I lived in Orlando for 18 years before I started full timing. The Panhandle does get cold. Maybe not compared to Minnesota or Wisconsin, but compared to the rest of Florida, it's like a different state in the winter. Sometimes will get a little snow even.
Keep in mind that Florida is an extremely long state - something like 500 miles long if you include The Keys. There are several different 'zones'. I've always thought it interesting that in very northern Florida you might not see too many palm trees but if you're down around Miami, that's all you see. And they even have palms in southern Florida that won't grow in northern Florida because of the temp difference.
The warm zone is generally considered to be bordered by I-4. If you want to wear shorts every day (and I do), you want to be south of that line. But it's not an exact science. I stayed at Williston Crossings RV Resort in Williston for the 2013-2014 winter and I was fine with it. This is a very highly rated RV resort with decent rates that you might want to check out. It's about 15 miles SW of Gainesville. Close enough to Gainesville (college town), Cedar Key, Tampa, and Orlando. I like the Gulf side much better then the Atlantic side.
If you truly want WARM temps, then look around the Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Arcadia, and Ft Myers, areas. But keep in mind that the further south in Florida you go, the more expensive it gets. But I've heard that the RVers down thataway don't even know if their furnaces work.
You can PM me if you have any specific questions about what I've written.
* FWIW, I use RVparkreviews.com all the time. Pick a town in Florida in an area you want to be in and see which RV resorts get rated the best.
Tim
