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Old 12-19-2018, 05:48 PM   #1
KemoLondon
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Snowbirding to Florida:Heading south

Hi de ho good neighbors. Heading to Florida 1st of the year from Detroit area. Planning on trying to make it to either Knoxville or London,Ky first day out. Any suggestions on staying first night? Depending on weather would like campground instead of hotel. Happy Trails.

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Old 12-19-2018, 06:37 PM   #2
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We come from a different area, so we take a different route, but we stay at Walmarts on the way down. Of course, if it's really cold you would likely have to use your furnace.

Our trailer is winterized when we head south, so we carry water in jugs for brushing teeth, washing hands, and flushing, etc. It takes us two and a half days to go down (Tampa area from Ontario).

We have been doing this for ten years.
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Old 12-19-2018, 06:58 PM   #3
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Come on folks put a little water on the fresh water tank. It will help with reduce the weight on the rear of your truck. Give water for the toilet when you need it. You know if you carry it in jugs you still have the weight but not where it will do you any good “weight destrabution wise”

Just saying I’m all.
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Old 12-20-2018, 09:17 AM   #4
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We are making a similar run in late January and plan on stopping this park in Chattanooga (http://chattacamp.com/) that some friends of ours recommended if you can make it that far on day 1. We plan on staying a couple days to unwinterized and there is a CW across the highway in case we need any emergency items.


Wayne, some of us suffer from freezing temps which prevent us from adding water to the tanks in the winter
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Old 12-20-2018, 09:42 AM   #5
waynemoore
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I live in Arizona what do I know about freezing,except for the ice in my margarita. LOL
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Old 12-20-2018, 10:46 AM   #6
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We don’t want any water in the tank when it’s freezing because we don’t want water in the pump. Better to be safe than sorry.
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Old 12-20-2018, 02:18 PM   #7
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We stay at volunteer park family campground on 75 and raccoon valley road. It’s just north of Knoxville just off 75.
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Old 01-02-2019, 01:13 PM   #8
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1st time Snow Birds as well

My wife and I along with our spoiled lab/great Dane cross are heading to Florida for an extended stay beginning February 2 for our first time as well. My family recommends staying in Flying J lots - they think these are safer. We will be leaving southern Ontario hoping to make Mount Airy, NC for our first night and then St. Augustine, Fl for night 2 before we make the final push down into The Keys. Jugs of water has been the recommendation made to us as well. Happy Trails.
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Old 01-02-2019, 01:15 PM   #9
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Which is the best route to Florida?

Does anyone have a recommendation for the best route from Buffalo area to Florida? Seems like south through Pittsburgh is the most direct but I hear the mountains can be sketchy depending on the weather so some have recommended heading over to I-75. Any thoughts?
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Old 01-02-2019, 01:28 PM   #10
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Enjoy Florida! We went to the beach yesterday.

Dan and Sherri
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Old 01-02-2019, 01:35 PM   #11
mazboy
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just stay on interstates to florida. I79, I77
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Old 01-02-2019, 01:52 PM   #12
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Mt Airy from Detroit is about 550 miles that a very long day if you are up to it have at it. we will head down in Feb our first stop is Parkersburg will try and stay at a Cracker Barrel Not many CG open this time of year in that area
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Old 01-02-2019, 02:18 PM   #13
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Travel to Florida

Get the RVParky app. You enter the name of the town where you want to stop and it'll show a map with icons of campgrounds, state and county parks, walmart's, etc. You ca n click on any of those and read info and reviews about the place. Travel safe!
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Old 01-02-2019, 02:26 PM   #14
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I would plan a couple different routes and let the weather dictate which I take.
I would also most definitely make that first day a little shorter. Highly populated areas, short daylight hours and winter weather all working against you.
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Old 01-02-2019, 03:21 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trailer Trash View Post
Does anyone have a recommendation for the best route from Buffalo area to Florida? Seems like south through Pittsburgh is the most direct but I hear the mountains can be sketchy depending on the weather so some have recommended heading over to I-75. Any thoughts?
I 79 to Beckley WV than 19 to I77. I'd not even think of I95 until NC
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Old 01-02-2019, 08:41 PM   #16
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I agree that the RV Parky app is good; we’ve used it exclusively for the past 6 yrs. Some of their reviews just p & m about staff as all reviews tend to do, on the other hand, a number of their reviews give meaningful and valuable site info that’s not on website. That said, I’ve stayed at the Volunteer and Racoon RV parks north of Knoxville and both off I-75 and adequate. We just stayed at Riverside RV resort traveling to FL that’s level and easy in and out. It’s off of I-40 east of Knoxville and found it exceptionally nice. It’s about 5 miles south of I-40 just north of Sevierville. Since we don’t like dealing with morning “rush hour” traffic we tend to stay on the outbound side of major cities in the direction we’re traveling. There’s also a Holiday Travel RV park just on the south edge of Chattanooga off I-75 that’s level and adequate. If you go this way, it’s about an hour and a half north and east of Atlanta.
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Old 01-03-2019, 05:39 PM   #17
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Hi, I hope you don't mind me jumping unto this thread. I am thinking about doing the same next year (snow-birding to Florida) We live in Ohio.

Where does everyone stay in Florida?
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Old 01-03-2019, 06:14 PM   #18
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We did the I79 route from Erie, PA South last year (2017) and won't take that route again. Just miles of up and down hills, could almost see the fuel guage dropping. We normally start further East, South of Rochester and take I390/Route 15 to just outside Harrisburg where we pickup I81 and take it to I77 on down to I26 which finally takes us to I95 for balance to Florida.
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Old 01-03-2019, 06:55 PM   #19
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In Daytona R.V. resort 80 today
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Old 01-03-2019, 07:54 PM   #20
woodman
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Florida RV resort living

We had searched RV communities for a couple of years before deciding on Cypress Trails RV resort in Ft. Myers. We weighed renting versus buying, but more importantly, we wanted to be in subtropical area in FL (an imaginary line from Sarasota to Port St. Lucie and south), where night temps rarely freeze and daytime temps are typically 70 and above. I like being in short sleeves and shorts! After some contemplating, we decided to purchase, because the price was right and we knew this would be a great place to spend every winter. In addition, we could have a casita (glorified shed) where we could add laundry/bath, plus space to store stuff, which made us all the more self-sufficient. It was also in close proximity to a major airport, interstate corridor, entertainment, shopping and restaurants. 6 years later, it's turned out to be an absolute beautiful RV resort and is still growing. As you can imagine, it's not for everybody, but neither is unconditional cold weather for 5-6 months.
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