Getting to Florida in a winterized rig?

Thank you ESVA Travelers..... Very helpful!

We leave from the north end of the Eastern Shore of Virginia for Florida early January every year. Usually we dewinterize a day or two early and leave the heat on to start dispelling the winter dampness. We have also dewinterized the first night out as someone else suggested. I am guessing you will be traveling down Rt. 13, across the Bay Bridge Tunnel to get on I-95 from Rt. 58. Once you get in NC on 95 there's no problem with finding campgrounds open. The year we dewinterized on the road we stopped mid-afternoon at a campground called RVcations at Exit 98 in Selma, NC. Very convenient and fairly cheap full hookups.
When we don't need to dewinterize, we easily reach Fayetteville for our first night out when we leave by 9 AM and get off the road by around 4. We spent a couple of months last winter just north of Lakeland at Winter Haven. If you plan to travel the FL toll roads be sure to have lots of quarters. Some of the toll booths are unmanned and no change provided. We ended up getting a Sun Pass to avoid the stress.

NHIrish wrote:

raindove wrote:
When we go to FL, we packed and then dewinterized just before we left. Kept the heat on. Once we hit VA and snow started. We made NC and spent the night at a Cracker Barrel. The sidewalks were rolled up everywhere by 6 pm, due to the snow.

We were in FL the following evening. We had no problems with anything freezing up.

I would recommend carrying a set of snow chains, just in case. We've never had to use them, but we have them if we need them.

SNOW chains?????? From Delaware?

From PA. But yes. There was a storm brewing when we left, and we hit snow about two hours in to our trip. A number of years ago, we were caught in a snowstorm in VA, where the interstates were closed down. I'd rather be safe than sorry, and it that makes me a fool, so be it.

pennysmom09 wrote:
As relatively newbies I hope we haven't bit off more than we can handle....but, here goes. We have plans to take our winterized 5w to Lakeland (from southern DE) in January, with a reservation for 30 days already made. We are hoping we will do well and can stay longer. Since the fiver will be winterized, we won't really be able to stay in it for the trip down, so are there any folks out there that have made the trip and stayed at hotels along the way and found any that have room for you to park your rig? What about meals, shall I stock up with food? We also have a pet, so I see one of us sleeping in the rig with her! LOL
Is it too risky to dewinterize before we leave or would freezing temps be too damaging?

As numerous posters have said, I wouldn't sweat the trip down. de-winterize at your first stopover CG. I think that you need to consider what to do in February when you come back NORTH. I usually winterize the MH on the way home at a CG in Kentucky.

I head to FL ever year from the DC Metro area for 2 weeks in January. We leave winterized and usually stop near the GA border for the night around 6-7pm the first day out. We dewinterize at the campground and keep trucking the rest of the trip. In the 5 years of doing this we have never had an issue with freeze up on the road, even when heading north and it got below freezing overnight. On our way home, after our stop for the night heading north, in the we winterize after showers, cleanup, and clean out of the black tank.

My wife and I winterize our trailer in November, but we continue to use it throughout the winter whenever we can. We just bring jugs of water into the trailer from the campground water hookup. I keep a jug or two of RV antifreeze available and pour some down each drain and the toilet after emptying the holding tanks at the end of the weekend. I believe by not using the water system and keeping antifreeze in your P-traps and holding tanks you should be OK using your trailer during your migration.

raindove wrote:
When we go to FL, we packed and then dewinterized just before we left. Kept the heat on. Once we hit VA and snow started. We made NC and spent the night at a Cracker Barrel. The sidewalks were rolled up everywhere by 6 pm, due to the snow.

We were in FL the following evening. We had no problems with anything freezing up.

I would recommend carrying a set of snow chains, just in case. We've never had to use them, but we have them if we need them.

SNOW chains?????? From Delaware?

Luke Porter wrote:
I travel in a winterized RV frequently. I take jugs of water, use it sparingly. I use the toilet, flush with a small amount of water.

:h that is the way we do it also. has worked for years.

What would keep one from staying in an RV that does not have fresh water in the tank?

rhagfo wrote:
Wow, seems like a lot of people believe water freezes instantly at 32 degrees!

We winter camp all the time, I don't bother to blow the lines unless the temp is going to get down about 25 degrees, with highs only in the 30's for several days.
I would even put 10 to 20 gallons in the fresh water tank, it will NOT freeze while driving unless it is about 10 degrees.

My experience has been exactly the same. In my case (with a C m/h) the water tank is under the dinette and thus kept warm. I have a bypass on the water heater so it stays empty until we're a bit further south, then it's heated and safe anyways.

We also use diluted windshield washer fluid (~$1/gallon) to flush the toilet in the colder northern sections of the trip.

We keep the rig electrically heated the night before we leave, with all the food loaded, the fridge on. In the morning we just have to get in & go.

We have no problem making it far enough south from Toronto to comfortably sleep in the unit the first night.

Our 'de-winterization' before we head south from NE Ohio in late December is to close all the open water valves (we blow out the system and do not use the pink stuff). We carry a jug or two of water for on the road flushing and by the time we hit NC don't worry (normally) about freezing. Remember, water does not freeze instantly at 32 degrees F. Even if the temps drop below freezing, it takes some time for actual solid ice to form.

Now this is just my way of doing and it has worked for many years so don't take offense or get on my case if you do things differntly