Tucson in Feb? Anyone with experience?

[dprvashon]

Greetings... thinking of heading to the Gem show in Tucson this coming February. Has anyone experienced the camping angle there? I know it is prime snow-bunny time so there may limited places to park our AS. Are there any rallies then (2/12-2/14)? Where is the best places to stay? Appreciate any advise or experiences.

[TBRich]

You are right...it is VERY busy in Tucson during the Gem Show. You should book something now. Public campgrounds are sparse in the immediate Tucson area: Catalina State Park on the NW side is a popular State Park campground very close to shopping, etc... You can make reservations there, and it's a must.

Pima Country runs the Gilbert Ray Campground in the Tucson Mt Park..the campground is on the west side of the Tucson Mts between Old Tucson Studios and the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum (the Desert Museum is highly recommended). Nice campground, beautiful part of the desert ...electric at sites and water spigots around...but they do not take reservations.

There are, however many commercial RV parks that you can look over...go to the Good Sam website or other sites that list RV parks available. There are lots to choose from with all levels of services and amenities. The Lazy Days KOA (on the grounds of the Lazy Days RV, which is an Airstream dealer, among other brands) is nice location for this sort of thing ... it's central and it's nice "urban" campground.

If you get further away from Tucson to the southeast there are other State Park campgrounds... Kartchner Caverns State Park, Patagonia Lake State Park, Roper Lake State Park...plus a whole slew of RV places in the smaller towns along I-10.

You could also go north from Tucson toward the Casa Grande area...Picacho Peak State Park and commercial parks in Casa Grande.

Good luck!

[switz]

Alumafiesta

Alumafiestia will start 27th of January 2015 and end the first day of the Gem show, 1 February and will be held at the Lazydays KOA in Tucson.

Note that many Arizona camp grounds are booked for months at a time starting in November by the snow birds.

[sinjin]

We stayed at the Gilbert Ray campground last year. Got there in the middle of the gem show and had no problem getting a super site. We were just passing thru and ended up staying for a week. The weather was excellent. It's quite close to the Desert Museum, which is actually a zoo and very interesting. The raptor demonstration was awesome.

[AnnArborBob]

We are thinking of wintering in southern AZ & CA during the winter of 2015/16. We'd like to move around a bit every week or two. Will be generally be able to find campground availability? I really don't want to be making a reservations all over the place six months in advance.

Thanks for any thoughts on this.

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by AnnArborBob

We are thinking of wintering in southern AZ & CA during the winter of 2015/16. We'd like to move around a bit every week or two. Will be generally be able to find campground availability? I really don't want to be making a reservations all over the place six months in advance.

Thanks for any thoughts on this.

Bob, we've been doing it for years.

The county, state and national parks have terrific locations in beautiful country. They limit the length of stay so you can usually get in. Use the internet and call ahead to check availability.

The large 55+ RV resorts are great fun, great activities day and night, with a wonderful sense of community, you'll know why you retired. Longer stays will give reduced rates. Usually good availability, Jan-Feb-Mar peak season.

We reserve well ahead for the season in a southwest RV resort, then travel way the heck out of the way seeing new parts of the country coast-to-coast and/or border-to-border coming and going from Minnesota's beautiful summer weather. We also make side trips during the winter, sometimes taking the Airstream, sometimes not. Next month we'll head south more/less down the Great River Road to see the middle of the country. Next spring, Pacific Coast highway.

It's a good life, we love our Airstream.

[shivtik]

Numerous spots all over the area near Lake Havasu, Bullhead, Laughlin, Parker, Blythe, and Yuma , County and Private parks along with National, and State parks galore along the Colorado River and Lakes. Can't beat our winters and functions ranging from the Casinos in Laughlin to Chili cookoffs to Custom boat and car shows to Craft Brew and bar b que's, etc, etc, etc put on by the cities here almost on a daily basis. Our balloon festival is growing in leaps and bounds for the spring with over 180 balloons expected this the 5th season. Bass masters has layed claim to one of their largest events as well. We are in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Canada and are starting our trip back home and hope to be in Flint Mich tommorrow and back home by the middle of Oct? We always seem to find a delay or two on our way back so who knows when we may show .

[IanPoulin]

Tucson in February..... Ah, grand memories of college... One items of note weather wise. Be ready for a wild swing in daytime temps compared to what you may be used to elsewhere. I recall heading onto campus for 7am labs, wearing long trousers and a winter jacket; then to walk out into the quad around lunchtime to strange looks of people in shorts and summer-Ts....

Now that I've the airstream, it's a return trip I've wanted to do for some time. If you're into Mexican food, go find a place in South Tucson called Mi Nidito... I miss Sonoran enchiladas to this day


2011 Airstream International Serenity 28' - 30a/taupe
2013 Fors F150 v6-ecoboost with max tow and HD payload packages

[IanPoulin]

Which brings up my one concern in Tucson - can anyone comment on good private parks that are not age restricted, in case I cannot get into the Santa Catalina State park loops?


2011 Airstream International Serenity 28' - 30a/taupe
2013 Fors F150 v6-ecoboost with max tow and HD payload packages

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by IanPoulin

Which brings up my one concern in Tucson - can anyone comment on good private parks that are not age restricted, in case I cannot get into the Santa Catalina State park loops?


2011 Airstream International Serenity 28' - 30a/taupe
2013 Fors F150 v6-ecoboost with max tow and HD payload packages

We have stayed at Voyager RV Resort the past couple of years. It has a hotel, permanent homes, prefab homes, and park models as well as RV's. I don't think the hotel and RV sections have age restriction, but you ought to check first.

[TBRich]

Originally Posted by IanPoulin

Which brings up my one concern in Tucson - can anyone comment on good private parks that are not age restricted, in case I cannot get into the Santa Catalina State park loops?


2011 Airstream International Serenity 28' - 30a/taupe
2013 Fors F150 v6-ecoboost with max tow and HD payload packages

Ian...

There are plenty or RV parks in the Tucson and SoAZ area that do not have age restrictions. Just look around...there are parks at all levels of amenities and "resortness"...some are more residential than others, but there are choices to be had. And don't rule out public campgrounds...the AZ state park system is well developed and you can make reservations everywhere. And we hope you can hit a 4CU rally or two! Would be great to meet one of our newest members and put a face to a name!

[srpuywa]

If you have access to a military campground you can go to Davis Monthan

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by srpuywa

If you have access to a military campground you can go to Davis Monthan

Agave Gulch Famcamp, very nice rv park. We served as camp hosts a few years ago at Davis-Monthan. There are military eligibility requirements but you also can be signed into a site as a guest of a family member who is stationed on base, or as guest of a eligible camper who is signed into the rv park.

They don't accept reservations and the park will be full in February. You can get on a waiting list by signing into dry camp (no hookups) to wait for an opening, typically less than a week but you never know. There is a 21 day stay limit for all but a few seasonal sites.