New Snowbird

[klmurray]

My husband and I bought our first motor home February 2013. The winter was terrible in Michigan last year. Decided to try going to TX for two months. Have no idea where to start? Any suggestions for a website to get info? I know I need to get my house ready and also prepare for where we are going? I just keep on going in circles. Help a first timer snowbirder, please.

[CT_WANDERER]

Last year we headed west in Sept. for a few month trip. We planned on stopping in RGV at Mission Tx to check it out. Ended up there until April. Was a great winter, specially when checking out the weather back home during the winter. I will say that there were some cool day, but when compared to the weather back home, I was glad to be in TX. Will be spending the winter there again this year.

[PghBob]

Hi. You reported that you have a relatively new RV(Feb.2013). How much have you used the RV and are you comfortable using all of the equipment? Have you camped in cooler weather and used the furnace? Have you traveled in a winterized RV? Have you used portable electric heaters? If no to any of these questions, I recommend you spend some time gaining experience with them before a dead-of-winter trip. Second, create some lists for yourselves. For example, what needs to be done with your house and mail, a list for clothes, a list for meals, a list to prepare the RV, etc. Work on your lists as you can, don't try to do it all in a few days until you become more experienced. Third, try to be flexible with you departure date from MI. Check the weather carefully along your planned route and leave home when the weather is best, not when the calender turns over. Fourth, understand that for the first few days of your trip, you will be camping in cold weather (most likely). Plan for this. Also, you can run into some colder weather down south on some days. We have had freezes in central FL on some trips. Fifth, after deciding on your route, call a few of the campgrounds where you plan to stay on your way south and make sure they will be open when you are thinking of going. Many CGs in the cold weather areas close for the season. Also remember that daylight hours are shorter in winter, which can limit driving hours. Keep in mind for hook-up time as well. Sixth, when it's time to go, make sure you have the essentials for the RV and especially yourselves like glasses, medications, some cash and credit card(s), owners' and insurance documents, cell phone, etc. If you forget some other items (clothes, food) no big deal, you can always get it when you get to your destination. Seventh, remember that you have wheels. If your planned stay is not working out, move to somewhere else. Eighth, have a good time and relax. Hope this helps.

[TomG2]

If money matters, come on down to the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. $300/month campsites, $8 haircuts, $4 breakfasts are all available. South Florida has better weather (I think) and more "Tourist" activities. Try a few months in various places is good advice.

[LynnandCarol]

We will be staying in Rockport, TX. This will be our 6th. winter here. In fact we are here already! PM us if you have questions!

[klmurray]

I want to thank everyone for there responses. We are planning on going to Rockford. I have a cousin who lives down there. I figured it is our first year heading south and have never been anywhere in the west and mid United States. We might change it next year but who knows. I have just been so overwhelmed in where to start.

[John_Joey]

There appears to be a real simple general rule of thumb, the southern state you go to, is the one that you can jump on the nearest expressway from. So you get I95, I75, I35, I25, I15, and I5. You'll find out that most southern states will have snowbirds that can jump on the closet of those expressways to get south. So in Texas you'll get MN, WI, OK, MO, etc... mostly. Florida will be MI, OH, PA, NY, MA, NJ, etc...

With that said, I think you might enjoy a trip to Texas. I would take the Trace Parkway down from Michigan. After that go down the Texas Coast staying a week here and there all the way to Corpus Christi.

I would head over to San Antonio from there (lots of traffic though) for some tourist stuff. From there head up into the Texas Hill country before heading back to Michigan. The problem with this route is you should take 4 months, not 2. Depending on those 2 months you could run into some very chilly temps in Texas.

Given only two months I would hop onto I75 and race to Florida hugging the Gulf. Keep going south until you find a spot that you can afford, and is warm enough for your liking. Good parks will be full if you plan on long term, which means you'll be in a sardine park, or short term public parks, or high price transit spots in nice private parks.

Two months really isn't long enough IMO. In what you'll spend in fuel you could add a little more $$$ and rent a condo and drive a fuel efficient car down. Florida is set up for that type of snow birding really well.

Good luck.

[fchammer1]

The suggestion to search comparative conversations regarding Texas (specifically the Rio Grand Valley) and Florida is a good one. Somewhere in there you will find my contributions, one of which is: "If your idea of an idyllic Snowbird winter is lounging under an umbrella with a book in one hand and a beer in the other, then SW Florida is the place to be." Actually, any place south of Lake Okeechobee will offer great winter weather without sour grapes.

[Community Alumni]

A couple years ago we were on our way the Texas coast at the beginning of January when we stopped in Myrtle Beach for a few days; we never continued. We now stay the winters at Myrtle Beach Travel Park and really enjoy the beach. The weather is usually in the mid-50's to mid-60's during January and February and usually with a lot of sun; good weather for shorts and a sweatshirt,

We have made a lot of winter friends and enjoy a bunch of activities together. I really loved Texas when I was working and spent several weeks a year there but now we've found that South Carolina hospitality is terrific and only a 2-day drive from Montreal.

[Dick_B]

I think you will find that Florida is closer than Texas and has better winter weather and more activities. Try searching for `Texas' or `Florida' or `Arizona' in the Snowbird section.

[pawatt]

darsben wrote:
You have o go pretty far south in Texas to avoid ice storms and other bad weather.

True, But we have not even had frost for the past 3 years in the Rio Grande Valley. Check out Mission, McAllen, Mercedes, Donna, Weslaco or the area around South Padre Island, generally warmer than AZ other than maybe Yuma.

[JW_of_Opechee_S]

More people from Michigan than any other state in our park in the winter. Of course we are in Central Florida 🙂

[WE-C-USA]

A lot depends on your interests. The Gulf Coast, RGV or anything south of I-10 will be better than any winter in Michigan.

[Fishinghat]

You've come to the right place! Just start asking specific questions.

In the meantime, check out the questions and responses posted on the Snowbird topic, just as you did here. You may find many of your answers there.

[darsben]

You have o go pretty far south in Texas to avoid ice storms and other bad weather.
SO you are looking at the Texas coast.

Have you considered Arizona as the weather is generally warmer in spots of Arizona than in Texas.
For example last winter Texas got 2 or 3 really wicked winter storms with lots of ice.
At the same time Casa Grande, AZ had over 110 days without rain average temp +- 70 in the day and 40 +_ at night.
For more specific info PM me
Not looking to start an argument here over the merits of each place just giving an alternative