Let us help you plan for your first snowbird season.....

A “snowbird” in RV life is often defined as someone who follows the sunshine—usually heading south for the winter to escape the cold, then returning north when the weather warms up.

Instead of enduring snow and freezing temperatures, snowbirds choose comfort, longer stays, and a slower pace of travel.

It’s not just about where you go, it’s about choosing a lifestyle that lets you enjoy RV life year-round, on your terms.

Like many out there, we are always chasing 70 degrees. Yes, we are snowbirds. We have spent time in Florida, Texas, and Arizona at campgrounds and resorts. And we have learned that it is all about what you are looking for and that the definition of campground versus resort is relative.

Let's break it down starting with location.

Florida

Florida has many options for spending time in warmer weather. We have found that the sweet spot if you are searching for warm temperatures is south of I-4 which runs through the middle of the state from Tampa on the west coast to Daytona on the east coast.

North of that can easily run a good 10 degrees cooler over the course of the winter. Also, the further toward the coast you go, the more crowded, and more costly, it gets.

Texas

Texas is a huge state and weather varies greatly. Northern Texas can get cold temperatures and even experience snow! Western and southwestern Texas is prone to a lot of dust and wind. Southeast of Houston along the coast is usually more temperate as far as climate. However, be careful of the sea spray that comes off the ocean. Prolonged exposure to the salt air can corrode components of your RV.

We spent a winter in Houston and had warm and cold weather, including an ice storm.

Arizona

Arizona is another popular destination for snowbirds. Northern Arizona is more mountainous and subject to freezing temperatures and snow.

Phoenix and southern Arizona is more temperate, with little rain, and ideal if you are looking to escape the cold.

We just spent a winter in Mesa, east of Phoenix, and can count the number of days with rain on one hand. The mornings and evenings are cool, but the average daytime temperature is in the 70s. Of course, we just lived through the earliest 100plus degree days Arizona has seen in decades!

Things to think about when picking your perfect location.

1. Location of shopping and other conveniences – How close are you to grocery stores, fuel stations, and other things you need to live. This includes delivery services such as Amazon, Fedex, and UPS. If you are near a metropolitan area, you will get your packages much quicker than if you are farther out.

2. Medical services – Depending on your health, this might be very important to you. Do you have to drive 45 minutes plus to a doctor’s appointment, pharmacy, Urgent Care, and hospital?



3. Activities outside the park – Do you like to hike, bike, go to the movies, etc? We love to bike on trails, and there weren’t a lot of options in Florida for this. Mesa has a bike trail canal system that is perfect for us

Now for the difference between a campground and a resort.

As we have traveled the country, we have noticed that some campgrounds call themselves a resort when they really should be a campground.

Just because you have a small pool, playground, and camp store does not make you a resort. Read reviews and look at pictures and decide for yourself. If you are going to pay to stay somewhere for an extended period of time, make sure they have what you want and need.

A resort should have great amenities, a wide variety of activities designed to keep you in the resort, and possibly a bar/restaurant. If there is a mix of park models and RV sites, they should all be well maintained.

Roads in the resort should also be well maintained. If this seems like a lot, remember that you are paying a premium price to stay at a resort, so you should expect all these things.

Speaking of cost, if you are staying monthly, be prepared to be charged for electricity. The resort we stay in also provides trash and recycling services which we pay for monthly along with a sewer fee.

The bottom line is that when you are snowbirding, whether you want stay at a campground or resort, planning is key.

We had an experience where we thought we had found the perfect resort for a 4-month stay in Florida only to find out the cell service and our personal wifi slowed way down when the resort got full. The pictures online looked amazing, but the reality was disappointing. Also, it was at least a half-hour drive just to get to a store. Needless to say, we left after the first month and found something more to our liking.

You will notice that I did not mention boondocking. We have not done this more than anight or two on our travels to our next destination, so I do not feel comfortable giving advice on boondocking.

If this is more to your liking, there are plenty of resources out there to get you started. No matter where you decide to spend your winter, find a place that fits your lifestyle and get out there!

You can find even more about Jennifer Skinnell and her journey by following The Traveling Quilter on Facebook, or by watching her featured episode on Learn to RV The Podcast – Community Spotlight Series, where she shares her story, experiences, and life on the road.

Jennifer has published seven books you can visit her site here to learn more. She has also published Don’t Wait – Our Full-time RV Journey Through Breast Cancer & It is not just about breast cancer.

It is for anyone who is waiting to do whatever it is they want to do in life. It is for whoever is waiting for that “perfect time”. She's here to tell you that there is no “perfect time”. Just do it.