5 Ways to RV Affordably in Florida in the Winter
One of the things were were looking forward to MOST about RVing full time was to skip out on the cold and head to warmer climates for the winter! What we didn’t expect was how EXPENSIVE staying in Florida was going to be.
So we took our best tips and tricks for saving money while rving in Florida between the two years we’ve done it to help YOU save money when you hit the road!
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First, a note about Thousand Trails.
Everyone’s talking about it, and there’s a huge claim that you can RV in Florida for as little as $200 a month with a TT membership.
Well, we looked into it, and at one point even counted on it to make our Florida dreams happen.
In the end, it just wasn’t going to be financially beneficial when we’re not sure when we’ll stop RVing. It felt like we would have to go into debt to invest in a membership, just to have to turn around and sell it in a few years because we wouldn’t have it paid off yet.
To do what we wanted to do in Florida (stay in the same RV park for 21 days at a time, jump from Thousand Trails to Thousand Trails parks, etc.), we were going to have to get the TOP membership, which was $14,000. And even then compete with other TT members to book a coveted Florida spot.
A lot of people get around that big price tag by buying a used membership. So we contacted a representative and started that process – only to find it was still going to be over $5,000 to get a used one (if we found a used one), and we’d have to essentially go into debt and pay the down payment to eventually start paying the monthly fee.
We decided it was going to be too much money up front to make it justifiable. I’m sure it works out awesome for a lot of families. But not us for the few months we wanted to be in Florida.
We stayed in Florida from January through March.
This is known as the peak season of Florida, especially with the snowbird crowd.
Does Florida still get cold in the winter? In the north, YES. But cold is 40–50 degrees during a cold snap, and it’ll still get up to the beautiful 70’s shortly thereafter. You’ll find some things are closed in Florida such as outdoor pools and some of the springs where there would usually be swimming access. But shops and attractions are always open and ready to greet all of the northern visitors for the winter. We’ve never been frustrated by a lack of options!
1. Stay away from the coast and beaches, and stay further inland.
Oaky, okay… isn’t the whole point of going to Florida for the beautiful beach views right out your living room window?
Sure, that’s GREAT. But only if you can shell out $100-150 a night for that view of a lifetime.
Do it at least once, and call that the big splurg. Then when you’re ready to get back into the usual groove and budget life of full time rving, settle down at spots that aren’t right on the ocean.
We’ve found if we can be located over half hour away from the coast, rates drop drastically. Especially if you have a second vehicle that’s not your diesel-chugging tow vehicle, it’s super easy to pop over to the beach when it’s 45 minutes away and save money on your resort stay.
Inland Florida has it’s own unique beauty that we definitely encourage you to explore!
Some of our favorite inland stays include:
Anything along the St. John’s River (try a place like Shell Harbour)
Keaton Beach Area (there are mainly private lots, but there’s a nice KOA in Perry, FL 30 minutes from the beach)
Pensacola, FL (RV park that’s about 30 minutes from the beach and has great weekly/monthly rates)
Miami, FL area with access to the Everglades and the Keys just an hour away - Encore Miami
2. Stay in national and state parks.
This is definitely one of our favorite options! State Park stays are always beautiful, and in Florida, they’re always near either an ocean, lake, or river.
That said, you need to book it way in advance because state park’s get booked up quickly due to their affordable rate and beauty!
You also need to make sure your large RV fits and will have enough space on both sides for your slides. Give yourself more room than you think you’ll need. Don’t get a spot that is the exact length as your RV!
Also check accommodations such as full hookups, water and power only, etc. A lot of state parks don’t have sewer, so we always triple check what we’re getting ourselves into.
Here’s a full list of all of the state parks in Florida with RV accommodations.
Our two favorite stays:
Everglades National Park (Lone Pine Key Campground and Flamingo)
View our full list of favorites below!
3. Look for monthly and weekly discounts.
Many RV parks offer more affordable rates if you stay in week or month increments.
Make sure to ask about a discount, especially if you’re only one or two nights shy of meeting the stay requirement (you could have those nights for free!). And plan your travel route around longer stays to take advantage of this discount!
4. Book your stays EARLY.
As in as early as possible. A lot of the most popular resorts get booked a year in advance.
One of our absolutely favorite spots in Navarre Beach, Florida always gets booked quickly because their monthly rate is a HUGE discount to their nightly rate. We’ve called 8 months in advance, and couldn’t even snag a spot. You really need to be strategic in your planning and have a system for calling and booking early. Add reminders to your calendar for when to call and book your stays!
Some RV parks won’t open up bookings for the next year until 6 months before, others open up bookings over a year before.
The only way to know is to try, and don’t be like the many full time rvers that end up frustrated with not being able to find a place to stay!
5. Find a private lot to rent.
This is one of the BEST ways we found to save money staying in Florida in the winter.
There are a lot of land owners who aren’t on their property much of the year, so they rent it out to RVers. Our favorite find was a resort in Welaka where we had a large cement pad, and a community of snowbirds! Nothing could beat their potlucks, pancake breakfasts, or gifts. The kids adored them, and they adored the kids. It was affordable, an hour from the Atlantic or Gulf coasts, and right on the St. John’s River.
A popular location for private lot RV spots is in the big bend of Florida, as well as the inland area around Ocala and the St. John’s River.
Here are our two recommended Facebook groups for finding private lot listings for rent:
The matter of spending money on Florida attractions
You can drop a TON of money on attractions in Florida. Think air boat rides, deep sea fishing ventures, tours, amusement parks, waterparks, fresh seafood markets, seafood restaurants, boat rentals… you name it, and you can spend it for a GREAT time in Florida.
But on the flip side, you can also have a great time without spending any money.
Beaches are free.
The kids can play ALL day in the beautiful waters of Florida for a really small price. So when we were feeling a little strapped for cash, we’d just head to the beach (and no one complained about that idea)!
Buy a state park annual pass for a one time $60 fee, and access state parks all winter for “free.” (Note: some parks still require a small entrance fee.)
There are SO many state parks in Florida, many that have fresh water springs where you can view manatees and swim! The trails are absolutely beautiful and unique, and even if it’s chilly outside, it’s always a beautiful visit.
Our favorite Florida State Park visits with young children:
Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park in Talahassee, FL: still a family residence, this park is only open from January 1 – April 30, featuring gardens planted to highlight only flowers that bloom in the winter. It was so unique!
Blue Spring State Park: so many manatees in the winter! Beautiful trail right along the water with platforms that lookout over the manatee area.Wakulla Springs State Park: One of world’s largest and deepest fresh water springs. Awesome for swimming and DIVING off their famous high dive platform. Definitely bring your snorkel mask. We loved this park!
Manatee Springs State Park: Smaller, but still awesome, especially if you’re into scuba diving. This spring is very deep and has an interesting dive that seems very popular. Great for swimming.
Crystal River State Park (and Wildlife Refuge): Known for the glass bottom boat and kyak tours, this is a popular destination near Ocala, Florida. Popular for manatee sightings!
Amelia Island State Park: beautiful beaches with trails. This was a popular site when we were there, so there were a LOT of people. But it was really beautiful, and we’d totally go again!
Fort Clinch State Park: near Jacksonville, this made our list for a historic site AND state park. We love Florida’s old history, and this was a fun fort to explore on the coastline.
If you’re a full time RVer, make it a priority to travel Florida from January through April (like the rest of us)! Take it from us, traveling Florida as a family with young kids doesn’t have to be expensive. (It can be, but it doesn’t have to be!)
Stay further inland, scoop up reservations at Florida state parks, book early in week and month long increments, and find private lots to rent to really save money traveling the Florida coast in winter.
