Snow Bird Parks.....they've flown the coop

In case you didn't know it, Florida is chock full of snow-bird parks. Arizona and parts of Texas also have tons of snow-bird parks. They operate at full capacity from October through March or April. After the end of April, those RVer's who have a main residence in another state (usually north of Florida) head out of here like there was an evacuation order.

We've been staying primarily at these snow-bird parks since we got to Florida. Right now you can get a great daily or weekly rate because it is so hot here that most "normal folks" wouldn't be here and the parks are almost empty. We have been paying no more than $18.00 per night for a site with full utility hook-ups with 50 amp service. During the peak months of January and February you can pay upwards of $1,500 per month PLUS metered electric service at every site. Whew! It makes coming here in the hottest part of the year worth it.

All of these parks have some park model homes for full-time or part-time residents as well as tons of RV spaces. Park model homes look like very small manufactured homes. We do find that there are some full-time residents at every park we've stayed at. Most of the park model homes, however, are temporary residences for Canadian people or people from northern states like New York and Pennsylvania. In every park the people ride around in golf carts -- even if they don't play golf. It is the easiest way to get around the huge parks which can have anywhere from 300 to 500 spaces. There is the usual clubhouse and swimming pool at every park. Many parks have golf courses and places for horseshoes, tennis, bocce ball, and pickle ball. Some of the clubhouses have libraries and exercise rooms too.

During the peak season there are many activities to participate in also. Right now, it is a virtual ghost town and you see very few folks out and about. Some of the full-time residents that have RV's do the reverse snow-bird thing and leave hot Florida and head far north into Canada or even to Alaska.

Here is what we can see everyday here at the Harbor Lakes RV Resort in Port Charlotte. (Near Fort Myers). Beautiful white clouds....that usually turn into thunderclouds in the afternoon and provide us with lightening to enjoy (? enjoy).
These are some of the RV sites....vacant now.....that will be filling up beginning in October.

This is one of the wide streets lined with park model homes on one side and RV sites on the other side. Anybody home? (No)

This is another view of some nearly vacant RV sites....our motorhome is in the distance. There are only 3 RV's on our whole street.

This is our view from the side window looking west. These are nice places to stay in for a short time, but Bruce and I are not ready for living 6 months in one place unless it is in Tumwater by our family. We still like to wander about the country looking at new things and visiting big cities or small towns that we've never been to before. God willing, we'll be able to do that for many years to come.