So what does Florida look like

[Joy A]

It occurred to me that it should be a lot less crowded because the Canadians aren't there.
So what am I doing out here in the west. I'm thinking about leaving here about mid February and getting out there about the end of March early April.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Joy A

It occurred to me that it should be a lot less crowded because the Canadians aren't there.
So what am I doing out here in the west. I'm thinking about leaving here about mid February and getting out there about the end of March early April.

I hate to burst your bubble, but Florida is still packed with snowbirds even minus some of the usual winter inhabitants. You do realize that Canadians can fly into the US, they just cannot enter at the border. And they can have commercial companies deliver their trailers over the border and be reunited with them in the US. Granted, that is not widespread but it is allowed. And from what I see in my part of Florida, RV parks and State Parks are pretty much at full capacity.

[miarosa]

I've found that many state parks in NW fl are packed. I've had trouble booking weekends 2 months out. They also appear to only be allowing every other site to be booked.

[Kevin A]

We found the Naples/Marco Island area to be as busy as ever. A friend who lives there said many folks just never headed home for the holidays due to the virus.

[steve dunham]

Considering the present circumstances, Florida probably would be better off and happier if I just stayed home where I belong !

[Joy A]

Well it was just a thought because I'm down here in Arizona right now and I can tell you it is not as crowded as it normally is. Yes, I do realize Canadians can fly across the border and have their rigs delivered to them. That seems awfully costly to me but who knows, people do what they do.
Thanks for the info I was just curious what it was like out there.

[sokhapkin]

Traffic here in Ft Myers area is an usual winter traffic. No difference with prior years.

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

Originally Posted by Joy A

It occurred to me that it should be a lot less crowded because the Canadians aren't there.
So what am I doing out here in the west. I'm thinking about leaving here about mid February and getting out there about the end of March early April.

Many camps are suffering. I can not speak for State camp grounds. Our camp in South Florida has many open spots normally filled and usually with more than 50% winter season Canadians. Only one of the annual Canadians arrived. She did so without her bus. She was able to come due to her financial ability to purchase a camper trailer after arriving. Also, she owns a Florida licensed auto that she keeps in Florida. No other Canadians came.
Check out SunSport Gardens in Loxahatchee, Florida (about 6 miles from West Palm Beach). Other camps I know that are operating at much less than full capacity include Lake Como in Lutz, Florida, Paradise, right next door and Cypress Cove, not far away.
Hope this helps.

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Considering the present circumstances, Florida probably would be better off and happier if I just stayed home where I belong !

I second your sentiments. I'm not going anywhere. Florida is the 3rd worse state for Covid. It is easy to place blame for how bad this pandemic has become but in reality the only slowing of this would be for people to have stayed home and followed WHO recommendations back in the early days of awareness. Perhaps we are to blame.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Bill in Pittsburgh

I second your sentiments. I'm not going anywhere. Florida is the 3rd worse state for Covid. It is easy to place blame for how bad this pandemic has become but in reality the only slowing of this would be for people to have stayed home and followed WHO recommendations back in the early days of awareness. Perhaps we are to blame.

I was not attempting to cast blame and was only trying to encourage prudent behavior.
We have been told by our County Health Department that at the present rate we should expect our first Covid vaccinations by late Summer 2021
After reading today’s news maybe heading to Florida and jumping the waiting line makes sense ?

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

I was not attempting to cast blame and was only trying to encourage prudent behavior.
We have been told by our County Health Department that at the present rate we should expect our first Covid vaccinations by late Summer 2021
After reading today’s news maybe heading to Florida and jumping the waiting line makes sense ?

I'm sorry. I was not saying that you or anyone else in particular was placing blame. Perhaps my frustration with how long this pandemic is lasting resulted in me blowing off steam when I should not have.

Happy Camping when we can once again do so.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

I was not attempting to cast blame and was only trying to encourage prudent behavior.
We have been told by our County Health Department that at the present rate we should expect our first Covid vaccinations by late Summer 2021
After reading today’s news maybe heading to Florida and jumping the waiting line makes sense ?

I consider myself fortunate as I am scheduled for my first shot of the Moderna vaccine this Sunday at 3:48 pm (Publix Pharmacy) and the second 4 weeks to the day and hour after that. My spouse is getting the first tomorrow at 12:00 noon and 4 weeks to the day and hour after that. Publix seems to be doing better than the county health departments, but that is to be expected. They are governmental agencies and it often seems that everything government touches gets stuck with red tape (note that I didn’t say turns to crap). Sorry for a quasi-political comment typically not allowed on the this forum. Supplies of the vaccine are limited, however, but Florida did balk at CDC guidance and decided to inoculate nursing home residents, health care workers, and those 65 and older in the first wave. And even though Florida may be the “3rd worst State” at the moment, Florida is fairly large and some areas are no more infected than the areas in the country that have the least infections. So read my lips: avoid Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Broward Counties (Southeast Florida), and the Orlando area if Florida is in your immediate future. But I have, as previously stated, not seen any reduction in the number of non-residents who have flown south for the winter.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Joy A

Well it was just a thought because I'm down here in Arizona right now and I can tell you it is not as crowded as it normally is. Yes, I do realize Canadians can fly across the border and have their rigs delivered to them. That seems awfully costly to me but who knows, people do what they do.
Thanks for the info I was just curious what it was like out there.

Hi Joy,

You know Sebring is coming up in FEB.
We would love to see you again.


I have a friend who reserved a spot in a bulgemobile park.
He had an inconvenient location.
When he arrived, they told him that he could pick from at least seven other sites which were reserved by Canadians who could not come down.
So he's in a half empty park with few people with whom to share time and conversation. Says its a little lonely.

[vin]

Just returned from Daytona area and two other state parks going west and they were all booked solid for a while. 99% of the people in grocery stores and campgrounds were very observant which was nice.

[thrifty bill]

Originally Posted by miarosa

I've found that many state parks in NW fl are packed. I've had trouble booking weekends 2 months out. They also appear to only be allowing every other site to be booked.

In years past, many FL state parks booked up 13 months in advance including week days. Many of the Canadian snowbirds went to private campgrounds, where they were able to stay in one spot for the entire winter. I bet many of the large private campgrounds are seeing a drop in business. State and county parks are more about vacation travelers, rather than snowbirds.

Several years ago, we attempted to book a private Florida campground a year in advance, and they had no openings, as the people camping one winter all returned the next. Kind of wonder how they are doing this year.

[Joy A]

Hi Floyd love to see you folks again too. Can't make Sebring that's too soon. I've got to do taxes before I could leave the West.
You've mentioned Iowa a number of times maybe I'll head there.

Oh, and I didn't mean for this to become so highly charged and political. My opinions will be kept to myself. Just enjoy life folks as I do ... it is basically short
lived.

[Jim Bennett]

Please keep politics and anger out of posts. They are not allowed and only stir up further problem.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Joy A

Hi Floyd love to see you folks again too. Can't make Sebring that's too soon. I've got to do taxes before I could leave the West.
You've mentioned Iowa a number of times maybe I'll head there.

Oh, and I didn't mean for this to become so highly charged and political. My opinions will be kept to myself. Just enjoy life folks as I do ... it is basically short
lived.

We are planning a trip to Iowa for May 2021 assuming Iowa’s covid infection rate goes down , their covid vaccination rate goes UP and we can get our covid vaccinations completed here at home .
Iowa is a great place to visit in the Spring , warm days , cool nights , great people , inexpensive camping and little over crowding .
You are free to do what you want / desire but when you ask for people’s opinions on traveling during a deadly pandemic when people are being encouraged to stay put , one should not expect that all the responses will be positive or encouraging.

[Jon in AZ]

I think the OP has the answer she needs: if state parks are full, there is decent availability in private campgrounds.

As to the advisability of RV travel during the pandemic, that belongs in the COVID section of the boards, which I have conveniently blocked because...well... everything that could be said was said by the middle of April, and nobody’s mind was changed then, either. Perhaps these COVID posts could be moved there as well.

[mszabo]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Considering the present circumstances, Florida probably would be better off and happier if I just stayed home where I belong !

Steve come to South Texas, it’s much slower here.
And you can watch SpaceX launches.