Winter hot spots for AS?

[deauxrite]

Originally Posted by Len n Jeanne

Can anybody comment on the Padre Islands, Big Bend NP, or Mexico as winter destinations? Concerns about their personal safety have switched some of our snowbird neighbours from Mexico to southern California or cruises.

Padre Island..specifically South Padre Island is a snow bird haven(Mc Allen, Brownsville and surrounding communities) . Lots of RV parks and resorts that cater specifically to snowbirds (activities and tours). The northern end of Padre Island is near Corpus Christi, which is a medium sized city on Corpus Christi bay. Both have good climate and lots of RV facilities.

Big Bend is a National Park. Limited RV (very limited) in the park. Some facilities in neighboring communities but you will have to do some research as some are very good and many are very poor. Climate during winter is not as warm but much drier than the coastal areas..and the wind blows like crazy during the winter.

Mexico..your on your own. I quit going several years ago..just not enough reward for the risk, in my opinion. I think that you will find people who disagree with that..and that is certainly OK. Just my two cents worth.

[Len n Jeanne]

Thanks for the advice. We are hunkering down this winter but hope for another southern trip in the winter of 2014-15.

We encountered severe wind this past February/March in the California and southeastern Arizona deserts. The temperatures were light jacket weather when this happened, but you couldn't eat or read a book outside.

[gmw photos]

Originally Posted by Len n Jeanne

Thanks for the advice. We are hunkering down this winter but hope for another southern trip in the winter of 2014-15.

We encountered severe wind this past February/March in the California and southeastern Arizona deserts. The temperatures were light jacket weather when this happened, but you couldn't eat or read a book outside.

I am currently just SE of Tucson. I have been here a month and will be here for another couple months. It is true that we have had some windy days when it was not a lot of fun being outside, but we have had far more that were calm. As I write this, I am sitting outside in the sunshine, on a calm cool day. Sitting in a sweatshirt is very comfortable. Considering that back home in the midwest, it's barely above single digits, I'll take this for sure.
I have stayed in south TX in winter, and one advantage to being here in the desert, compared to TX, for me anyway is the lack of bugs like mosquitoes, etc.

[Wayne&Sam]

Spring will be here soon enough- please let us skiers have our time in the snow!

[Hodum]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Kind of like pigeons. Can't live with 'em, can't shoot 'em.

Before we get too hard on them remember, if we lived up North we would be scrambling to get down here also.

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by Hodum

Before we get too hard on them remember, if we lived up North we would be scrambling to get down here also.

And if you lived up North, you would be scrambling to get out of there before that nasty, hot, humid, bug-infested summer set in.

Doug and Cheryl
Minnesota (God's Country)

[Taylormade]

Originally Posted by dkottum

And if you lived up North, you would be scrambling to get out of there before that nasty, hot, humid, bug-infested summer set in.

Doug and Cheryl
Minnesota (God's Country)

You mean December 9th?

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Hodum

Before we get too hard on them remember, if we lived up North we would be scrambling to get down here also.

As long as they bring their tourist revenues with them, they can come and visit for as long as they like. Provided they also leave a spot for me for when I want to go camping!

So far it hasn't been a problem for me; I've never been turned away from a Louisiana or Mississippi campground I wanted to visit due to the park being booked solid by snowbirds. But apparently our Florida brethren haven't always been so fortunate.

[Taylormade]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

But apparently our Florida brethren haven't always been so fortunate.

Ugh, I really hate what ReserveAmerica has done to their reservation site. I used to be able to input all the criterion I needed (30A power, water, space for a 31' trailer, etc, filter by state parks and availability, etc) and I could have taken a nice screen capture to show how sparse the available sites are.

Anyway, it's ok, just have to plan a little better. It's tough to have any spur of the moment, spontaneous trips here in the winter.

[dkottum]

[QUOTE=Taylormade;1389941]You mean December 9th?

Loved it for many years but we're in Arizona these days. Heading home for summer and grandkids though.

[Mcdenny]

Beautiful state parks, beautiful beaches and not that many people in the winter. Weather can be cool (50s) but can be sunny and 70 also)

St George, St Andrews, Grayton Beach, Topsail, Henderson are all great. Grayton and St Andrews are my favorites. Also the Gulf Islands National Seashore has a nice campground, Ft Pickens, on a very isolated peninsula near Pennsacola.

We spent the month of Feb in Grayton beach two yrs ago. Most days it was nice enough to walk the beach barefoot with shorts and a sweatshirt.

Our blog (link below) has lots of pictures and descriptions of panhandle campgrounds.

[Taylormade]

[QUOTE=dkottum;1389959]

Originally Posted by Taylormade

You mean December 9th?

Loved it for many years but we're in Arizona these days. Heading home for summer and grandkids though.

I'm actually miserable to be around right now because it's so hot. I hung the xmas lights Saturday morning in flip flops, shorts and a tank top and still was sweating at 9am. This is ridiculous, it really needs to cool off a bit.

Can't believe it's going to be Christmas in a few weeks. I feel like I'm back in NZ.

[ricks-vt]

We're looking at sites SE of Tuscon. Any that you would recommend?

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by ricks-vt

We're looking at sites SE of Tuscon. Any that you would recommend?

We like this one, very active 55+ population with sense of community, convenient location to Interstate and city. Reasonable longer-term rates, special pricing each spring for following winter season 3 - 6 months making it a good base from which to explore the Southwest further.

Voyager Hotel & RV Resort: Tucson AZ Luxury Resort | RV Sites, Park Model & Manufactured Home Sales

[noreen&sal]

I shoot pigeons. Sal

[gmw photos]

Originally Posted by ricks-vt

We're looking at sites SE of Tuscon. Any that you would recommend?

Voyager, on South Kolb Road

[rodsterinfl]

[QUOTE]Any ideas for east coast wintering - namely florida? Wed like to boondock on or near beaches. We are younger than most snowbirds so can't do the 55+ parks.

I REALLY enjoy Anastasia State Park in St Augustine. It is on the coastline. The camping spots are in a wooded area but travel around the corner and you are on a natural beach. Atlantic side of state.

I also find Nokomis Beach to be really nice. Gulf Side. Near Venice/Sarasota area.

In the winter the Gulf is better as it is warmer water while the Atlantic is more refreshing in the summer. My opinion.

[Wingeezer]

Just made reservations yesterday at "Rincon Country West", a large 55+ RV park that we have stayed at maybe 8 times before in Tucson. Very well equipped park with all imaginable amenities and reasonable rates.

I think that the monthly rate translates to about $22 a day + elec/cable and taxes.

Seems quite a bit less that we have normally paid in Florida for a park of this calibre.

(Current daily rate is $49 plus tax, elec & cable included.)

Brian.

[gmw photos]

Originally Posted by Wingeezer

Just made reservations yesterday at "Rincon Country West", a large 55+ RV park that we have stayed at maybe 8 times before in Tucson. Very well equipped park with all imaginable amenities and reasonable rates.

I think that the monthly rate translates to about $22 a day + elec/cable and taxes.

Seems quite a bit less that we have normally paid in Florida for a park of this calibre.

(Current daily rate is $49 plus tax, elec & cable included.)

Brian.

Yes, that is just up the road from where I am right now ( Voyager ). I just looked at the Ricon website, seems very similar to this place, and same with price.
Another nice thing about these 55+ parks is that when it get dark outside, all us old folks go inside and pull down the shades ! The place goes totally silent.
Heading for 68 degrees this afternoon.....

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by gmw photos

Yes, that is just up the road from where I am right now ( Voyager ). I just looked at the Ricon website, seems very similar to this place, and same with price.
Another nice thing about these 55+ parks is that when it get dark outside, all us old folks go inside and pull down the shades ! The place goes totally silent.
Heading for 68 degrees this afternoon.....

Is that the RV Park right next to the Camping World Store?

If so, I believe is was owned by a large RV dealer who went out of buisness during the recession and it was closed for a couple of years.

Never stayed there, but looked at their website when it was opened before and it looked very nice! Seems to me they advertised at that time that some of
their premium sites even had private hot tubs!

Is it again run by an RV dealership? I do recall the initial owners had a huge multi-bay shop - maybe something like 14 bays - able to take in Class A motorhomes.

We had a broken window on a previous SOB trailer changed there once!


Looking foreword to getting back to Tucson again this winter - it was three winters ago that we were there last.


Brian.