Questions for snowbirds and campers?

[rbcamping]

I'm in the process of looking at a piece of land in Florida to build a park This particular piece of land has a sixty acre ;ale with enough room to build about two hundred spaces. My question is this. What type of activities would you like to see at the places you stay?

I'm already thinking of boat and kayak rentals for the lake, maybe a ski boat or some small sail boats.

A walk way around the lake to hike or run, ride bikes etc.

So what other features would you like to see?

I was even thinking of a stage to have live bands come in from time to time.

Thanks in advance for some suggestions.

[coolmom42]

TomG2 wrote:
It looks like you have a good start on what would make an interesting park, but when you ask, "So what other features would you like to see?" I think it deserves an answer. Though technology is expensive and subject to change, the next generation will want all the electronics you can provide, and then some. They will want, and be willing to pay a reasonable price for, top of the line Internet access. I am an old guy and not up to speed on some of their interests, but they go way beyond an occasional email or text. Maybe it is as simple as getting a utility to provide the electronics while you forego making a profit on every gigabyte consumed. Good luck.

Exactly.

There are going to be more and more people working and full-timing, and they need fast reliable internet service to do it.

In addition to that---a nice fully functional laundry area with machines that take some type of card payment (even if it's preloaded cards you sell, somehow). I don't know a good ratio of washers/dryers to sites, but having plenty of them is very important. Add in some good carts, hanging and folding areas, and you will have a hit.

[Ivylog]

What area of the state are you looking at? I hope you are buying the property subject to zoning approval...could take a long time. Good luck if you have much opposition during this process as it will only get worse..."not in my backyard is alive and well for many projects in Fla." The new Motor Coach Resort in Jupiter Fl is two years behind on getting going because of all the grief they have gone through. Fortunately they must have deep pockets as many would have been bankrupted by now.

Sounds like you have a lot to learn as most of your lakefront need to be pullins for big MHs...they will not mind paying more than most other RVers. Yes, I designed, built, and operate my own RV park.

Start internet advertising a year before your expected opening date with "Opening on XXXX"
Good Luck...you're going to need it in most of Fla. Sorry for being so negative and I hope I'm wrong for your sake.

[John_Joey]

Sounds like you're well on your way. May I suggest something else which is easy and will cost you nothing. Get a business relationship going with a local travel agent. Have them set up monthly junkets (cruises, trips to Vegas, baseball training games, etc...) Post these in your clubhouse. Make those very affordable (as in fire sales.) These will be the experiences to go with your activities.

If you really want to WOW them, also have a weekly social with cheap drinks and entertainment. In all reality that $3 gin and tonic is only going to cost you .50 cents, but will go a long way in creating a fun feeling, and strong bonds among the campers. This is what will make people want to return because of the friends and neighbors ties that you'll create.

[Lwiddis]

And Santa Claus makes his first Florida visit at your RV Park?

[Merrykalia]

I have just turned 60, but I still have middle-school aged children. (Yes, I should have known better.) My needs/wants will be different than other older RVers.

1. For me, sites must be of decent size in length since we are 43' of camper and 25' of truck; it needs to be wide enough I can put out my opposing slides and awning without hitting my neighbor. I would really prefer to be 25-30' away from my closest neighbor so I don't hear them discussing personal things or yelling at their kids.
2. I want a good pool to SWIM in and another for kids to play in.
3. I want FHU with GREAT WIFI, good cable TV if OTA is not available or limited.
4. I want the speed limit of 10 mph or less ENFORCED.
5. I want a nice bath house with toilets, but with individual shower rooms so people with young children can take their child no matter what sex they are.
6. I want a list of restaurants that will deliver food to my RV with a menu either available online or in the office.
7. I want office staff that are kind, informative, congenial and helpful.
8. I want a camp host that is available to point me in the right direction for most things that I need/want.
9. I want rules and regulations posted and ENFORCED for everyone. (quiet hours, barking dogs, walking and cleaning up after dogs, etc.)
10. I want a playground that is easily accessed in the campground and not located away from where I am set up. I don't want to go, but be able to check on my kids without looking like I am checking up on them. (They are that age.)
11. I want some supervised age-appropriate activities for kids, pre-teens and teens.
12. Nice, clean laundry facilities.
13. Early check-ins and late check-outs, if needed.


I'm sure as soon as I hit the POST MESSAGE, I will think of 5 other things that I should have put in here.

[Lwiddis]

“I am planning on doing two parks, the second one will be with spaces that...”

What’s the name of the first park? I’ll reserve a spot. Or are they still in the planning stage?

[rbcamping]

Awesome suggestions, thanks.
I was thinking of two swimming pools, one for older people and one for younger.

Maybe do the older one with a bar in the middle like you see in the Caribbean

[navegator]

The one area that you need to really have the best is the WI-FI system, I seem to read a lot about lousy service even at the big fancy parks and maybe good cable, I have my own hot spot and have satellite, but from some of the post on this sites you get the idea, keep the jogging/walking path and the bike path separate, you do not want a bicyclist being run over a walker or a jogger do you?

Depending on the size of the place enough laundry and dryers, most places that we have been at are inadequate or the machines are to small, maybe also have a propane filling station and an area where to wash a vehicle or the RV?

A common area with a fixed barbeque grill or two, some benches by the lake for people to sit enjoy the place and maybe read with shade on some?

navegator

[rbcamping]

I've actually moved to Florida and will have completed the move next month. I do plan on having great internet, that's a given. A lot of the parks have horse shoes, shuffle board, bocce?, and other stuff which I'm not familiar with and did not see in San Diego. This property is kind of an island in the middle of the lake with a peninsula access, so most of the sites will be back in that are on the water. The sites in the middle will be pull through. No temporary over night stuff will most likely be available, but I will check on it. This is in the planning stages so I wanted to get a rough ideal as to what most people are looking for Most of the people I see in Florida are in there sixties to seventies with some as younger.

I am planning on doing two parks, the second one will be with spaces that are larger with lots of trees and open space, a little different than what you normally see, but I believe that people would be willing to pay a little more for more space and privacy while camping.

[TomG2]

I don't see the next generation being impressed with bars or potlucks. Build for the younger generation and both old and young will make reservations. Build for today's old folks and watch out when they die off. Which they will.

[Ed_Gee]

If you can afford it, a well stocked Tiki Hut bar with good bar tenders.....

[TomG2]

It looks like you have a good start on what would make an interesting park, but when you ask, "So what other features would you like to see?" I think it deserves an answer. Though technology is expensive and subject to change, the next generation will want all the electronics you can provide, and then some. They will want, and be willing to pay a reasonable price for, top of the line Internet access. I am an old guy and not up to speed on some of their interests, but they go way beyond an occasional email or text. Maybe it is as simple as getting a utility to provide the electronics while you forego making a profit on every gigabyte consumed. Good luck.

[CA_Traveler]

Great - go for it!

There are IMHO very credible posts on this board on this subject with a lot of good information. And those posts by at least apparent park owners are revealing both pro and con.

Search for them and be sure to search the archives.

[Lwiddis]

“I'm building a storage facility and Rv park. This will pay for my retirement. The X took all of the monies I had. so I'm starting over at sixty.“

Is this one in Florida too? Near the one you are looking at? Or have things changed since you posted on 1/14/18?

[Lwiddis]

My band is forty members strong. Is the planned bandstand adequate?

“just thought of something interesting, If you were to go to a Canadian embassy, if there is such a thing, wouldn't that count as returning to Canada and you could start the clock all over?”

Please restart the clock! Ah one, ah two, ah....