How to choose the right RV park! 10 Ideas

I saw an article yesterday talking about how a person can regret their choice of apartments. No electrical outlets, noisy streets, dark rooms and shrinking space that become more apparent after moving in can send renters over the edge. Renters remorse sets in but a lease has been signed so the tenant is stuck. Finding the right resort to spend the winter in can be just as hard. I have some ideas that will help you narrow down that long list of "perfect" snowbird locations.

Okay I'm here. What do I do now? No matter how fancy a RV resort is it cannot be a stand alone location in most cases. You can sit in the sun for just so long then you are going to want to get out and enjoy the area. I for one do not want to be parked in the middle of the desert with nothing to do. Think about that when you decide to settle into a location.
The railroad tracks are where?You can only hide the railroad tracks for so long. Then that ugly beast with rear it's head at the most inopportune time. Just ask about railroad tracks and freeway noise before you make a reservation. Maybe you won't mind but at least don't be surprised.
I don't know anyone. If you decided to spend the whole winter in one spot you might consider finding a place where you have an acquaintance or two. I say this especially if you are new at the experience. Friends can help make your winter experience more enjoyable. If you like to golf for example, it is nice to have another couple to play with. I don't see this as an absolute necessity but it is nice.
Cars are not welcome? We stayed in an RV resort in Needles, California one year. The owners didn't like for their renters to have visitors and would not let them park near our motor home. If a visitor pulled in behind our car the owners would come immediately and make company move. It was such an unfriendly atmosphere. I think if we had asked if we could have company or invite people for dinner in the beginning we would have saved ourselves a lot of grief. We didn't even consider that when we committed ourselves. It was a beautiful park.
Pets are allowed where? Pets can be a contentious point when you live so close to other people. A park that does not assign a special section for pets is inviting problems. A dog that barks night and day can drive the neighbors nuts. Check on that. If you are a dog owner remember to be considerate of others.
You cleaned the laundry room last year? Take a look around before you commit yourselves to an extended stay. A filthy laundry room or unkept pool area can be a deal breakers in my book. We have stayed (one night) in some pretty iffy places. Thank heavens we did not commit ourselves sight unseen.
Where is the pool, pickle ball, bocce ball? When you look at Camper Life or an online website to see what is available at a park, be sure that the activities you enjoy are available in the park. If you golf a course should be close by.
Quiet hour starts a 7 pm? Unless you are dead you are going to want to talk or even dance in the street once in a while. Remember that! If the park is designed for very old quiet people think about whether that is going to work for you.
It gets how cold at nights? Just because a location is in the southern United States does not mean that it will be warm. Check into the weather, average temperatures, wind/rain before you rent a park model or commit to a month in one location. You will not regret it.
The grocery is how far away? Is there anything worse that being stuck in a place that has no services? I mean I like solitude as well as the next guy but no grocery store save the one in the RV park does not work for me. It is just a thought.

Do you have any suggestions. I would love to hear them.

Five Little Ducks...stories played out!

The children's song about the little ducks leaving the nest to fly away has always been one of my favorites. Every mother has seen their babies fly away and rejoiced. Life comes full circle. Animals live that same cycle. Babies grow up. Birds leave the nest. Life goes on. So when the three ducks show up every year near my patio I am not surprised. But I am puzzled that it always seems to be the same three. Something just doesn't seem right. It appears the one did not fly away at all. Five little ducks Went out to play Over the hills and far away. The mommy duck went "quack, quack quack," Four little ducks came swimming back... And then Three Two and One. A drake, a female duck (a hen) and a not quite a drake but still not a hen gather here on the 5th green of the golf course. She leads and the other two follow along obediently. They eat, sleep, and guard each other. Each and every day this time of year they come. I have not named them. Jinxing them would be very pos...

How to be a 12 Month Snow Bird

Vacation Rental in Mexico I live around snowbirds 6 months of the year. I have heard those people say that they all want to live the "snowbird" lifestyle when they go home. But it just is not possible. They are isolated and cold. Social activities with friends and beautiful weather are greatly missed when they return to the realities of their "real" life. One couple I visited with lately returned to Florida this morning where they own a home. The woman is a nurse and works in the summer. They are not going home until May this year. It is too cold in Michigan in the spring so they are hoping to extend their good weather season by simply staying away. Besides that they love their Florida lifestyle a lot. Last week I visited with a woman that lives the snowbird lifestyle year around. No going home to the Midwest in the spring. They essentially vacation 12 month out of the year. And I thought their solution for avoiding unpleasant weather and keeping their lifestyle in...

If You Build It, They Will Come...Maybe!

It all began with a antique window in front of a local shop. It had been painted yellow, the glass was loose and all of the hinges and latches were gone. My old friend Betty would have approved...she would tell me it was just broken enough and damaged enough for me to drag it home. When my dear husband saw it, he wondered what he was meant to do with it. Imagine his surprise when he was presented with the plan to build a small neighborhood library exchange. It wasn't the first time he had heard me ask "How hard could it be?" Now it is six weeks later and we mounted the darling little library exchange on two posts in our front yard. I love it. Now the question is, will they come or has the time passed when people actually read something made of paper? Our association president stopped by and admired the box but left after telling me that he only read books on his Kindle. We will see. Would you bring a book and take a book? b+

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