55+ RV Parks

[RobWNY]

In my search for places for my wife and I to stay next winter, I've looked at dozens of RV Park/Resort websites. Many advertise as being 55+ parks. Although my wife and I qualify, we barely qualify. I'm 57 and my wife is 55. We're quite active and most think we're in our 40's. We like going to the gym. We like to Kayak and go hiking. We enjoy going out and having a couple of drinks and eating good food. We like listening to a good band. We can spend hours at a good craft show. Often we'll go watch a Football or Baseball Spring Training game, etc. Are most of these RV Parks/Resorts that are for the 55+ crowd mainly catering to those RV'ers that are much older than 55? I see videos and photos that show people that are in their mid to late 70's mostly. Most of the activities at these places are geared toward that age group. I understand that snowbirds are going to be older but is there at least some people more in line with our age at these parks too? Don't get me wrong, I can only hope to still be able to do what these folks are doing in my 70's but our lifestyles are somewhat different just by the nature of our age differences. I'm just trying to get an idea of what my wife and I can expect.

[Supercharged]

RobWNY wrote:
In my search for places for my wife and I to stay next winter, I've looked at dozens of RV Park/Resort websites. Many advertise as being 55+ parks. Although my wife and I qualify, we barely qualify. I'm 57 and my wife is 55. We're quite active and most think we're in our 40's. We like going to the gym. We like to Kayak and go hiking. We enjoy going out and having a couple of drinks and eating good food. We like listening to a good band. We can spend hours at a good craft show. Often we'll go watch a Football or Baseball Spring Training game, etc. Are most of these RV Parks/Resorts that are for the 55+ crowd mainly catering to those RV'ers that are much older than 55? I see videos and photos that show people that are in their mid to late 70's mostly. Most of the activities at these places are geared toward that age group. I understand that snowbirds are going to be older but is there at least some people more in line with our age at these parks too? Don't get me wrong, I can only hope to still be able to do what these folks are doing in my 70's but our lifestyles are somewhat different just by the nature of our age differences. I'm just trying to get an idea of what my wife and I can expect.

You will see some folks drinking all day, dance all night, run around the park 5 times in the morning and eat 3 orders of pancakes after that and a steak for lunch.And look at you folks and say that you look younger but sure don't have much juice.

[2gypsies1]

2gypsies wrote:
There's a difference in activities in Florida parks vs. Arizona parks. Arizona residents are much more active. Perhaps it's because Arizona offers a lot more open space.

If Florida is necessary you might want to try the Villages area. They are more active. You could also learn to play pickleball. It's now played in most areas of the country and in RV parks.

Overall, I think you may be surprised on the activities 'older' retirees do nowadays. If you get in the right park it's not shuffleboard and potlucks.

Ourselves... who retired in our early 50's … we enjoyed the public parks and did things on our own. We even found pickleball to join in with in the towns.

[CFerguson]

I see park activities as a bonus only. My main want in a RV park is good neighbors regardless of age. After that, if there are activities that I am interested in, that's Great, but I chose the area to winter in because of the surrounding playtime opportunities.

By going on the road, you are making your own fun. Just venture outside the park and continue doing that.

[2gypsies1]

There's a difference in activities in Florida parks vs. Arizona parks. Arizona residents are much more active. Perhaps it's because Arizona offers a lot more open space.

[SDcampowneroper]

Look at the activities offered. If they are geared toward younger or older retirees. The size of the park. In camp or outside of it excursions.

We know parks from Fl. to Ca. we would love 10 yrs from now, others we felt old at 10 yrs ago.
Weve been dissatisfied, and happily surprised. 55 + is mostly a reference, same as a 10 year old rule. If you are a grown up empty nester with a good unit, you do not have to prove your age, or that of your unit. Dont lie, just dont tell. They dont check your vin # or birth cert.
We also use Rvillage.com to connect with like minded nearby others to put together a 4some for a dinner, golf, a fishing charter,
Dont choose on low price. You get what you pay for.

[RobWNY]

gitane59 wrote:
We have been travelling for almost 10 years now up to to 6 weeks at a time twice a year as we approach full retirement. While we are 57 and 58 now most people guess our ages to be 51 or 52 although my DW is fully retired and I am partially retired.
I can't tell you how many times we heard the words "YOU KID'S" from fellow RV'ers in campgrounds. We certain were a different breed of longtermer out of water at most campground's. It is a challenge that you have to embrace to find your place in the lifestyle.
We are still struggling trying to find other age appropriate like minded younger RVer's to make long term re-occurring friendships with out on the road as many people our age still have kid's at home of are still climbing the corporate ladder fulltime. To the OP I hope we will we meet up somewhere and can have a beer and a chat about how lucky/fortunate we are to be able to get out on the road as young as we are because there are no guarantees in life

When I had a physical and the doctor said..."There's not a thing wrong with you. You don't take any medicine and your BP is what I would expect from an 18 year old". That's when I said...Ok, time to retire. Tomorrow, I may not be as lucky so live life to the fullest. And you have a deal. We'd be happy to have beers with you!

[gitane59]

We have been travelling for almost 10 years now up to to 6 weeks at a time twice a year as we approach full retirement. While we are 57 and 58 now most people guess our ages to be 51 or 52 although my DW is fully retired and I am partially retired.
I can't tell you how many times we heard the words "YOU KID'S" from fellow RV'ers in campgrounds. We certain were a different breed of longtermer out of water at most campground's. It is a challenge that you have to embrace to find your place in the lifestyle.
We are still struggling trying to find other age appropriate like minded younger RVer's to make long term re-occurring friendships with out on the road as many people our age still have kid's at home of are still climbing the corporate ladder fulltime. To the OP I hope we will we meet up somewhere and can have a beer and a chat about how lucky/fortunate we are to be able to get out on the road as young as we are because there are no guarantees in life

[RobWNY]

Dick_B wrote:
We have only been spending a month in Florida in January and by the end of that time period we long to see a kid! Whether or not the park is 55 or older at that time of year all you will see are seniors; b-o-r-i-n-g! Maybe the more energetic ones will take part in the shuffleboard tournament...A big event is walking over to Walmart for a few groceries. If you are active I wouldn't worry about a 55 or older park; they all are in the winter in Florida.

Thanks Dick. I pretty much thought that might be the case. We have family in Melbourne. We have friends with a time share at Disney and we have neighbors/friends that stay in Stuart during the winter. I guess we would like someplace that's not too far from any of those destinations so we're leaning toward the Ocean side and Central florida.

[RobWNY]

Crowe wrote:
I think the answer lies in why you want a 55+ park. Is it because you don't want to have to deal with kids? If that's the case, pick a park based on available activities in the park or in the area. If there's another reason you need to pick your park based on that.

We just want a decent park with a decent size site that's not too far inland in Florida. Many that we've looked at are the 55+ variety. I posted the thread because we didn't know what to expect at a 55+ park. Whether we stay at one has more to do with how nice it is and the location than it does the age of the people that stay there.

[Dick_B]

We have only been spending a month in Florida in January and by the end of that time period we long to see a kid! Whether or not the park is 55 or older at that time of year all you will see are seniors; b-o-r-i-n-g! Maybe the more energetic ones will take part in the shuffleboard tournament...A big event is walking over to Walmart for a few groceries. If you are active I wouldn't worry about a 55 or older park; they all are in the winter in Florida.

[Padlin]

We try and do only State and Federal campgrounds, the ones in the southeast have water sport possibilities where as the southwest has all sorts of hiking. Less hookups, cost more, and have to move often.

We find the crowds younger and more physically active out west then in the east.

It's a long drive from the northeast to the southwest each year.

[Crowe]

I think the answer lies in why you want a 55+ park. Is it because you don't want to have to deal with kids? If that's the case, pick a park based on available activities in the park or in the area. If there's another reason you need to pick your park based on that.

[Expyinflight]

If you spend much time at a few of the larger, nicer RV parks in the Mesa area you will be surprised how many winter visitors are just barely over 55. Affluent, healthy, and extremely active doing all sorts of activities.

[RobWNY]

Thunder Mountain wrote:
Nine winters ago we were in the same situation as you. Many of the people we met in the 55+ RV parks were old enough to be our parents. We had very little in common with them other than a love of RVing and enjoying life on the road.

The social activities were mostly geared toward that generation such as crafts, line dancing etc. The tribute concerts and clubhouse background music was early 50's to very early 60s. Our idea of fun is hiking in the desert, mountain biking and ATVing.

Things have definitely changed in some parks. Baby Boomers are turning 65 at the rate of 10,000 per day. I assume that the older generation is leaving the road at about the same rate. About four years ago we were sitting in the hot tub at Canyon Vistas after a day of hiking when I noticed that the 60s rock tune "Gloria" was blaring over the speakers. I quipped something to the effect, "When you hear that tune in a RV park, you know you have arrived." We see far more hiking groups and ATVers than before. Pickle ball seems more popular that shuffle board. Tribute concerts are definitely geared more towards the rock generation. We've got a good friend who makes the rounds doing John Denver tributes.

We've also noticed a change in the types of RVs. Yes, we see boomers in new $1,000,000 coaches. But we see lots more small RV such as those built on the Mercedes chassis driven by recent Boomer retirees.

This is encouraging and a little sad too. I hate to see older folks giving up the lifestyle because their age and health forces them to but like that the rv snowbird crowd is becoming more in line with my age. It reminds me of when people ask me why I joined our local social club several years back now. I tell them "well, I joined this club when I was in my 20's but I gave up my membership because everyone was so much older than me. Then we were invited to go there many years later and I was stunned to see how many people were the same age as me so I re-joined"