Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > RV LIFE STYLES FORUMS > Full-Timers
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-14-2015, 08:36 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
SpaceNorman's Avatar
 
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,188
Seeking Recommendations: Florida in Jan/Feb

My wife and I are new to RVing ... having taken possession of our new (to us!) 2012 Endeavor 43' DFT motor home at the end of March. We've been loving our new toy - and taking lots of short jaunts in our home state of Michigan. (We're both still working stiffs - so short is the key word here). We're looking to take our first "winter" trip for 4-6 weeks in January / February of 2016 - and are looking for recommendations for places to stay in Florida or along the Gulf Coast where we a reasonable sure chance of enjoying good weather.

We're seriously considering becoming "full timers" when we retire (summer of 2016) - and would like to visit a couple of parks that cater to the fulltimer crowd. Obviously we're looking for something with full hookups - but would like to avoid the "high end" resort sort of places (that's just not our thing....). We're not looking to be entertained ... we're simply hoping to hit a couple of parks that offer pleasant sites and that are clean and peaceful.

My only requirement over and above "full hookups" will would be that the park be located where Verizon cell service is available (this will be a working vacation ... and I need Verizon coverage for my internet access).

Any suggestions?
__________________
SpaceNorman
2012 HR Endeavor 43' DFT, 2022 Jeep Wrangler
SpaceNorman is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 06-14-2015, 08:50 PM   #2
Registered User
 
Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Trois-Rivieres, QC, Canada
Posts: 414
Send a message via Skype™ to normandlegra
There are tons of resorts that you can choose from and some of them offer for "the first visit" cheaper monthly prices.
Just let your fingers work for you on that keyboard and you'll see thousands of good fully equiped sites.
p.s. stay away from state, county or any type of parks; they don't offer what you need.
normandlegra is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-14-2015, 08:51 PM   #3
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: western NC mountains!
Posts: 4,106
ClearwaterRVresort, ClearwaterFL. Perfect location on the gulf. No entertainment. Not too 'busy'. Economical, by the month. Great weather.
We stayed there 1 1/2 months last Nov/Dec, and another month this past February.
MisterT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-14-2015, 09:01 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
bokobird's Avatar
 
Newmar Owners Club
Solo Rvers Club
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: The Constitution State
Posts: 4,561
Tampa South RV Resort is pretty nice, right along the Little Manatee River, south of Tampa so the weather is tolerable in those months. There's a nice county park right next to the place as well. I can assure you will have cell reception. You could also get a cable modem there temporarily if you wanted real high speed.

There's Hide-A-Way right nearby as well but I haven't stayed there. I've ridden through there on my bicycle and it's a much larger place with more year-round places.
__________________
Carl
'07 Newmar KSDP3916 w/Hydralift/'06 FLHX, '15 Equinox, Blue Ox Alpha, RVibrake2, FMCA F476758
With Mac (28 yrs) and Boko (25 yrs) the birds...
bokobird is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2015, 05:36 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Ramets's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Conway, SC
Posts: 2,557
So many choices. You're best bet for the warmer temps. will be below the I-4 corridor that pretty much cuts Fl. in half.
__________________
2000 Dutch Star Pusher
2009 Saturn Vue Towed
Full timed for 6yrs.
Ramets is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2015, 06:12 AM   #6
Member
 
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 66
Florida is a snowbird hot spot so there are many, many Rv parks. Like others have said, it's best to go online and start looking.

We are FT now but lived in Florida 30 years. From about Tampa south, it's warmer, but you can still get some colder temps (30's) in the Tampa area. I have seen it in the teens!

If you really want to avoid cold weather, you can't beat the Florida Keys, but of course you will pay dearly. THe lowest ever recorded temperature in Key West was 46 degrees.

From about Sarasota (gulf coast) south the weather is pretty nice. Sun N Fun resort in Sarasota is really nice with a lot to do and in a good area.

We winter in the lower Keys at Venture Out Resort. Some other nice rv parks in the Keys are Bluewater Key, Big Pine Key fishing lodge, Geiger Key Rv park, Sunshine Key Rv Resort (we stayed there often until we bought a rv lot at Venture Out), Boyds, Grassy Key, Point of View...just to name a few of the nicer ones. You can not beat the Keys for winters, and we especially like the lower Keys where we are close to the very fun city of Key West.

There are a lot of inexpensive rv parks in Zephyrhills, which is near Tampa. Sweetwater, Majestic Oaks, Southern Charm. Do a Google search, there are many many more in that area and they are reasonably priced.


The further south you go, the warmer it will be, the more it will cost and the harder it will be to get reservations. As expensive as it is in the Keys, the rv parks are full to the brim during the winters.

We have family in Tampa and stay at Quail Run Rv resort in Wesley Chapel (near Tampa) while visiting. It's a really nice park, but location wise it's not great. It's not too far from the beaches but due to traffic, it takes you forever to get anywhere. I believe they are booked up completely from December on though.

Florida state parks are great and you could fit your big rig in them if you choose carefully. Some even have full hookups, but reservations are next to impossible to get, especially the further south you go.
krnlueck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2015, 07:04 PM   #7
Member
 
klandersnitr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 33
Norman,

We are very similar to y'all!

We have been RVing for a good while and are starting full-time in Jan. We are also headed to Florida.

Here is what I have figured out

Florida is EXPENSIVE in the Winter

The farther north you go the less expensive.

Depending on what you are comfortable spending they are some amazing places to stay.

My favorites

1. Rivebend near FT meyers
2. Williston RV park - in Williston FL.
3. Naples motorcoach - down in Naples.

There are a ton more out there though.

As part of the process I started 6 months reviewing all the bloggers out there that had 40+ footers. Took there data and mapped it all out on a google map. Then compiled tons of data that included not only the RV parks for 40+ footers but all the cool things to do in the area. All sites had to have links back to detail reviews from the bloggers.

Decided to put the map out for everyone for free. Feel free to check out www.mhrig.com

If you would like to discuss separately email me privately and we can get on the phone and talk about options. We are going to stay at Sun n Fun in Sarasota which I would NOT recommend (We have an event going on there). Amazing how much it is going to cost.
__________________
Keith L
https://www.mhrig.com/
The most awesome travel map for 40+footers for free
klandersnitr is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
florida



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Insurance in Florida Lobstah iRV2.com General Discussion 5 06-04-2015 02:13 PM
Camping along the Florida Gulf Coast charinlo Entegra Owner's Forum 11 06-01-2015 10:18 PM
Sales Tax & License Plate Question -Private Seller in Florida BrewE2 MH-General Discussions & Problems 15 08-21-2014 08:16 AM
Any recommendations for July 4th in Florida? shawn0125 Camping Locations, Plans & Trip Reports 1 06-19-2014 11:10 PM
North Florida Onan Repair shop - need recommendations deputydog RV Systems & Appliances 9 05-18-2014 07:31 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:12 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.