It's main attraction--the ocean--doesn't apply much in our case for two reasons--we've never got into deep sea fishing and I've got to be careful of sun exposure, having had base cell carcinoma recently (so have quite a few folks I know). We are also a bit old to enjoy late night partying and dancing.
The two other drawbacks for us are expensive, as you note--and way to suburban. It reminds me of Southern California today--long past its beauty and livability of the early fifties.
TEXAS
If a central location is important to you, Texas would seem to have a huge advantage compared to the two most frequently mentioned winter bases I see here--Yuma and Florida. Just to look on a map is to see the benefit in terms of great choices in every compass direction. That becomes especially important as things warm up. But even in winter and if you stay in Texas, the variety in the above locations grows further when you throw in Big Bend to the West. Lots of great state parks too. We like to vary between those and RV resorts with amentities.
TEXAS GULF COAST AND RIO GRANDE VALLEY
If your main attraction vis-a-vis Florida is the ocean, these areas are far more reasonable and nowhere near as suburbanized as Florida. If you are older, you are less likely to get overrun by partying college kids and twenty-somethings.
We passed Corpus Christi from the North and from what we could see on a drive by, I've never seen such a clean-looking city. If you must have shirtsleeve weather almost daily, go for the Rio Grande Valley. Lots of "over 55" resorts with plenty of activities if that's your thing.
For our tastes and wants, the Hill Country was unbeatable--More scenic and varied than the Rio Grande Valley with lots of outdoor cafes overlooking along rivers, mild weather, good homemade food at reasonable prices in almost every town especially the superb live music of every sort and even in the smallest towns. Many such towns are picturesque but more enjoyable than places like New Hope or Cape May for a number of reasons--including the music, the layouts, and the fact they--because you'll find them in the dozens here--they never get as people swamped as such rarer towns in the East (Try visiting Tannersville in the Poconos for a boring contrast).
Based on what we've seen of it so far, I'd suggest the following: spend a Sunday at Gruene (part of New Braunfels), visit pretty Wimberly (near San Marcos) and--for scenic beauty, the area between Concan and Utopia (The Paradise campground accross from Garner State Park has the friendliest owners and the best social atmosphere we've found so far) We'll be hitting other areas of the Hill Country when we fly back in a few days, having stored our trailer in the Pecan Campground near San Marcos.
Visiting the Riverwalk/Alamo area of San Antonio is a must but one day for us will do here because it's becoming a bit like LA. I recommend a Sunday when traffic tends to be lower. It's now the seventh largest city in the country I believe. If you love live music in great variety, no place in the country can beat Austin. You can park free at Austin High School and take free "dillos" in until 8 o'clock. Check out Treadways if you get off 35 along Riverside Drive to the South.
WEATHER: Someone mentioned occasional cold fronts which mean mainly light jackets in early moring and highs in the mid sixties to high seventies most winter days with no humidity. It's kind of as if Province had been moved to Texas but with most folks speaking English. We'll sacrifice a few degrees for all the Hill Country has to offer.
ARIZONA
Can't say much yet about Arizona as a winter base. We're going try it but--given our tastes--it'll have to be something to beat the Hill Country which is so varied. We did visit Arizona for two weeks in the summer--liked Tuscon and area to the South but not Phoenix (looked like LA in the desert). We probably wouldn't like Yuma, the favorite if temperatures come first. There are other areas where winters are relatively mild and that are more attractive I'm told and that's what we'll investigate.
Coming from Ohio I suppose you could head for either Florida or Texas and call it even.
I have been to Texas but never to spend the winter. We always have come to Florida since it's an easier trip down 95 from home and would never consider going elsewhere.
Our weather has been great every year since 2000. January can be cold but it does not snow
Today it was 83 or so and since we are on a river there is a nice breeze.
I realize FL cgs are more expensive than those in TX and that will be a consideration for some people.
I don't agree that the ocean is Florida's big draw. You might have meant to include the Gulf too but the coasts are very different, and then there are all those lakes.
Florida is crowded. No getting around that. We are in an area just south of Tampa and it still is quite unspoiled and we like it that way. It won't stay this way forever.
This cg is going from $555/month to $580 next year. That does not include electric. The Keys are completely out of sight. Generally, the further south you go, and the closer to water, - the more you will pay.
Just remember wherever you go - Florida or Texas or Arizona - snow is unlikely
Pat
May the road rise with you, the wind be always at your back.
We are into the 2nd page of this thread without the usual "wind" post from fchammer. Let's hope it continues as this has been very informative , so far.
With the cost of fuel I figure we're limited to wintering in Florida. Not only is it closer to get there, we drive less while in Florida. Where we camp we can walk to a shopping center, post office and a library. I only filled the truck twice all winter.
In Texas it seemed everything was forty miles down the road.
Florida does seem cramped by comparison. But with the cost of fuel that's not all bad.
Just finished our first winter away from Idaho and we were a bit disappointed with the weather in Arizona--we were in the Parker area from mid December thru mid January and it was cold, wet, and windy. Moved to Tucson and low and behold got stranded in a campground for three days due to a heavy rain and a washed out road! Moved to Coolidge area and weather was cool but windy, Phoenix much the same. The weather finally became pleasant the very end of Feb but it was go home time then.
I understand from veteran snowbirds that this was an unusual winter in Arizona and I have a feeling they are right--no one in their right mind would go to Arizona in the winter if it was like this winter all the time.
We found plenty of vacancies, thought the monthly rates were reasonable and the amenities in the rv parks adequate for our needs--lots of very nice people with plenty of activities to make the cold weather time go by quickly.
We thought Quartzite an absolute zoo but I can understand why some would enjoy the press of people and things there--just not our thing. Nothing, however, completely satisfies when you spend day after day in a motorhome trapped by the weather and unable to enjoy being outside! Cabin fever time.
Unfortunately you won't get too many comments about Arizona here--seems dominated with folks that go to RGV even tho I know a lot of folks that read here have to winter in Arizona but don't seem to share their experiences like the folks that winter in Texas.
chuckster11 wrote: Just finished our first winter away from Idaho and we were a bit disappointed with the weather in Arizona--we were in the Parker area from mid December thru mid January and it was cold, wet, and windy. Moved to Tucson and low and behold got stranded in a campground for three days due to a heavy rain and a washed out road! Moved to Coolidge area and weather was cool but windy, Phoenix much the same. The weather finally became pleasant the very end of Feb but it was go home time then.
I understand from veteran snowbirds that this was an unusual winter in Arizona and I have a feeling they are right--no one in their right mind would go to Arizona in the winter if it was like this winter all the time.
We found plenty of vacancies, thought the monthly rates were reasonable and the amenities in the rv parks adequate for our needs--lots of very nice people with plenty of activities to make the cold weather time go by quickly.
We thought Quartzite an absolute zoo but I can understand why some would enjoy the press of people and things there--just not our thing. Nothing, however, completely satisfies when you spend day after day in a motorhome trapped by the weather and unable to enjoy being outside! Cabin fever time.
Unfortunately you won't get too many comments about Arizona here--seems dominated with folks that go to RGV even tho I know a lot of folks that read here have to winter in Arizona but don't seem to share their experiences like the folks that winter in Texas.
My goodness! No wonder you were disappointed with the weather where you were, you were in the wrong places! I watched the weather forecasts everyday from Yuma and was glad I didn't go where you were!
Yuma, Wellton, the Foothills, even El Centro, Ca is where you should have been. We had fantastic weather.
We spent January south of Tucson, and it was very cool. There were many nights that our water line froze. The clothes that I brought for warm weather did not get used. In Feb. we were south of Phoenix, and it too was cool - slightly warmer. It was dusty and not scenic - too bad that the beautiful areas were cold and snowy, otherwise, we would have gone there. We stayed in the Benson area for the first week of March, and we enjoyed that much more - still cool, though.
chuckster11 wrote: Just finished our first winter away from Idaho and we were a bit disappointed with the weather in Arizona--we were in the Parker area from mid December thru mid January and it was cold, wet, and windy. Moved to Tucson and low and behold got stranded in a campground for three days due to a heavy rain and a washed out road! Moved to Coolidge area and weather was cool but windy, Phoenix much the same. The weather finally became pleasant the very end of Feb but it was go home time then.
I understand from veteran snowbirds that this was an unusual winter in Arizona and I have a feeling they are right--no one in their right mind would go to Arizona in the winter if it was like this winter all the time.
We found plenty of vacancies, thought the monthly rates were reasonable and the amenities in the rv parks adequate for our needs--lots of very nice people with plenty of activities to make the cold weather time go by quickly.
We thought Quartzite an absolute zoo but I can understand why some would enjoy the press of people and things there--just not our thing. Nothing, however, completely satisfies when you spend day after day in a motorhome trapped by the weather and unable to enjoy being outside! Cabin fever time.
Unfortunately you won't get too many comments about Arizona here--seems dominated with folks that go to RGV even tho I know a lot of folks that read here have to winter in Arizona but don't seem to share their experiences like the folks that winter in Texas.
My goodness! No wonder you were disappointed with the weather where you were, you were in the wrong places! I watched the weather forecasts everyday from Yuma and was glad I didn't go where you were!
Yuma, Wellton, the Foothills, even El Centro, Ca is where you should have been. We had fantastic weather.
We considered moving down to the Yuma area but it seemed to us that there simply could not have been that much difference in 100 miles!
Also, we were trying to avoid the crowds as much as we could--we looked at some property in Yuma a couple of years ago and the area didn't appeal. Might try it next year tho. However, I had the impression that all of Arizona was cool and wet this winter.
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