how to be a snowbird?

So after years of camping within a days drive...my step father suddenly announced that he wants to go to Florida for the winter.  Needless to say, they are clueless.  I believe I've talked them out of this winter...which gives us a year to get ready. 

What they want is something down south.  I suggested N or S Carolina as being less expensive.  They don't need to be on the ocean.  They need something that has activities.  And they need something inexpensive. 

They will not be happy buying a plot they have to pay for year round.  They will also not be happy if they have to pay a rental fee...plus some kind of additional rental/maintenance fee.
They will go for several months, but not necessarily the entire 6 months of winter.

So something with a straight monthly rental fee.  With some planned activities for them to look forward to. 

Oh, almost forgot...they have a pull behind camper.  Separate bedroom, bath, kitchen/livingroom combo.  They use propane for the stove and I believe the refrig, but I may be wrong about that.  They need hook up for water, sewer and of course electricity.

What they want is something down south.  I suggested N or S Carolina as being less expensive.  They don't need to be on the ocean.  They need something that has activities.  And they need something inexpensive. 

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Less expensive and a lot colder -- which is why they are less expensive.  For snowbirding consider the Gulf coast of northern FL, MS, AL and TX or the deserts of AZ and CA.

Less expensive than what. Most parks with decent activity will $600 to $1000 a month    Some in Florida go way more than that.  If the camper is older than 10 years    Good luck finding a spot in most cases

We never paid even $600 a month when staying in Az as I recall we rented annually and it was less than $1000 a year.

Zsuu,

I'm a little (o.k. - a lot) puzzled by your post. Without mentioning their age, health, mental condition, financial condition or anything else about THEM, you've decided what they want and/or need. If they've been camping for years and you don't know if their fridge operates on propane or not, perhaps it's you that needs a few clues. Isn't it just possible that they want a little adventure in their lives, and are willing to do something daring for a change? I'd like to hear their side of the story.

I was wondering the same thing Karl.  Lots of older folks take off and do things on their own.  Why just look at us. ;D

So you talked them out of getting away for the winter?  I don't understand.
We'll be heading south on New Years Day and staying until mid-April.  Our kids do not make the decision, we do.  This will be our 8th year staying on the Gulf Coast near Corpus Christi.  We love getting away from the cold and the traffic.
Send them off and wish them well!

zsuu said:

So after years of camping within a days drive...my step father suddenly announced that he wants to go to Florida for the winter.  Needless to say, they are clueless.  I believe I've talked them out of this winter...which gives us a year to get ready. 

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Wow!  Another person joins our group and posts something that looks like a TROLL as their first message.  We must be getting popular. 

Ron  you should check some of the rates around Ft Myers, both north and south a bit.  Or down in the Keys area
  They are ^^^^^

My kids and friends think the same thing.  We must be crazy ... winter in an RV in a "trailer park" ... they all ask, "What are you going to do all winter?" ... "How will you live in such a small space?" ...  "Won't you get on each others nerves?" ...  Well, we have camped (RVed) for years ... we love each others company and we love the RV life style.  We won't spend the winter in our RV we will be outside enjoying the SUN!! If we don't like where we are we will go someplace else ... but it won't be where there is winter! 

Shayne said:

Ron  you should check some of the rates around Ft Myers, both north and south a bit.  Or down in the Keys area
  They are ^^^^^

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Now why would I want to check rates in Florida since neither Sam or I really like it in Florida.

Shayne said:

Most parks with decent activity will $600 to $1000 a month   

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here is just 1 i know of, desert gold in Brenda AZ 19 miles from qz weather great, all kinds of activities clean park and 1800 a season. I'm surethere are lots more. i think it's terrible to talk them out of this, is this for them or for you, you will get me back to the cold winters when you find someone big enough to drag me back kicking and screaming.
                           

                                                                                                                                                                                    Steve

ZSUU,

Most snowbirds find out how to be a snowbird by TRYING it!  Your parents are old enough to know what they want to do.  Why on earth are you so forcefully talking them out of having some fun in their senior years and planning their life for them?  For goodness sake, they were able to handle you when you were growing up, so it's their turn to do what they want to do with the rest of their lives.  Why do you want to keep them in the cold and snow and ice?  Why do you want to keep them from being with people who have similar likes and interests?  I believe you should tell them it's their decision and then butt out.  Many of our families think we're nuts for RVing, but we do it because we like it.  I think you will be surprised to find that it actually might keep them younger and prolong their lives because they're enjoying life instead of being constrained by lousy weather and what their kids THINK they should be doing.  Also, did it ever occur to you that something could happen to them before your designated "next year" and then they might never get to try this great adventure?  Your attitude is selfish so please back off.

Tell your parents to join our RV Forum and they'll find lots of help when they have questions.  This is a good group and (as you've just discovered reading this thread) we tell it like it is.  Maybe some of the folks here will get to meet up with your parents while they're in warmers climes.  So send them south and tell them to have fun.

ArdraF

Very well stated Ardra and we agree completely.  If they reall do want to help their parents enjoy their senior years they should just as you said butt out and help them get on the RV Forum.

Dad just turned 80, Mom will be 80 in February. They still travel a lot in a 24-foot 5er. I would never try to talk them out of going or not going south or north or east or west if that's what they want to do. (I do draw the line at Dad climbing on the roof back home to shovel off the snow which is why I like them going south in winter.) If they have a trailer and they're experienced RVers, let 'em go south. There are lots of parks in Florida with lots of activities. They could spend the whole winter finding the place they like best. Time to toss the parents out of the nest.

Wendy
p.s. Mom & Dad are parked here with us in Death Valley. They made it south from Oregon just fine. In fact, they're probably better, more knowledgable RVers than we are....after all, they've been doing it for 50 years.

Holy crow.  I really opened up a can of worms.  There were so many negative responses with different angles that it's going to take awhile for me to address them all.

1st and formost.  I did not talk them out of it because I'm selfesh and want them to stay here.  I've tried for years to talk them into going.  They are 72 and 73 and have each been retired for over 5 years.  They should have done this 5 years ago.  Dad just had quadruple bipass surgery and mom just (as in two weeks ago) got out of the nursing home after back surgery. 
Why am I searching instead of them...because I'm the one with the computer.  And they asked me to.  I've tried to "butt out", but, I keep getting dragged back in.

The reason I don't know what the refrig runs on is because they have a new camper and I have not as yet used it.  After all it's theirs not mine and I need to wait until they break it in before I ask to borrow it. 

I am not a troll.  I came here because it seemed to be the best place to find answers. 

Money?  Well, I read a few other posts and saw that some campgrounds were $295 a month if you stay 6 months and $395 if you just go monthly.  I told mom the price and mentioned it was plus electricity and she said "no way"  too much. 

I'm planning to be in Florida in Oct/Nov and would like them to come with me and camp out for a week or two.  This way they could give it a try. 

Now...are you people going to buckle down and help me to help them...or are you going to continue to nag me?

Well I haven't nagged you and I might be as big a nagger as there is here.  I'm nearly 74 and ready to buy another RV  Wife (aka Boss) hates RVing.  I've been RVing since the 60's and if she won't go  tough, I'll go myself as I have for many years.  Go check out their RV and find a neighbor or friend that does.  Get them acquainted with the unit and tell to go and enjoy themselves. There are places less expensive it other areas than Fl.  I went there for years and now could care less about it.  Too many bugs and hurricanes.  Just my opinion.

Thank you Shayne.  That's why I suggested N or S Carolina.  It may be colder.  But, it's still warm compared to Massachusetts.  We have snow up to our ho,ho, ho here already. 
I just checked out the Free or $10 or less a night site.  I saved it so I can go back and reference it when we know where they are going.  Also for myself when I finally find out where my friends are racing their speed boat. 

Dad is just like you.  He likes to camp more than mom.  Of course the reason mom doesn't like to camp is because she has to do all the cooking and cleaning.  I don't think she really understands just how much work it is to dump, fill, level, back up, drive.  She just knows that once they are at the site and all set...that's when she has to start working. 

We share cooking  bit.  The coach is my baby and it's mine to care for.  Dishes I wash she drys and puts away.  Not much interior cleaning going on in coach on a daily basis, but if you dirty it or mess it up, you clean it,  Works like a charm.  Been there done that over and over until it's routine.  JMO

My Mom does all the driving. Dad does the parking and the other blue jobs (hookups, car washing, etc.). Plus Dad does the dishes which he says is fair since Mom does the cooking.  Maybe your parents could divide up the chores that have to be done when you're parked in one spot?

Many of the free and $10 sites are no hookup sites so watch that carefully. I assume your folks want hookups. And $10 a day comes out to $300 a month which sounded like it was too high? There used to be some pretty reasonable parks in the Orlando area. Don't know if there still are or if that's a spot your parents would want to go.

As for snow up to your ho-ho-ho, that's why people go south, to keep our ho-ho-ho's warm !!

Wendy
Death Valley