Winter RV Destinations are a driving factor in the annual route plans. We call this travel style “by region, by season”. In the winter, most RVers flock to the sunbelt destinations. Snowbirds and sunseekers alike make places like Florida, Arizona, and California their home for the winter season. If you live in a cold and snowy region of the country, taking your RV south for the winter might be a great way to maintain your healthy RV lifestyle year-round. We all know that the cold of winter drives us inside and makes us less active, especially outdoors. But what if you could skip winter entirely by choosing your winter RV destinations wisely?
Every person and unique RV has a different threshold for how cold is too cold for RV camping. But generally speaking, temperatures that are consistently below freezing will make winter RV camping a bit more challenging. RVs aren’t insulated like your traditional home, so keeping the tanks and pipes from freezing is a real concern.
How cold is too cold for RVing?
As many pipes and tanks are in the underbelly of the RV, whether or not your RV has an enclosed, insulated or heated underbelly will make a big difference. And if you’re actively living in the RV versus storing it, also makes a big difference. If you’re heating the RV to keep yourself comfortable, that also keeps everything else inside at a warmer temperature.
Many RVers have motorhomes with heated underbellies and can survive temperatures in the teens with the heat running throughout the night. If you have hookups at an RV park, it will be easier because you can run space heaters. If you’re winter RV dry camping, be sure your propane is full when you arrive. For extreme conditions, consider RV skirting to provide extra protection for the underbelly.
So there is no straight answer for how cold is too cold to RV, but we hope these winter RV camping tips and our personal experiences help you prepare for a successful winter RV trip.
Top Winter RV Destinations
In our opinion, the best winter RV destinations are warm winter RV destinations. Forget all that snow and the worry over freezing pipes. When your home has wheels, why not follow the best weather? (spoken like a true snowbird, right?) Here are our top 3 winter RV destinations:
California
When it’s winter in the rest of the country, San Diego CA is the place to be. Plus, it’s whale watching season for the Pacific Grey Whales migrating to Baja. If you’re looking for an ideal winter RV resort in the San Diego area, check out Campland On The Bay. It’s located on the shores of Mission Bay and offers waterfront RV spots. Low temperatures hardly ever drop below 50 degrees in San Diego, so you won’t even remember it’s winter!
Arizona
There are lots of wide open spaces and free public land for boondocking in Arizona during winter. This makes Arizona a cheap and easy option for RVers. The warm weather and abundant sunshine bring so many RVers that it’s often a homecoming of sorts for the RV community. You’ll find lots of RVers camping in Yuma and Quartzsite Arizona every winter.
If you’d rather have amenities, you can find the best Arizona winter RV parks in Phoenix and Tucson. The Cave Creek Regional Park and Campgrounds located in north Phoenix is a personal favorite, providing access to nature and outdoor activities, while still being close enough to the city services. This is a county park that requires reservations. They operate on a six-month rolling basis, so be sure to plan ahead for your stay here.
Florida
Florida isn’t the easiest place to just roll up with your RV at the beginning of the winter season. Winter RV sites in Florida can be competitive to reserve and often must be booked well in advance. Key West is home to the southernmost point in the US. Going as far south as possible for the winter makes good sense, right? Well, if you can afford it, and can plan ahead.
Boyd’s Key West RV Campground is regarded as the best RV park in Key West. This park was founded in 1963 by two Canadians who were trying to escape the harsh winter in Saskatchewan. That first year, campsites were $1.50 per night. Today, a full hook-up Waterview site in peak season will cost you $225 per night.
Will You Try RVing this Winter?
We hope you feel inspired to chase warm weather in your RV this winter. And we hope that the sunny skies help make your fitness on the road easier. We think it’s easier to maintain the motivation to keep up with our RV workout routine all winter when the temps are warm and the sun is shining. Happy trails!
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