Visit our Popular Forums

Rusty Bucket · 12-17-2002, 06:28 AM

A couple of mos. ago I visited a cousin in the Melbourne/Cocoa Fl. area. Someplace up that way I passed a, uh, hate to say "trailer park"---call it a mobile home village. Anyway, it was full of Airstreams, big, little, old, new---lots of 'em. I'm going to be back up that way during the holidays and would like to find it again. As I'm typing this I'm thinking that the park was maybe around Palm Bay. Somebody on this site is probably having their morning coffee in the park I'm refering to as I'm posting this. We're considering relocating to that area in the near future, and if there are sites available we could use our 'ol trailer as a base to property shop from. Thanks, Howard

overlander64 · 12-17-2002, 07:12 AM

I seem to remember a post on this forum about three weeks ago that a park catering to Airstreams located near the airport in Melbourne, Florida was closing due to loss of lease or sale to the Airport Authority. I believe that post mentioned that a number of Airstreams were being offered for sale by owners who lacked the motivation or ability to move their units.

Kevin

joe hall · 12-17-2002, 08:41 AM

I recently discussed the park in question in this web site. I work for a Melbourne, Florida-based company in their Washington, D.C.-area office. The park in question is right across NASA Boulevard from the Melbourne airport. The entrance is directly across the street from the Melbourne Hilton Realto Hotel. The park is subject to being closed down. As I understand it, the Airport Authority owns the property and wants it back. They have been at odds with the City Council, which would like to retain the park for historical purposes (as well as economical, I suspect). Regardess, I understand the Authority won the legal fight. Units have been trickling onto the market for two or three years, as nervous owners decide to sell their Airstreams rather than deal with them from afar. As you can imagine, most of the owners are from colder climates. I bought my '86 31' Sovereign from an owner there during this past Summer. It is a beauty, having been purchased new and moved to that park where it never left until I bought it and pulled it away. Many of the remaining units (and there are still a great many) are in excellent condition. There are also some real antiques, but all must be properly maintained for appearances sake. A good point of contact for the park is a gentleman named Jerry Power, telephone: 321/727-3146. Jerry lived permanently in the park for several years and serves as a part-time broker for some of the owners who are attempting to find buyers for their Airstreams. Good luck.

Rusty Bucket · 12-17-2002, 10:15 AM

Thanks for the prompt response. I kinda remember the park looking "unoccupied" as I rode by it, but obviously still well maintained. When I get back up there I'll look again and see if there are any bargains too good to pass up. Hafta be almost "free to a good home" the way our finances are lately.
Thanks again, Howard

joe hall · 12-17-2002, 11:00 AM

Howard, if you were there during the summertime it probably WAS almost vacant. During the winter there has historically been a Cadillac, Suburban or pick-up in front of every one of them, with a little blue-haired couple sitting in lawn chairs out front! I understand at one time there were 450 Airstreams of every imaginable age, size, etc., parked there. There are probably still over 200, unless they have all been moved since I was there in late October. I generally travel to Melbourne once or twice a month. For the past year or so, I have driven through their holding lot just to see what is for sale. In October, I drove through for a friend who was enamored with our Airstream and asked if I could check for any great deal available. There were about 8-10 units for sale, all of them looking pretty darned good to include an almost-new 34' Excella. I think you could find something you liked, and in a priceline for everyone's current budget, if you had the time and inclination. There were two or three I would have liked to have had, just because they looked like good deals at the listed prioce. Of course, this was without a close inspection. As my permanent home is in South Georgia, I don't come from a place economically condusive to re-selling them very quickly. Let us know what you find.

john hd · 12-17-2002, 05:39 PM

a picture looking down safari ave when i had my trailer there...

john

canny_banjo_man · 12-20-2002, 01:49 PM

Hi there.....
Funny thing....I sure I seen that place too...purely by accident...back in '97, we went to Cocoa beach, Ron-Jons surf shop, Kennedy S/C, saw the HUGE millitary aircraft, fly over us...awesome...then I kinda got lost, but won't admit it, I say we done it the SCENIC WAY...lol, only wished I'yd video'd it, sigh !!!,
Funny too, that I kinda liked that part of Fl:, the touristy bit is ok, but I love to get off the path, once in a while, kinda opens my eyes...I guess it's my English countryness taking over, as I'm not keen on big Cities, if I recall, the roads seemed a little narrower down that way...Chris...

zamboni · 12-22-2002, 11:25 AM

We are planning a trip to Florida this Spring...no destination picked yet but would like to stay at an Airstream friendly park...that allows young kids & MH. Probably wopuld stay in North Florida panhandle area.

Any help would be great.

Pahaska · 12-22-2002, 12:05 PM

I stayed in Panama City Beach last spring at my squadron reunion in a park that was a KOA when I made the reservation but was no longer a KOA when I arrived. I drove by the place about 5 times before I finally stopped and inquired.

Anyhow, it was a fairly nice park, quite a number of kids, and all kinds of rigs. They had a security gate and it was about 100 yards down a path to the beach. I would stay there again if I were in the area.

It is now called Holiday Travel Park, and it is located just about where Front Beach Road and SR 392 (Thomas Drive) cross. It is fairly close to St. Andrews State Park.