San Antonio businesses boost economy with free RV parking for tourists

SAN ANTONIO - As the Alamo City is getting ready for the Alamo Bowl, some are preparing to host fans traveling by recreational vehicle or R-V.

Businesses like the Guadalupe Brewery and Pizza Kitchen in New Braunfels is part of a community called Harvest Hosts, a network of small and local businesses across America that hosts RVers overnight.

Joel Holland, CEO of Harvest Hosts, says it's no cost to the businesses and RVers who are members should have camping vehicles fully self-contained. RVs must have an interior toilet and built-in holding tanks or bladders for waste water.

Holland adds it’s a great way for RVers to discover San Antonio and bring extra dollars to our local economy.

“Our members are only allowed to stay for 24 hours. A quick overnight stay. The businesses are not required to provide any type of hook ups - no sewer, no water. They just have a safe place to park overnight. And in return, our members will go into the business and buy their product. So if it’s a museum, they’ll take a tour. If it’s a winery, they’ll go for a tasting. Then they’ll get back on the road. But in the end, it’s a real pleasurable experience,” explained Holland.

He continues, ”Today we have over 5,000 businesses all over the country, wineries, breweries, distilleries. Over 400 in Texas. We have over 50 of them in San Antonio.”

Co-owner of Guadalupe Brewery Anna Kilker says, “They come here, they enjoy our venue and give us great reviews which encourages other people to come out and visit us. That’s a big help.”

Kilker says the pandemic, the freeze of 2021, and then this year’s scorching summer nearly crushed the business, but Harvest Host has helped them bring in extra income that’s help them to keep on going.

“Word of mouth - just every RVer telling another. It brings another RVer to us. They really read those reviews, they pay attention, they’re gonna go where they feel safe,” says Kilker.

RVer from Alaska Denise Dickens says, “I hear a lot of people have a lot of compliments about it.”

While Dickens has yet to try Harvest Host, she thinks it will be in her future.

“I have not tried them yet because I’m just so new to being out of Alaska,” says Dickens.

She likes the idea of visiting local businesses and keeping money within the community. But more importantly, Dickens says looking for safe places for her family to stay overnight is always a top priority.

“I’m very careful. I think everyone is careful when they start going out and looking for a place to stay, especially when they’re travelling with their families because everyone wants to be safe these days,” says Dickens.

If you’d like more information about Harvest Hosts, click here...

To learn more about the Guadalupe Brewery and Pizza Kitchen in New Braunfels, click here...