Ageing Snowbird Parks, Changing habits, preferences.

westernrvparkowner wrote:
I think the long term trend will be fewer full time RVers staying in one spot. Parks that are located near major cities and attractions will become more in favor. Winter destination areas like Southern Florida, Phoenix and Southern California will continue to be attractive. The losers are going to be South Texas and the Arizona Desert where the activities are concentrated within the parks themselves. Unless the parks in those type of areas offer major recreation like a golf course, a true fitness facility, resort style pools and an actual restaurant, they are probably going to struggle. I don't think a putting green, pot luck dinners, bingo, craft room and a pool table are going to be enough to draw the younger, active, mobile, and more affluent, future snowbirds.

As a potential first time snowbirder this winter (for just a month) I completely agree. I have friends at home. I have activities at home. My snowbirding is visiting a new place where I can see the attractions in the area. I'm not interested in being socially isolated from the rest of the world, with people older than me. Even if I stayed somewhere 4 months, and did somewhat socialize with people there, I'm not interested in the mainly sedentary activities for people old enough to be my parents. It might be nice to have a space where I could, for instance, set up my own sewing machine, or do some wood-working, but I don't need/want that planned for me.


And if I ever get bored enough to play bingo, just shoot me and put me out of my misery.

We do plan to spend a month in Arizona this winter, but have chosen a park that's in the desert and near hiking trails and national parks, not one in the city so we can sit around. Neither one of us has ever been to Arizona, so we plan to do a lot of day trips and maybe some overnights, using the RV park as home base.