Let's talk about NEXT wintah!

67Cutlass wrote:
Do you have to go to Florida? Why not consider Texas or Arizona. The Phoenix area and Tuscon area have tons of campgrounds and RV resorts. Rates are generally cheaper than southern Florida.

This will be our first extended winter break. I'd prefer the East Coast to start with. The information about the Savannah area is very interesting. If not there, then perhaps the Florida panhandle. Decisions, decisions, decisions!

I greatly appreciate the time and effort that all of you have put in, in responding.

drenjoey wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:
No RV for us next winter. We are renting a beachfront condo on the ocean side for a month. Don't want to deal with with the RV or a campsite. All we have to take is our clothes in the car and buy food when we get there. Everything included, even the toilet paper. Washer and dryer too. If I get real lazy, I might fly down and rent a car.

Same here....We already reserved a condo for two weeks in Destin (panhandle). Two bedrooms, living area, full kitchen and right on the beach. Not that cheap (1000 a week) but all worth it.
We're taking three weeks....we will drive there. Three weeks away from Maine during the winter months is a big thing for us.

I was going to do Destin for spring break this year but we decided not too. the temp is only at best 75. yes that's nice, but I want to be able to go in the water and maybe do some diving, the water at that time of the year is maybe 72!

If I`m going to FL for spring it will be the southern tip or the Keys.

Cold snaps, but no snow blocking the doors? Coastal South Carolina would work. I went through two winters there, 48 years later my daughter stayed for one. Worst winter weather is persistent cold rain and an occasional ice storm, but no snow shovel needed. It just gets better as you go further south, into coastal Georgia and northern Florida. Even to the north, the coastal plain in North Carolina and southern Virginia, and even the coast of northern Virginia, Maryland and southern Delaware will usually be free of snowfall, but will not necessarily be warm, not even above freezing, most of the winter.

Within 5 miles of the Atlantic coast, from the Delmarva peninsula on down, will be free of snowdrifts at the door. Also anywhere within 10 miles of the Gulf of Mexico, Florida to Texas, will be snow free. Across southern Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, coastal Texas, within 50 miles of the coast snowfall will be a rare event, winter storms rather being icy rain when cold, severe thunderstorms (maybe with tornadoes) when warm.

Moving on west, the Texas Rio Grande Valley will be pretty much snow free, mostly dry, temperatures ranging from a bit below freezing to positively hot for Maine, and quite often windy.

SidecarFlip wrote:
No RV for us next winter. We are renting a beachfront condo on the ocean side for a month. Don't want to deal with with the RV or a campsite. All we have to take is our clothes in the car and buy food when we get there. Everything included, even the toilet paper. Washer and dryer too. If I get real lazy, I might fly down and rent a car.

Same here....We already reserved a condo for two weeks in Destin (panhandle). Two bedrooms, living area, full kitchen and right on the beach. Not that cheap (1000 a week) but all worth it.
We're taking three weeks....we will drive there. Three weeks away from Maine during the winter months is a big thing for us.

Do you have to go to Florida? Why not consider Texas or Arizona. The Phoenix area and Tuscon area have tons of campgrounds and RV resorts. Rates are generally cheaper than southern Florida.

Maine-iacs wrote:
Michael, any interesting places on the Georgia coast that aren't overrun with snow birds?

You most likely will find plenty of places in Coastal GA that are not over-run with Snowbirds. There are 3 decent campgrounds in/around Brunswick, GA that are good base camps - Coastal GA RV Resort, Blythe Island Regional Park and Campground and Jekyll Island Campground.

All three of these are within an hour of Savannah and Jacksonville. If you like paved resorts, then Coastal GA RV Resort is where you want to be. Sites are small, but they are relatively private. Most are pull through with maybe 20 back-in sites with a handful on the lake. The resort is expanding. It's been in the works for a long time and I think it is finally getting ready to lay concrete and build the actual sites. My wife and I just walked through last night, only 3 spots were open. Campers from all over the country.

Blythe Island Regional Park is my favorite as it is more like a state park, except it has full hook-ups, cable tv hook-ups and wifi. There is river access that can put you into the Atlantic. There is also a small catch and release lake. Most of the sites are back-in sites. They are decent size and are semi-private. If you need your satellite for tv, you might have a problem getting a signal. We'd take our Motorhome here and setup for the day next to the beach at the lake.

Jekyll Island Campground is okay, sorta like a state park, but the sites are kind of setup haphazard like and yes, the woodpeckers will break your side view mirrors. It is very popular with snowbirds. Lots of Michigan snowbirds on Jekyll. Jekyll Island is a beautiful island with lots of wildlife. You can practically hand feed white tail deer (please don't though). There are decent restaurants and 96 holes of golf (plus 2 mini-golf courses). Tons of biking and walking trails. You will also need a parking pass to get on and off the island. It'll be $10 to get the RV onto the island. You can buy a long term pass for your toad/tow vehicle. Don't buy one for the RV as over sized vehicles are double the rate of a standard vehicle.

With Brunswick as your base, you have lots of cities to visit within a couple hours drive. You can see Savannah & Tybee Island, Hilton Head, Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra (if you are into Golf) and Daytona Beach to name a few. A little further will get you to Orlando/Disney and Charleston, SC.

There are other smaller campgrounds along coastal GA, I am not familiar with any except Skidaway Island State Park in Savannah.

-Michael

By gorry, here in New Hampshire we're not done talking about THIS winter yet!

Maine-iacs wrote:

GaryInMaine wrote:
Any place south of Newport, Maine, I consider the deep south.

You do realize that includes most of the continental US right?

Oh well:@

And part of Canada!

Maine-iacs wrote:

mgirardo wrote:
I don't know about North of NJ, but the worst of the traffic generally starts in Virginia, so you'd miss it only going to Maryland.

-Michael

Michael, any interesting places on the Georgia coast that aren't overrun with snow birds?

A ton. Well almost a ton. Here's a link to the Allstays Campgrounds Map for Georgia.

There's plenty to see and do in and around Savannah. It's possible to do day trips to Atlanta if that's your "thing". Don't forget the possibilities of Georgia State Parks too.

GaryInMaine wrote:
Any place south of Newport, Maine, I consider the deep south.

You do realize that includes most of the continental US right?