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.

[gitane59]

Quick list of features we have loved in campground's we have stayed at in addition to the ones already discussed.
1.Lanai over pool and hot tub area to control biting insect's.
2.Access to offsite hiking and biking trails that does not require driving a vehicle to get to.
3.Weekly free welcome time over drinks and snacks get together during snowbird seasons to help new arrival's get to know fellow camper's and join into activities.
4. Front office staff who want to delight campers upon arrival with positive energy and spirit. I expect office staff to be passionate RVer's that want to spread the passion of the lifestyle. (I have experienced both the success and failure of this expectation at rv resort's I have stayed at.)

[RV_daytrader]

Lots of good suggestions here. Most important one not mentioned is sites only costing $20 !! ....ummmm, just kidding!

[LindaD]

We are snowbirds, important for us is excellent reliable wifi, cable, convenient utility, sewer hook-ups, roomy sites with decent size cement patios, nicely paved roads, NO SPEED BUMPS, maybe small dog park area, recreation hall with kitchen, heated pool with sufficient area around pool for tables, lounge chairs, etc. A bulletin board area in rec hall for area info, brochures etc. is nice to have as well as offering the occasional bingo game night and activities like that, maybe try different activities and see what works for your park that wouldn't cost a huge outlay and see what interest you get. I'd stay away from the lake stuff (gators, poisonous snakes, etc.). I would just provide info to your clients on where in your area there are water activities (public parks, kayak rentals, etc.) so you won't have the liability or the headaches.

[TomG2]

Ivylog wrote:
...snip...
I would not put a trail around the lake...I would not want people walking between my rig and the water. ....snip......

Good point. Since people these days often don't observe the rule of not walking through other people's sites, it should be discouraged by design.

[Ivylog]

Putting utilities on both sides of a site is expensive and not necessary. You can accomplish the same by putting the utilities 10' further away than normal (centered in the middle of the pad) so they can be reach from the site on either side. Puy pedestals with two 50A outlets, put a T on the water with 2 valves, and Y the sewer into 2 inlets flush with the ground. This will also make your sites a little further apart than normal.

I would not put a trail around the lake...I would not want people walking between my rig and the water. Put in a fishing pier with a dozen canoes that people can use for free. Forget anything that makes a lot of noise like a ski boat.

[doxiemom11]

We prefer space between sites, some trees but not total shade, properly position utilities and forget the cement patios unless you make them big enough that they will work for a motorhome, trailer or 5th wheel. As far as activities, we have little interest in them. We prefer a spacious small campground. Our favorite had a community fire pit with wood supplied, morning coffee brewed over the fire supplied, donuts on occasion or home baked treats from the campers - a great way to start the day and make friends.

[TomG2]

Be aware of human nature. The people you park under a tree will complain about the leaves and those without a tree will complain about "no shade". Same with dogs versus no dogs and a dozen other preferences. As you can see by the responses so far, we all have our prejudices. This park tries to accommodate every new fad from drones to remote control racing and it is full. (Might have more to do with their aggressive pricing).

[Parrothead_Mike]

While we're in our late 60s we are very active. The next generation of campers will be active too. I would like to see an area specific to jogging/walking/biking. Also, an area for yoga and other aerobic activities. Maybe an outdoor pavilion for some of these activities that could double as a gathering spot for a group campfire or small musical happenings.

Lake activities are nice, but forget the speed boat/skiing stuff. Your insurance rates could double.

We are snowbirds and our current location here along the Nature Coast of Florida has plenty of trees and other naturally occurring bushes, etc. This offers some privacy. We've stayed at RV parks where people are jammed together with little shade or privacy. We definitely stay away from those "parking lot" style parks.

Good luck with your venture.

[Yeti_plus]

Since this will be a new build, make sure the services are located within each site and at grade level for the sewer hookups. We "toured" Florida last winter, and stayed at a variety of campgrounds. At one, I had to buy an extra 20' of sewer hose to add to my existing 25' because they had installed the drain port to suit the site right behind ours, so I had to go to the end of our site and then another 10+' to the sewer connection. It worked well for the folks behind us though. Electric and water were far enough apart for each site. At another there was a height difference between us and the sites behind us, and the sewer port was higher than the drain fitting on the trailer. I have yet to see water run uphill. We just dumped on the way out, but if we were there for more than a few days, there would have been a problem.
You are getting some good ideas.
Brian

[John_Joey]

Even if it was just a pipe dream it's fun to help. Hopefully other park owners (old and new) might take note, and adjust accordingly.

I'm in a destination park. This accounts for their high occupancy rate. Something you might take into consideration.

The issue is they are currently redoing the place and their policies. I think where they are falling short is they view their clients as campers, and not summer and winter campers. They are two distinct clients who require two very similar, but still are unique to each other requirements. Just some more food for thought when you're doing that business plan. 🙂

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

I'm going to put a damper on your boating plans.

It was a shock to me (coming from Michigan) to learn that very few people actually "play" in an inland lake in Florida. The ever-present alligators and venomous water snakes aside; the water itself can be home to lovely things like flesh-eating bacteria and brain-eating amoebas. And they pretty much don't test for e-coli. Anywhere.

So my recommendation would be to concentrate on pools for aquatic recreation; and then offer kayaks or pedalboats for quiet trips on the lake? Maybe have a boat ramp for those who choose to bring their own boats - to play at their own risk....

[rbcamping]

This is not a pipe dream, it has been in the plans for several years. The maybe has to do with the property being a good fit and the numbers being good.


I was looking for information to help me put the business plan together for my business partners and investors. I wanted to be as accurate as possible and the only way to do that is with a concise plan.

[BarbaraOK]

since my reply was edited out by someone, no need for the quote

[BarbaraOK]

TomG2 wrote:
Not sure, but the OP might be simply having some fun on a late Winter day. All it would take is the insertion of one word to make this a daydream, which is what I think it is. As in: "If" I was going to build a campground, what would you like to see in it? Nothing wrong with enjoying the dream. Personally, I don't think a person with the wherewithal to build one or two new campgrounds in the state of Florida is going to need our help.

True, but isn't that really a large part of the problem with a lot of things in the RV world. Non-RVers 'think' they know what people need/want. But they never ask.