1st Winter as a Fulltimer - RV-Dreams Community Forum

pierreandcolleen · RV-Dreams Family Member

1st Winter as a Fulltimer

jdensie · RV-Dreams Family Member

We are spending 6 months in Flordia, about 60 miles south of Orlando in the central part of the state. We paid for our site last March and at that time they only had three sites left. You can't be early enough for a nice park.

gypsymaus · RV-Dreams Family Member

We live in Texas and last winter had our RV in three different parks and had no problem getting a site. I certainly understand wanting to see a park first. RV park websites can be very deceiving. If you haven't used this website before try it and see if it will help you. http://www.rvparkreviews.com/ . The beauty of this life we live is if we don't like where we are we don't have to stay. biggrin

Luvglass · RV-Dreams Family Member

If you want to stay in a particular park for the entire winter, then reservations would be in order. But if you don't mind moving around, or perhaps like that lifestyle, then you can go anywhere, in any season, and be assured of a place to stay.

We enjoy moving around and spent a winter in Florida and Georgia, seeing a lot of both states, spending a few days to a few weeks in various areas. Also, it's quite expensive on the coasts of Florida, but reasonable in the interior.

If you're just starting out, it might be best to keep yourself loose and see what type of campground you enjoy. They can be quite different.

Good luck,
Fred

Jim01 · RV-Dreams Family Member

The parks in Central FL. do fill up, but if you are willing to stay North of Orlando, I don't think you'll have a problem.

Not knowing what kind of park you are looking for, I would pick a park that sounds good to you, give them a call, and reserve a site for a week or so. Once you are in FL. you can check out other parks and then decide where you want to stay for a longer time.

Being that this is your first year, I wouldn't commit to a park for a long period of time, until you figure out what kind of park you want to be in, or what area you want to be at.

Have fun, and explore. Live a little dangerously. There will always be someplace you can park that RV.

We stay at a park near our Daughter's house, (close to Daytona), for the months of Dec and Jan, but wander around FL the months of Feb and Mar, and have yet to make a reservation at a park during those last 2 months.

Have fun, relax, and enjoy the lifestyle. smile

Jim

Sonia · RV-Dreams Family Member

Florida is the only state I've heard issues regarding parks being totally full in winter. There are plenty of good places to stay in Texas, without reservations, and while I'm not as familiar with AZ, I haven't had a problem there either without reservations.

You are right not to reserve a place site unseen. Extremely few parks in my experience will give refunds. So if you hate the place, you could be out quite a bit of money, or sit there and not like the place. I won't make a reservation for longer than a few days any place I haven't seen because the RV park I'm in greatly influences my enjoyment of the area I'm visiting.

Judy · RV-Dreams Family Member

For the past 2 yrs we have stayed in Tucson area for winter. Tucson area parks are busy but I think you will find a place it depends on what you are willing to pay for a month. This yr we are going to try Florida. Will stay at the 2 Thousand Trail pks. and see how that goes. Have reservations already in. We will be near my oldest daughter and hubby.

thebearII · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have been around Quarzsite AZ. in January thru February timeframe for the past 20 years. The RV parks at times are full, but there is lots of BLM land around, where you can boondock while waiting for a spot to open up.

There is lots to see and do in the area. Big swapmeets/ flea markets, mineral mining, Colorado River for fishing and watersports, Laughlin for the casinos, desert for hiking and nature loving.....etc.

It's an RVers Mecca.

For info:

www.qzchamber.com
http://www.quartzsitervshow.com/

-- Edited by thebearII at 10:10, 2008-09-18

pierreandcolleen · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks all. It helps to hear what others are doing. We think we will stay near Ocala, FL....so hopefully no need for reservations there as it is north of Orlando. I think we will remain flexible though.

Happy travels!
Colleen

Sandra · RV-Dreams Family Member

We rarely make reservations anywhere and haven't had a problem. Hope you find somewhere that you like!

Speedhitch · RV-Dreams Family Member

This is a very good question. This will be Sherri and My first Summer out after retirement. We have not planned to make reservation so it will be a wait and see situation. I am sure the next year we will be much wiser and the next even more...So I think you too will learn and then you will be able to advise us all on what you experiance. Good luck and have fun.

Joe and Sherri

Dan and Gail · RV-Dreams Family Member

We spent last Jan, Feb and March in Alabama, southern Georgia and Florida. We went as far south as Titusville, Fl and had no problems finding campgrounds. We did stay in one park for 2 weeks and had to move to another site at the end of the first week because someone had reserved the space we were in; but we didn't mind. The owner had given us a reduced rate for the 2 weeks, and we knew up front we would have to move.

I had not wanted to go to Florida because I had heard that the parks are full, but we did not find that to be so. I would hesitate to make long term reservations at a park sight unseen.

We also like National Forests, State Parks and Corps of Engineer parks. We don't like staying in the same place for all season. We lived in a subdivision for the past 35 years before starting fulltiming, and prefer more open space.

We'll be in Illinois until after Christmas this year because some of our kids are coming to their sister's house for Christmas. Then we'll head south again.

Enjoy your travels.

ahoweth · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hey guys:

When you get in the Ocala area don't just stay in one place. Do some looking around. Some folks buy RV lots in the upscaled RV resorts just to rent out or resell when the prices go up. Many of those who rent those sites, rent them for the season and some for even shorter. We spent 7 weeks in an upscaled RV and Golf resort near Orlando for $375.00 per month. The place was beautiful and the lot owner was just glad to make enough out of the site to pay his monthly maintenance fee. I don't promise that you can find a deal like that but it does prove that they are available. You just have to look for them and be lucky. We found this one by stopping in at the office of the resort and having a nice visit with the secretary behind the desk. When she got to visit with us for a while, found out what kind of rig we had and that the only animal we had was a miniature poodle, she volunteered that I might call this guy and talk with him. Turns out he had 3 Rv pads in the resort and a couple of them were empty. We made a deal and we paid him directly. We didn't even go through the resort.

JMO

pierreandcolleen · RV-Dreams Family Member

We think we're pretty lucky so we will stay flexible. We also tend to change our minds so frequently that it doesn't make sense to lock into something. Hubby is now thinking that he would like to crew on a sailboat for the winter. I'm leaning more toward staying in the same area and getting a part-time job. Who knows what we'll actually end up doing. I'm glad we don't have know what we'll be doing this winter :)