Good morning from "Southport, NC! Lovely here today but we want to head southwest and are thinking of Harlingen, TX as our winter visit this year. Any help we could receive and experience in this area is fantastic. We have a 34' RV. Thanks, Bonnie
Bonnie> Both as a native and a well traveled RVer I think TX is an above average winter home for folks. And please know that when you come visit this state you get an "upgraded" title of Winter Texans, as opposed to Snowbirds. LOL I was wondering why you picked that particular area of the state as opposed to some of the other ones that many RVers visit for the winter months.
Hey, Thanks for writing. I like the idea of being "upgraded"! Many years ago a dear friend and her husband used to go to Harlingen and so it was a thought. And, I thought it might be warmer than some other places. Do you have any suggestions? Ken and I are open for ideas. Be well, Bonnie
Harlingen, Brownsville and McAllen Texas are cities in that same area. They are a stones throw from the Mexican border. There are a lot of CGs there. Here in Texas we call that area The Valley. Don't ask me why. There are no mountains from which to look into a valley. Lots of climate sensitive produce is grown there. If you want to assure yourself of being able to wear shorts in Jan/Feb then that is the area to winter. They are usually a bit over 70 Jan and Feb. South Padre Island is located in that area and it is an upscale area for RVing, or any other lodging for that matter. Port Aransas, Rockport, and even Corpus Christi is a favored destination for salt water fishing and beach people. Then there is San Antonio which probably offers more geographic differences to explore and things to do than the other three areas. It's what we call the Hill Country of Texas. As in Hills instead of mountains. These areas are generally between 60-65 in the winter. but it can get a bit chilly at night. Texas is a big state. Houston to the Valley is a days drive even if you do the more scenic direct route along the Gulf coastal area. If you enter the state from I-20 then it's a two day drive. I would recommend that you drop down to I-10 from NC regardless of which area you choose. Go Panthers!!
Morning, Thank so much for the response and information. So many places to go and so little time! Your outline of Texas will help with some planning. We did spend a week in the hill country near San Antonio last March and it was a bit cooler than we like. We live on the water in NC and the winters are just not as warm as we would enjoy...even though people from up north would not agree. Be well, Bonnie
We're spending our fifth winter in the Texas "Coastal Bend" area around Corpus Christi and have thoroughly enjoyed the area. Winter temps usually are in the 60's during the day with the nighttime temps no lower than the 40's. In Port Aransas, on Mustang Island offshore from the mainland, we have not experienced freezing temperatures even once. On the mainland, the city of Corpus Christi averages a couple of degrees cooler at night. Corpus is a city of ~300,000 people with a large and growing university (Texas A&M at CC) so there is good shopping and numerous activities to partake in.
Thank you so much for this comment. This is helpful and confirms our plans to take a trip in this area. Any favorite parks? Last year we were in Las Cruces, NM and Tucson, AZ and realize how booked up parks can be especially in the beginning of the season. We will read some of the reviews on the area. Again, thanks for responding, Bonnie
I'm new to RVing this year, with a 32' 2000 Adventurer. My first trip was Tulsa - St. Louis, my second a 5,700 mile trip as far West and North as Portland, OR. I'll leave in a couple of weeks for another 2 1/2 month trip (fewer miles). I've thought about parking somewhere for a month or more, but the huge question for me would be: what would I do to stay active? At home I'm busy with local non-profits and charities, and play golf in good weather; but I don't want (and can't afford) to just play golf all the time and can't figure out how I'd occupy my time in an unfamiliar locale. Any suggestions?
That is a very good question although I have noticed when we spend time at our seasonal site on lake Superior the days seem to take care of themselves. We sleep at little later, take longer drinking our morning coffee and spend some time visiting with our campground neighbors.Throw in some RV maintenance and cleaning and before you know it it's time to make dinner. I think it is important to do meaningful things so I plan on getting more involved in the community as we spend more time there. I think I would do some research on the area you are interested in and see what's in the area that might interest you. Making a few phone calls/emails before you go might give you some contacts before you get there.
We always try to explore the area. Ask locals to suggest things that are interesting to see. Many times there will be attractions that aren't well advertised and yet are very much worth seeing. Do you ride a bike? Find out if there are trails available near by. Also, many RV parks have planned activities. Before choosing a park check out its website (or call them) to find out what all is offered.
Every thought of volunteering at a golf course in exchange for a few rounds? There are lots of non-profit camps that could use a volunteer. Habitat for Humanity always has building projects where volunteers are needed.
Thanks to Kenhwy61, Texasrvers and RLM for your suggestions. All are good; it's clear that I'll need to do some research and find an area that has not only the right weather but the right activities as well. I guess I was just waiting for something to fall into my lap and we all know that happens too rarely... Thanks again.
Hey, you do bring up a great point of managing "time" and we have discussed this very issue. After we do the morning coffee, daily walk, clean-up, etc., there can be some time for other activities. This winter we will be staying longer in each area and take side trips to interesting areas. Then, because we love our senior center in Minnesota, we will check into activities at the local one. Maybe we will make a few new friends, enjoy the weekly activities and maybe stay a bit longer. At our center we have the usual cards, exercise, movies, dinners, lunches and some wood working too. One driving force for us is to find a "theme" for our travels. One year I began the goal of visiting all of the presidential homes and libraries in the US, then it was all the hot springs, etc. Did you know that this is the 100th year anniversary for the National Park Service? So we will visit state and national parks in each state we visit. So, my suggestion is to find a theme that appeals to your travel style, research where and when you can visit, and then go for it. The research itself is fun - in my mind. We leave on January 8th for a tour of Florida for a month or two. Me thinks it will be to visit the Everglades to begin the park theme and we hope to take an air boat ride. In our case, we have a group of about 4-5 who are retired and want a road trip and don't have RVs. Since we live in NC in the fall/spring, it is pretty close to Florida and it works and we all have fun. Good luck as you embark on the great American road trip. Be sure and let us know how things are going and if we get your way, we will stop in and say howdy. Cheers, Bonnie
To each their own. This is our fourth winter in the Corpus Christi area and we're both heavily engaged in volunteer and other activities in the metro area, outside of the campground. A couple of days a week one or both of us are gone before 8 in the morning and aren't back to afternoon. The RV park we're at has the usual activities but we rarely bother with them. We have activities, friends, etc, outside of the park and only need it to provide a clean, attractive and safe place to park for the winter. Not saying that ours is a better approach but it suits us.
