Sometimes it’s really easy to write a review of a rally or campground. But this time I’ve really struggled exactly how to transcribe our experience at the Family Motor Coach Association ( FMCA) rally in Perry, GA. Maybe it’s because we just didn’t know what to expect? Maybe it’s because we were apprehensive about even attending? Whiles we have been members of FMCA for years, w haven’t done much more than read their magazine. But with the National rally so close, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to check it out first hand.
So let’s play a game of Fact or Fiction? Are you ready?
- FMCA rallies are full of retired old cranky people.
This might be the hardest to answer. Yes, this rally with hundreds of coaches camping out for days was full of the over 65 crowd. I didn’t find those cranky RVers that we all dislike so much. Almost everyone we came into contact was friendly and had a smile or ” good morning ” to share. We understood that we present a type of double shock to most RVers. (1) being very young to be RVing especially in a Class A and (2) being an African American couple. So we always take that into consideration when we are dealing with an older generation.
- FMCA is a family friendly rally?
Sadly, I will say False.
This was a bit surprising. Why would the Family Motor Coach Association hold a huge rally and not have one thing geared towards families? Not one excursion a kid friendly. Not a playground or bounce house in site. While no parent would be expecting babysitting services, please think about those of us with young kids. Have something planned for them to do or a play area for them to play at. Dragging young boys to seminars and touring RV’s all days is a recipe for disaster!
3. No African Americans attend these functions?
False – This was our lost pleasant surprises of the rally. We met some great African American RVer’s.
The first gentlemen we met was Big Willy – a retired police officer ( injured in the line duty) buying his first wheel chair accessible RV (a Newmar Canyonstar).
We also became aquatinted with the Northeast FL campers. An FMCA and NAARVA chapter who invited us to join their group. They chatted with us about their experiences as AA RVing. They even invited us over for brunch in their rally area where they had about 20 rigs parked together. 
Finally the couple we chatted with who have been RVing since 1979. Oh, the stories we heard from them! Wow, they were pioneers!
So what’s our verdict? Honestly we would give the FMCA rally mixed reviews. They scored very well on all the basic rally functions. There were great seminars, and plenty of vendors with almost something for everyone. If you were in the market for a new or used RV, or offered plenty of choices. There was even a nice sense of community within the fairground. And that’s really hard to pull of within such a large venue.
For us, a family with 3 young boys, we really felt that FMCA is missing out on a great opportunity. There are more and more families RVing. And the average age is declining. So why not tap into this growing segment? And let’s be really transparent here. Every RV group, for its own survival needs to keep recruiting young members.
We have learned that FMCA is now opening up to towables, this fact along will increase the FMCA exposure to this demographic.
Soulfulrvfamily will continue to be members of FMCA, increasing our activity with this group. We will encourage other families to attend rallies together. So check out a FMCA rally soon, you may just find your pot of gold…
