Heading south for the first time

Since we live in Marietta I can tell you it ain't gonna be all that warm in Georgia in the winter, even in southern Georgia. I don't know your budget but Florida is not exactly cheap to RV in the winter.

I too recommend 'Go west'. Southern Texas will be warmer than Georgia and cheaper than Florida. There are so many beautiful things to see out west. Florida's OK, but once you've seen one palm tree, the rest are pretty much the same.

OK , I'm biased on the west. I grew up in the west and can't wait to return. In fact it's less than a from now I retire and we're gone! We can't get out of Georgia quick enough.

OK so this is an extreme example of the cost of a winter site here in Florida. We are currently here now. The daily summer rate is about $96, the daily winter rate is between $115 and $125 PER day. Some sites here are even higher. There are no weekly or monthly rates.

I would agree with others that say "go west young man" because we love it out there, but Summer-Fall is our Western swing and we live in Florida in the winter (actually year round now since we're off the road for a while but that's another story).

If you stick with the Southeast, when you're sure of the locations you want to visit start calling and make reservations. Good parks fill up fast. Also remember that it can be fairly chilly in FL in Dec/Jan/Feb. We live in the Tampa area and Christmas day might just as easily be 40 low 50 high and raining as 50 low 80 high and sunny!

Are you members of anything that will get you into parks that are "members only" For example, military retiree? Escapees club member? other camping clubs?

Flexibility will help you enjoy the trip.

Good luck and happy travels!

Thank you for the suggestions thus far. Keep them coming. Also thank you for the 8 point list. Some are already in place, I will look at the others.
Keep ideas coming.
Thanks.

WyoTraveler wrote:
JMHO. I am originally from Michigan. Get out of the east coast crowd. Head west. Get away from all those people in the east. AZ,CA,NV. Check out parks. However, between paks camp in the desert in the winter for free. When you need a dump or hook up go to Rv park. then pull off nto the desert. Millions of miles of vacant land just wating for you. Run your dog, shoot your guns, kick back, no people. I just don't get living in the east.

We definitely plan to go out west, just not quite yet. We plan to see every square mile of this beautiful country. For this first trip we feel better staying a bit closer to home.

I don't know how it is in other states, but Florida state parks are pretty well full in the winter. Snow birds grab the good spots well in advance.

My wife and I had a 27" gasser for a year. This spring we upgraded to a 38" Holiday Rambler DP.
So since we just retired we plan to spend the winter out of the snow belt. The plan is to leave around Dec.1 and return around March 1.
We are thinking spending 2-3 weeks at every destination. Places that come to mind is GA, Northern FL, Al, LA, MS.
We are not into using the facilities at campgrounds so we are looking for water, electric (30 Amp should do in the winter), cable and WIFI. Full hook-ups would be nice, but driving 5 min's to dump now and again is no big deal.
So learned ones tell me about places you have experience with!
Thank you in advance.

Just some suggested RV tools in preparation for your 1st. retired trip, good job:)
1. buy a Emergency Road Side Service plan and the Travel Assist plan i.e. Good Sam or Coach net. The Travel Assist plan will give both of you some level of peace of mind if there is ever a medical condition or RV accident and you are unable to drive your rig home or need airflight to a hospital. Look in the Good Sam web site for more details.
2. If the tires on your rig are over 3 years old, throw them away for some new hoops.
3. Buy a weather radio and leave it turned on all the time.
4. optional, buy a CB with a good wilson antenna. Not wanting to listen to so called "trucker language" is a lame excuse. Turn the squelch knob up if he language offends the ears of your family. I want to be able to find out the road conditions and traffic conditions miles ahead of me.
5. Buy a Good Sam Campers book to help you find out where camp grounds are located and what amenties each park offers, discounts etc etc.
6. Get familar with the Good Sam web site for RV Parks (same as the book).
7. I would be a little more flexible with how many days I planned on staying at any park. If you like the rv park, stay until you get bored. If after 3 days you find you don't like a place, then move on. I prefer to make "tentative reservations" for the whole RV trip to avoid trying to find a RV park after a long day of driving and ending up in a strange unfamilar town. You can always cancel a RV reservation, just be sure you find out what the policy is for cancelling.
8. RELAX! RELAX! RELAX! AND ENJOY YOUR 1ST. RV ADVENTURE:)

I've enjoyed McIntosh Lake RV Park in Townsend, Ga. Nice, reasonably priced, park about a mile and 1/2 off I-95. Easy drive to Savannah and Brunswick.

In N. Florida, I like Half Shell Resort just south of Palatka on the St. Johns River. A quiet adult (55 & up) park, it's reminiscent of "Old Florida and within an easy drive to St. Augustine and Ocala National Forest.

Heading west to the panhandle, work your way west of Gainesville and take US Hwy 27 to Perry, Fl., then Hwy 98 over to "Florida's Forgotten Coast". Stop off in Sopchoppy, FL at the city park, Myron B. Hodge on the Sopchoppy River. They have about 16 FHU sites in there and you're close to one of the largest natural springs in the world... Edward Ball Wakulla Springs SP. More vestiges of "Old Florida". Traffic is light and the pace is slow. A small working water front supplies the restaurants and locals with fresh seafood year round. Roadside stands have fresh veggies and fruits in season. Pick up some Tupelo honey... it's the only honey that doesn't granulate. You can take 98 along the coast towards Pensacola.

JMHO. I am originally from Michigan. Get out of the east coast crowd. Head west. Get away from all those people in the east. AZ,CA,NV. Check out parks. However, between paks camp in the desert in the winter for free. When you need a dump or hook up go to Rv park. then pull off nto the desert. Millions of miles of vacant land just wating for you. Run your dog, shoot your guns, kick back, no people. I just don't get living in the east.