Snowbird Lifestyle, Cuisine, Entertainment and Travel
Online Groups: Sort Out the Nonsense How to Sift Through the Answers and Motives of Online Q&A’s Prior to the rise of the powerful internet and social media, information was exchanged and shared in person, in local establishments amongst patrons and through traditional media channels …
Where to begin decluttering? Start with a surface area, a drawer, a closet, a single room, the main thing is to simply start somewhere How Much is Too Much Stuff? Edit, Organize and Downsize Your Primary Home’s Contents I’m continually inspired to write about real …
Many times I'm inspired to write about questions I receive seeking insight of the snowbird life. This time our repeat vacation rental guests asked about making the transition from a summer to winter stay. We recently hosted Jen, Steve and their senior dog for two weeks in August. They love it here and said they are now considering returning to the same unit in the winter of 2025. I feel the same way, it's nice to be accustomed to the flow of the set-up, the furniture, location and why change if it's not necessary?
Jen already researched that our unit isn't available for Jan/Feb, but she and Steve wondered about March dates. That's a tricky one. The weather is steadily improving and that means the rates are substantially increasing. Shoulder season rates are early to mid-March and then there's Spring Break rates. Typically the Spring Breakers drive the snowbirds out for two reasons: they pay higher rates for the better weather and the area's population density noticeably increases.
My husband, our Golden Retriever and I were in Northwest Florida during Spring break this year and it's a completely different perspective than the winter months. The college-aged Spring Break students we encountered were very polite, blending in as fellow beach goers having some fun. I didn't see anyone stumbling around or overly loud, but I did see young ladies beautifully dressed up for sunset selfies; students enthusiastically indulging in beach volleyball, enjoying the pools, strolling the sidewalks, enjoying food and beverages in the local establishments and congregating after dark in the sand. We never find snowbirds out on the beach after dark except for the occasional night fisherman.
I don't know anything about Jen and Steve's budget, but March is a viable option if they put their funds into a shorter stay. This could be just the thing they want and need. Summer and winter in the exact same location have some very big differences as I've experienced. Maybe the Jan/Feb weather in Northwest Florida is too drastically different than the hot, humid temps of a Florida summer. Always research the mean temps no matter where you are considering, don't rely on your hunches and intuition, it may or may not be accurate.
Jen asked me about North Florida vs. South Florida. I told her essentially the same information as I wrote about in this post.
Location, Location, Location: Peak Vs Off Peak
Other considerations for summer to winter snowbirds and vice versa include your tolerance for busy vs. off season population density. Summer is much busier on the beach, in the restaurants, stores and establishments, other activities, driving in traffic and travelling to/from your destination. You'll likely have construction delays everywhere and you'll probably not stay as long because lodging rates are much more expensive. Beach service is a summer and shoulder season luxury.
Summer in Florida and popular Southern states such as Texas and Arizona is very hot and humid. If you like walking or running to exercise outdoors, it's almost unbearable during the hottest months of the year. Summer options involve swimming pools, lakes and the ocean.
When children are not in school, they are in full force in the locations where families go for vacations. Therefore you can expect to have a lot more activity and noise on the beach, in the pools and in the general community.
Winter is slower in terms of population and much less busy at the restaurants and retail shops, it's a longer season, generally less expensive and a time to get better acquainted and connect with others in your immediate and greater community. Winter snowbirds are much more likely to greet each other and be sociable. There's fewer distractions than the summer crowd.
In the winter, the sun rises and sets for a much shorter day, the temps tend to be cooler, cloudier and/or rainier. Many restaurants and attractions close for the month of January while the staff and owners go on their own well deserved vacations. When dining out, lunchtime is the best option for beachfront dining. You won't see a thing for dinner hour other than complete darkness.
Unless you have access to a heated pool or jetted spa, it's not likely you'll be swimming in the off season. However, with children in school, you'll likely not be encountering toddlers, kids, teens and young adults in the area during the winter. Weekends and holidays are a draw and do bring families during the winter for a refreshing change.
Before committing to changing from summer, shoulder season or winter, think it through, do your research and make an informed decision. It can be drastically different in the exact same location of your summer or winter community. If you're like me, you come to appreciate each season for the changes and make the most of each time you're able to be in your happy place.
-- Anthony J D'Angelo, American Author, Speaker, Business Owner
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of Midlife Snowbird. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links or advertisements does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
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I asked my snowbird friends, "When going to or from your winter destination, do you stop and see things along the way? Surprisingly, they don't. The explanation is, "We're in a hurry to get there on the way south and when we leave, we're in a hurry to get home."
My husband is like that too. For many years we bypassed all kinds of wonderful and enticing side trips because of a perceived lack of time to stop along the way. Finally, I insisted we take an extra detour and visit Ivy Green, the childhood home of Helen Keller, the deaf and blind child whose entire life changed drastically for the better due to her teacher, Anne Sullivan. I got the idea to visit the Keller homestead in Northwest Alabama due to perusing the racks of travel brochures in the lobby of our hotel along Interstate 65 in Athens Alabama. Not only did we visit Helen Keller's home, we inadvertently stumbled upon the famous FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Now we need to go back so we can visit the FAME Recording Studios, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House and other area attractions in the Shoals-Florence area of Northwest Alabama.
[Destination: Helen Keller Birthplace Tuscumbia, Alabama]
A friend told me about a charming area south of Nashville, Tennessee that she and her husband like to visit once in awhile. She said it has a lot of history and is not that far from I-65. I'm in! So, I convinced my husband we needed to stop in Franklin, Tennessee. Wow, what a great choice! Not only was the area irresistibly endearing, it is the site of a huge civil war battle. Despite it being a chilly, rainy day, I enjoyed our driving tour of the area, especially when we stumbled upon Battlefield Park and the haunting confederate cemetery. I would like to return to Franklin, Tennessee again soon.
This year, I read about Peach Park, Alabama. It is located in Clanton almost exactly in the center of the state from North to South and East to West. Right off I-65. So, we stopped and I fell in love with that too. Chilton County Alabama is driven by the local multi-million dollar peach industry and although it was the off-season, Peach Park features a very popular local BBQ restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating plus a charming shopping area that is dedicated to gifts, peaches and related products including peach jam, peach jelly, peach butter, peach ice cream, cobbler and many other Southern delicacies such as Praline Pecans. These are not like the ones you find anywhere else. There's also a giant peach in the garden area, a playground, RV park and live entertainment if you are there at just the right time. Check, check, check! This was the first, but by no means the last time we will stop at Peach Park.
Another memorable and must-do again side trip is the historic and elegant Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. Our first year as snowbirds we took an opportunity to visit the hotel's restaurant, J. Graham's Cafe and enjoyed a fabulous lunch of iconic Hot Brown sandwiches created in 1926 by the chef at the Brown Hotel. As if that wasn't enough, we ordered The Original Kern's Kitchen Since 1968 Derby Pie® for dessert. Both were absolutely outstanding. Rich, creamy, heavenly. Crave-worthy. The Brown Hotel is an anchor of Kentucky's "Urban Bourbon Trail" and a great place to visit. I was so inspired by our side trip to the Brown Hotel that I published a recipe for a Bourbon Chocolate Nut pie influenced by the authentic, Original Kern's Kitchen pie served at the Brown Hotel.
[Bourbon Chocolate Nut Pie Recipe]
Never one to finish my to-do list, I have future plans to try new places along the way to and from our beloved snowbird home. Thanks to the internet and the lobby racks filled with the brochures, there's many establishments beckoning. Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee; Sinatra Bar and Lounge in Nashville, Tennessee; Belmont Mansion in Nashville, Tennessee; the Civil Rights Trail in Montgomery-Selma, Alabama and Kentucky's Bourbon Trail. The Corvette Museum and Mammoth Cave are popular Kentucky attractions along the I-65 corridor and there's many more wineries, craft breweries and one-of-a-kind local tours such as the Haunted Canoe Trip after-dark ghost tour. Whatever you like, there's much to be discovered if you simply take a look at the options and then make it happen.
-- Akiroq Brost, Author
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of Midlife Snowbird. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links or advertisements does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Proximity to local attractions such as wineries, entertainment, sports facilities, shopping and restaurants will help bring guests to your property. [Country Heritage Winery, Laotto, Indiana] Thinking of Renting Out Your Primary Home? Checklist of 15 Considerations Prior to Placing Your Primary Property on the Rental …
Price, location, view, pet friendly and availability are all deal makers. They're also the deal breakers. However, there's more to it than that. It's the nuances of a particular rental that may or may not work for snowbirds.
Recently, I was asked to tag along on a tour of a potential rental for two Wisconsin-based snowbird friends with an adorable Golden Retriever named Cooper. My friends decided to take a look around at the options because they weren't entirely sure about returning to their current place. Their rental rates were increasing and they had other concerns about the place. Not only did they gain valuable insight to what matters to them, the tour opened my eyes to mistakes by owners. To my astonishment, after touring several properties and considering everything, my friends decided to stay where they are.
This is an account of what the deal breakers could be and why owners should listen carefully to the feedback from potential guests. It can save a ton of headaches for both parties.
Snowbirds in general, like to plan way in advance. As in a year or more. My neighbor, Elaine and her husband and pooch have always stayed in the same unit for the month of January. She said finally -- two years from now in 2026 -- they will be staying for January AND February. It has taken that long to get a booking for the full two months. Past availability was not a deal breaker in this case, but for many it easily could have been. Elaine didn't say, nor did I ask, if the current February occupant is aware of what is happening. Snowbirds, always stay connected with your property manager and/or owner so they can work with you on your future plans. No one wants to be blindsided.
On the flip side, Wisconsin Terri was told it was "too soon" to reserve the unit she was considering for next year. This is exactly the opposite of how I think. Again, not allowing to book a year in advance would be a solid reason for many snowbirds to keep looking.
Owners: if a guest wants to book for next year, take the reservation! If you have qualms about a cancellation, request a significantly larger deposit of a minimum of $1,000 and extend the pay-in-full due date to be 90 or 120 days in advance instead of 60 days or whatever the standard policy is for weekly rentals. It's a huge commitment for snowbirds and owners to pledge 60 consecutive days vs. the usual 7 days, but each party needs assurances they will have a solid deal.
Snowbirds: Make sure there is a solid, written contingency plan if an owner cancels your reservation or sells the property before your arrival. If you book through a management company with a large property portfolio, get it in writing that you will be rebooked into a similar or better property in the event of unforeseen circumstances. It is essential all deposits and pre-paid funds will be refunded if the owner and/or PM do not have a suitable property available.
Unfortunately no one is aging backwards which means at some point weather, distance and transportation increasingly become a problem for snowbirds.
Several friends are facing this issue due to age, health and concerns about driving to and from their snowbird communities. Dee from Colorado relies on her son to bring her to and from her southern home in Northwest Florida. He has asked her to consider a closer location in Arizona to make it easier for him. Except there are no beaches in Arizona, which understandably puts Dee in a quandary.
The weather this winter has been one of the worst for as long as many can remember which doesn't help Dee's decision. Time will tell if distance and weather are the deal breakers for Dee.
I've personally witnessed an increase of doorbell cameras installed on the exterior of rental properties. For some, this could be a deal breaker simply because they don't want to be photographed every time they come or go. Nor do they want their belongings, packages, guests and deliveries to be documented. Not that there's anything illicit happening, it's simply a lot for guests to accept and it could make or break a rental to snowbirds or anyone else for that matter.
Snowbirds typically stay for at least 30 days and usually 60 or even 90+ days. They may book by the week or by the month, but it's a totally different set of needs than the weekly vacationers who are in and out in seven days.
Therefore, what might be just fine for a family who is not going to be in the unit all that much for a week in peak season compared to snowbirds who have an extended stay and accordingly bring a lot more clothing and "stuff."
I kid you not, a friend toured a property that had a locked closet in the second bedroom. Presumptively it was full of the owner's possessions. Guests are expected to put their clothes on hangers dangling from three or four racks mounted at a 90 degree angle on the bedroom wall.
No! As in, "Are you kidding me?" Absolutely there is no way I would want to spend 30-60+ days looking at clothing dangling from the walls. My friend and her husband do not share a bedroom and her husband would be the one with his clothes decorating the walls. The owner refused to make accommodations and ultimately, this was the deal breaker.
Vacuum cleaners, mops, pots and pans, utensils, cleanliness, decor and more matter. Even beyond that, the details, large and small, can make or break a snowbird's willingness to rent a unit.
I know of a snowbird who didn't like the mattress in the primary bedroom. She said it was very uncomfortable and she tried every possible option to improve the situation, including sleeping on the unit's bunk bed. Worn out or sagging furniture is also another potential deal breaker.
Features such as very short vanity cabinets in the bathrooms may not be noticed in photos, but could be a problem for tall guests.
Snowbirds who can take a tour of a potential place should do so, it's worth the time to do so because you can pick up so much more than seeing photos. If it's not possible, ask a lot of open-ended questions. Prepare a list of potential deal breakers, then be honest about what your non-negotiables are. Know your limits and be patient. It can take time to find just the place. Once you find what works for you, protect your investment and plan accordingly.
-- Michael Bliss, Canadian Historian and Author
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of Midlife Snowbird. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links or advertisements does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Here Vs. There: A Candid Case Study The Emotional Impact of Trading Proximity to Family for Full Time In Your Southern Community If you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to live in your snowbird community full time, consider this case study of one …