on.

Finally, we also hope to organize one or more volunteer service projects outside the park where we can give back to the local community or our public lands.

Gathering safely and responsibly

Because we want to make sure everyone has fun while still keeping safety as our top priority, the format of the Winter Home Base Hangouts will be different from a “normal” 5-10 day Hangout. Some of these differences will include:

  • Each location will be strictly limited to 24 RVs plus the Hangout hosts at any given time. This limitation will keep the total size of the group to 50 people or fewer, to facilitate proper social distancing when people are together.
  • In accordance with the club’s “Safer-in-Place” guidelines to minimize unnecessary travel, each RV must stay at the Hangout park for a minimum of one month. However, we encourage you to stay longer—even up to the full four months, if you can. (When you have a good spot with friends, why move?)
  • We will be following all applicable CDC and state guidelines, as well as an additional set of detailed health and safety rules that we have developed specifically for Escapees gatherings.
  • All group activities will be outdoors.
  • Activities will be restricted to registered Hangout attendees. When you arrive, you’ll receive your very own Winter Home Base Hangout face mask and name badge “dangle” that will be your entry pass to our group activities.
  • There will be no potlucks or other sharing of food. (But we’ll make up for that with plenty of bring-your-own happy hours and meals!)
  • Masks will be required any time that adequate social distancing is not possible.
  • Carpooling to offsite activities is discouraged. We recommend driving in your own vehicle.
  • If you develop symptoms of COVID-19 or have any known exposure to COVID-19 during your stay, you will be required to isolate yourself in your RV for 14 days.

Hangout locations

Our Winter Home Base Hangout parks are located in central Arizona, southeast Texas, and north-central Florida. Each of the three locations is big-rig friendly and features full-hookup sites with 30 or 50 amp electric, water and sewer connections. Wifi is available in each park, although a fee may apply.

Depending on which location you select, monthly camping rates are $340.00 – $416.25 including tax, plus electricity usage. Partial months after the first month are not prorated, so the daily or weekly cost may be higher. Specific pricing for each location will be available on this page after registration opens.

To provide a fair opportunity for everyone who wants to participate, the names and exact locations of the parks will be published on this page only when registration opens at 10:00 am CDT on Thursday, August 20.

Our Winter Home Base Hangout parks are located in Congress, Arizona; Livingston, Texas; and Chiefland, Florida. Each of the three locations is big-rig friendly and features full-hookup sites with 30 or 50 amp electric, water and sewer connections. Wifi is available in each park, although a fee may apply. 

Depending on which location you select, monthly camping rates are $340.00 – $416.25 including tax, plus electricity usage. Partial months after the first month are not prorated, so the daily or weekly cost may be higher. See the specific pricing for each location below.

Please note that the Texas Winter Home Base Hangout will begin on November 16, while the Arizona and Florida Winter Home Base Hangouts will begin on November 1.

Hover over a location below to see rates, deposit and cancellation information, and to visit the park’s website. When you’re ready to register, see How to register.

ARIZONA WINTER HOME BASE
Escapees North Ranch RV Park

Congress, Arizona
November 1, 2020 - February 28, 2021

ARIZONA WINTER HOME BASE
Escapees North Ranch RV Park • Congress, AZ

30 amp full-hookup sites: $382.77/month (including tax) + electricity
(daily & weekly rates apply for partial months after first month)
Deposit: $100, refundable if cancelled at least 24 hours in advance (30 days in advance if staying more than 8 weeks).
Visit park website

TEXAS WINTER HOME BASE
Rainbow's End RV Park

Livingston, Texas
November 16, 2020 - February 28, 2021
(Nov thru mid-Jan SOLD OUT/WAIT LIST)

TEXAS WINTER HOME BASE
Escapees Rainbow's End RV Park • Livingston, TX

50 amp full-hookup sites: $340.00/month (no tax) + electricity
(daily & weekly rates apply for partial months after first month)
Deposit: $100, refundable if cancelled at least 24 hours in advance (30 days in advance if staying more than 8 weeks).
NOV THRU MID-JAN SOLD OUT - NEW RESERVATION REQUESTS WILL BE ADDED TO WAITING LIST
Visit park website

FLORIDA WINTER HOME BASE
Strawberry Fields for RVers

Chiefland, Florida
November 1, 2020 - February 28, 2021
(Jan & Feb SOLD OUT/WAIT LIST)

FLORIDA WINTER HOME BASE
Strawberry Fields for RVers RV Park • Chiefland, FL

50 amp full-hookup pull-thru sites: $416.25/month (including tax) + electricity
(daily & weekly rates apply for partial months after first month)
Deposit: $416.25, refundable less $25 admin fee if cancelled at least 24 hrs in advance.
JAN & FEB SOLD OUT - NEW RESERVATION REQUESTS WILL BE ADDED TO WAITING LIST
Visit park website
PARK AVAILABILITY AS OF 9/21/20:
  • Arizona: limited availability for all months
  • Texas: limited availability for last half of January through February; SOLD OUT/WAITING LIST ONLY for November through mid-January 
  • Florida: limited availability for November & December; SOLD OUT/WAITING LIST ONLY for January & February

If the month(s) you want are not available at a park, simply request a reservation (see Step 1 under How to Register below) and we’ll automatically add you to the waiting list.

Registration includes:

  • Special Winter Home Base Hangout name badge “dangle”
  • Limited edition Winter Home Base Hangout logo face mask
  • Social activities
  • Hangout hosts

The Hangout registration fee is in addition to your camping cost, which you’ll pay directly to the park. Depending on which location you select, monthly camping rates are $340.00 – $416.25 including tax, plus electricity usage. See the locations above after registration opens for specific pricing.

Hangout registration fees

You must be an Escapees RV Club member to attend this event. If you are not currently a member, you will be able to add a new membership during the registration process.

By registering for this event, you are agreeing to the following: As an attendee, you assume all risk and danger relating to your personal property, RV and attendance at the Hangout, whether occurring prior to, during or after the event. In the event of loss or theft, no claim will be made upon Escapees, its volunteers, employees or agents. Volunteers may be directing and assisting you in your parking areas. However, it is the driver of the vehicle who is ultimately responsible for avoiding obstacles or dangerous situations, and is solely responsible for any damage to one’s property or the property of others. As an attendee at this event, you are granting your permission to be filmed, videotaped, audiotaped, or photographed, and granting to Escapees RV Club the full use of any such recordings or images without compensation. By registering, you will also receive occasional email notifications of future Hangouts; however, you can opt-out of these notifications at any time.

In addition to the above, you will be required during registration to agree that you will help provide a safe environment for everyone by complying with our health and safety rules, and to release Escapees from liability should you become ill during the event.

How to register

Registration for the Winter Home Base Hangouts will open at 10:00 am Central time on Thursday, August 20. Please visit this page again then!

How to register

Follow these three steps to reserve your site and register for the Winter Home Base Hangout of your choice:

STEP 1:

Request a reservation online for the Winter Home Base park you want to attend. If the month(s) you want are not available, we’ll automatically add you to the waiting list. Please do not call the park–they cannot take reservation requests for this event over the phone. 

STEP 2:

The park will call you to confirm availability for your requested dates and to collect your deposit. Requests will be prioritized in the order the park receives them.

STEP 3:

After the park has confirmed your reservation, register and pay your Hangout fee online or by calling Escapees Member Services at 936-327-8873.

After you register

You should receive two confirmation emails: one from the RV park confirming your reservation, and one from registration@escapees.com confirming your registration for the hangout. If you don’t receive either of these, call (936) 327-8873‬ and ask for Hangouts Registration to be sure that your reservation and registration were processed correctly. 

Cancellations

Your camping reservation can be cancelled; however, the amount of your deposit that will be refunded if you cancel varies depending on the park and the length of your reservation. Details on the individual parks’ deposit and cancellation policies will be posted here when registration opens.

Your camping reservation can be cancelled; however, the amount of your deposit that will be refunded if you cancel varies depending on the park and the length of your reservation:

  • For North Ranch in Arizona and Rainbow’s End in Texas, your $100.00 deposit is refundable in full if you cancel at least 24 hours in advance if staying 8 weeks or less, or at least 30 days in advance if staying more than 8 weeks. Read the full National Reservation & Cancellation Policies here.
  • For Strawberry Fields for RVers in Florida, your $416.25 deposit is refundable minus a $25 administrative fee if you cancel at least 24 hours in advance.

Your Hangout registration fee ($25/adult or $5/child) is non-refundable and non-transferable.

Frequently Asked Questions

The camping cost depends on the location you select. Monthly rates are $340.00 – $416.25 including tax, plus electricity usage. See the locations above after registration opens for pricing.

No. Your reservation can start anytime between the beginning of the Hangout and February 1, 2021, as long as you stay for at least a month.

No, the minimum stay at the Winter Home Base Hangout is one month, in accordance with the club’s “Safer-in-Place” guidelines discouraging unnecessary travel during the pandemic.

Absolutely! In fact, we encourage you to stay as long as you can, up to the full four months. You can even stay after February 28 if the park has space available, although the Winter Home Base Hangout will end then.

Although the club discourages unnecessary travel during the pandemic, we also realize that some members may wish to be with their families for the holidays. Therefore, you may leave the park for up to one week for each holiday. However, while you are away, we urge you to take all precautions necessary to ensure you are not exposed to COVID-19, so as not to infect other participants in the Hangout when you return. If you plan to leave your RV at the park while you’re gone, be sure to notify the park staff.

No, the monthly rate is not prorated for a partial month. You would instead pay the applicable daily or weekly rate. For example, if your stay is for one month and ten days, you’d pay the monthly rate for the one month, plus the weekly rate for one week, plus the daily rate for the remaining three days. Note that the weekly and daily rates include electricity.

Yes. When the park calls to confirm your reservation, you can modify your dates to any other period that the park has available at that time.

Because space will be limited, we want to give everyone the same opportunity to join the Winter Home Base Hangout. For this reason, you must request a reservation online as outlined above, even if you already have a reservation at the park. If space is available in the Winter Home Base Hangout block of sites when the park calls to confirm your reservation, let them know about your existing reservation so they can coordinate it with your reservation during the Hangout. 

Unfortunately, no. Because we are strictly limiting the number of participants due to COVID-19, you may participate in the Hangout only if you have one of the 25 sites in our group block.

No. Because we are strictly limiting the number of participants due to COVID-19, you may participate in the Hangout only if you have one of our 25 sites in the host park.

See the section “Cancellations” above.

Details

Start:
November 1, 2020
End:
February 28, 2021
Event Category:
Website:
http://escapees.com/hangouts

Organizer

Escapees Hangouts
Phone
936-327-8873
Email
hangouts@escapees.com
View Organizer Website

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