Sunday, February 15, 2015

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.
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.  
  9. 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.
  10. 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.

b

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3 comments:

  1. Excellent Ideas, I will follow your ideas when going to choose the RV park.... Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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  2. I ask what the temperature of the heated pool is set at. I ask if they have a hot tub and have they ever failed an inspection. I read ALL the reviews. Before I settled in the one I am at now for three months, I visited it, inspected the bathrooms, showers (took photos) and talked to the other RVer's before committing. Most people can't do that. Even with all the preparation, when we got down here, we were assigned a different site than promised. Squeaky wheel gets the grease. Now, everything is perfect!
    Cindi

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    Replies
    1. I was glad to see your comment. The ideas you had were so wonderfully practical. It is too bad that more people don't take the time to do the things you suggested. And you are so right...a lot of squeaking can fix things very quickly.

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