Snow Birds Fleeing Florida!

CKNSLS wrote:
Americans have many good/not so good qualities. One of the not so good is arrogance, this is especially prevalent when we travel abroad.


Nothing personal to the Canadians-we just think the world revolves around the us sometimes.

Well said. I always welcomed snowbirds to my hometown, and wanted them to enjoy the area.

IF they started telling me how I was so dependent on them, or how much better it was "up north", my friendliness went out the window. I would suggest gently that the interstates also went north, and maybe they should take one.

Don't stand in my hometown and knock it. I certainly will not do it in yours.

Americans have many good/not so good qualities. One of the not so good is arrogance, this is especially prevalent when we travel abroad.


Nothing personal to the Canadians-we just think the world revolves around the us sometimes.

lizzie wrote:
In Florida, as in many other states with tourist destinations, the economy around those destinations is enhanced by tourist dollars. In other parts of Florida tourist visitation is negligible and has little affect on the economy. Since Snowbirds tend to congregate in the same areas they can easily get an unrealistic view of their importance. As an experiment they might try staying north one winter and see if they were missed. lizzie

I am wondering how other Snowbirds get to those places to congregate? We choose to do it by stopping at a lot of campgrounds, restaurants, and other places to spend money at along the way.

As soon as my house sells I will join the migration back and forth.
:)

It's sure nice to see what so many think of Snowbirds down here! The funny thing, it's just the opposite where we go up North. We host at a campground in the mountains of Upstate NY when we are done taking up valuable space and spending money down here in the Winter. Our Northern camping season is very short but we welcome all campers and tourists with open arms. Perhaps the economy won't collapse up there without tourism but it provides jobs and business potential where there wouldn't be any. Think of all of the businesses and jobs that tourists do have some positive affect on.

Stopped in a "Park Model" type RV resort in Port Richey that has some overnight spots. I talked to to a married retired couple who are one of the very few who are there year round. I asked her how many were there year round compared to all the Canadians who were snowbirding. She informed me that it was 99% EMPTY the rest of the year.

Common sense (which of course can be in short supply here) says that is an awful lot of dollars pumped in to that particular area within those particular months.

In Florida, as in many other states with tourist destinations, the economy around those destinations is enhanced by tourist dollars. In other parts of Florida tourist visitation is negligible and has little affect on the economy. Since Snowbirds tend to congregate in the same areas they can easily get an unrealistic view of their importance. As an experiment they might try staying north one winter and see if they were missed. lizzie

Amen Dog Folks. I'll hold back on the rest of my comment to keep the moderator from having to delete it. Have a safe trip north, but I would rather deal with the 3 Hs heat, humidity and hurricanes than snowbirds.

Miles Away wrote:
We towed our fiver to Florida this week for family business. We were amazed by the number of RVs traveling north on I-75 (at least 25% of all traffic). It finally dawned on us that it was the first week of April and all the "Snow Birds" were headed home. We found it interesting that at least 2/3rds of the RVs were 5th wheel trailers. It was almost like going to an RV show.

Yep we left the D.C. yesterday heading to the Keys and have seen the same thing on I-95. The CGs along 95 are fairly full because of all the "snowbirds" laying over for the night. More than half are as you said 5ers, but from my count it's not quite 2/3's, but my WAG is definitely more than half.

Larry

Drove north on I75 in Florida about two weeks ago. Only 1 in about 8 plates were Florida plates.

Let the alligators, snakes, and bugs begin.