Florida State Parks - Cancellations

[Letitia]

This message is on Florida State Parks website:
Out of an abundance of caution, all events, activities, special event reservations, pavilion rentals and camping/cabin reservations at Florida State Parks have been canceled for the next 60 days. Florida State Parks remain open for day use; however, hours of operation have been reduced to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Letitia

This message is on Florida State Parks website:
Out of an abundance of caution, all events, activities, special event reservations, pavilion rentals and camping/cabin reservations at Florida State Parks have been canceled for the next 60 days. Florida State Parks remain open for day use; however, hours of operation have been reduced to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wow! So does that mean that all those snowbirds who could otherwise be allowed to "shelter in place" for the next few weeks will be forced to return home like refugees traveling through some states with no restaurants or accommodations in transit.
Hopefully they won't encounter dangerous ice and snow covered roads this late in the season.

Hopefully, there will be room at Walmart parking lots and the drive up windows will allow walk ups.
Also hopefully, this exodus will not increase exposure to the virus for these additional travelers or the folks with whom they come in contact.


Fortunately, we returned home from Florida a week ago and ahead of schedule, due to family considerations.
Still... glad to have a 13Scamp so we can use the drive-up windows.

[Barb and Alan]

As more state parks and other facilities close (and they doubtless will) what happens to all the full timers?

[Jon in AZ]

Private parks, boondocking, driveways of friends or relatives, maybe.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Deadhead517

As more state parks and other facilities close (and they doubtless will) what happens to all the full timers?

Other than hosts, no one full-times in an Oregon State Park. They don't really full-time either, but seasonal. Because this shut-down is temporary and all hosts have full-service hookups (don't need the restrooms), I'd image they'll stay put. But this is just my opinion.

[Barb and Alan]

Not trying to say anyone full times in any state park but there seems to be a significant nomadic population that will be losing a resource as more states join the trend.

[Jon in AZ]

Full-timers are a pretty diverse and resourceful group as a whole. Most have options, as mentioned earlier. I suspect private RV parks will have plenty of spaces as non-full-timers cancel or delay discretionary travel.

Of course that assumes private RV park owners will receive new guests. Seems to me if they take only self-contained units and shut down all communal facilities, the risk is low, but fear is an unpredictable thing. It will be interesting to see how they respond.

Full-timers without the ability to be self-contained and those with limited financial resources will have the fewest options, especially if public boondocking lands are closed.

One hopes emergency management teams at the local level will have this group on their radar. If more follow Moab’s example and pull up the welcome mat to preserve local health resources for permanent residents, it could get ugly.

[steve dunham]

Considering how things have progressed in the US and Canada to stem the rise of Covid 19 , we are not far away from non essential travel being limited
Right now the furthest thing down my list of priorities is going camping
Canada is supposedly going to close their border to tourists from the US
We have a fishing trip to Canada scheduled & paid for in 2020 and we have no intention of trying to circumvent the regulations
The fish will still be there next year as will the campgrounds.

[mary and bob]

Originally Posted by Deadhead517

Not trying to say anyone full times in any state park but there seems to be a significant nomadic population that will be losing a resource as more states join the trend.

What we did when snowbirding in Florida was we would stay in one park the maximum allowable time of 2 weeks, then move to another state or federal park for another 2 weeks. Continued in that method until time to return home in NY. Gave up the snowbird thing a couple years ago so no problem now. However we did have a house rented on the coast of Georgia for two weeks next month and all paid for. Cancelled that trip but have so far been able to recover only half of the money. Waiting for the house owner to decide if she will refund any more money.