Your opinion on a few rigs, please!

[TarheelBornGal]

Thanks Judy!

My husband is in charge of researching parks and campsites, so I am just going by the restrictions he tells me. He's been looking at all those things on google earth, etc. also. He put me in charge of initial research on rigs -- maybe b/c I am the person more interested in the "home" aspect, and he in the "outdoors". I send him all the information I dig up as well as floorplans and such.

It's interesting to hear how fast Florida parks fill up. Not that I am surprised, but it is kind of worrisome. He said that some parks (not specifically Florida but just in general) only accept reservations for a certain % of sites, and some are left for people who get there that day (early!) But it's definitely risky traveling without reservations and taking that chance.

The tightness of a Class C cab wouldn't bother me. I'm slim and pretty limber. I do yoga and am used to climbing all over a sailboat, so the motorhome should be a piece of cake after that. I find your Class A experience interesting, though, and I certainly won't get my heart set on one. If I am too small to drive one comfortably, we'll have to strike them from our list. Always thought we'd end up in a Class C anyway. I only even started looking at Class A's based on a couple of folks suggesting I not rule them out too quickly, and not finding a whole lot of Class C choices that would work for us.

Thanks for the wealth of information...

[Bethers]

There's only a few FL parks that fill up so fast - mainly on the water - mainly because of the snowbirds who go from FL state park to park in the winter. Those parks you need to worry about if you want to go to them. Winter before last, I traveled all around FL, only made my reservations a day or two in advance - made them then to guarantee I'd have a space when entering. There were 3 FL state parks I stayed at where a 30 foot rig would not have been able to get in - one not at all, the other two might have had a couple spaces for them, but those were full way in advance.

As to not having a car - the smaller the rig, the easier to park around towns. Just sayin'. If you get too big, without a car, you'll have more trouble finding places to pull over to sightsee, eat lunch, etc in some of the small towns. That said, when a friend and I caravanned - she had a 30 foot tt being pulled by a truck and we managed to find places when we needed them. Not always easily or convenient, but we found them There were several places I could have camped at that we couldn't stop because of her size, though. We adjusted for that. And if you get a 30 or 32 foot rig, you will adjust to it also.

No matter what rigs you look at - C or A - sit in the drivers seat and check it out! Drive them if you can. Each and every rig will be different. My seat in my C is up all the way and I store things behind it. I never move it. Poor maintenance people. Just had it in for an oil change and apologized to the guy who drove it in and out at Ford - I mean, with my step stool and other things, they can't put the seat back. hahaha - drove it with his knees hitting hit chin, I think

[JudyJB]

Beth is right. There are often spots that open up after the initial rush of reservations, and some of the parks not of the beach or in the Keys never fill up.

This will be my first camping trip to FL and I wanted to stay at prime spots, hence my focus on getting early reservations.

Just for the record, however, I am certainly NEITHER limber NOR slim!!

[TarheelBornGal]

Whew! Okay, I feel better now. We read some reviews of some Florida parks on a blog, and the folks who wrote them had no problems getting reservations -- and they're in a 40' rig! But most were inland parks -- still very pretty and nice. We do want to stay at Long Key State Park at some point, but other than that, we aren't hung up on being on the water. We live oceanfront right now so are getting our fill of that.

Beth, do you remember the names of the state parks in Fla. where a 30' rig couldn't get in? Would be good to have that info so we don't bother trying those, when the time comes.

Thanks!
Emily

[Bethers]

Emily, One that comes to mind is Faver-Dykes. It's a more remote state park, but not really that far from St. Augustine. I loved it there and will go back.

If you go to the Fl SP website, it really easy to see the info you want - I just did, and selected Faver-Dykes, then clicked on camping/full facility - which took me here: http://www.floridastateparks.org/faverd ... ies.cfm#12

Scroll down and you'll see
Maximum RV length = 30 ft.

And having been there MAYBE a slightly longer rig could get in, but I wouldn't have tried it. My site would have accommodated a much longer rig than mine, but turning into and out of the site probably wouldn't have been possible for much more than 24 feet. I'm 22, so no problem - and a couple more inches on a C or A will fit into a spot that a travel trailer couldn't go more on. Learned that workamping. That said, trees can get in the way, etc etc - so I follow their guidelines and don't try to push it.

Most FL state parks have some very large sites - and there wasn't a FL SP I disliked. Just wish they had some kind of discount for non-Floridians - as they have such a wonderful one for residents.

[TarheelBornGal]

Great info, Beth, thanks!

Got pretty excited about the discount at Florida state parks for Fla. residents since we will probably establish domicile there (we already have our mail-forwarding service to Belize through SBI in Green Cove Springs), but then did a little research, and turns out you have to be 65 years old or 100% disabled (wonder what the definition of that is?!) to get the 50% discount. My hubby is "only" 58, so it will be awhile til we can get any senior discounts.

Emily

[JanetA]

it's called LAMINATE.....PERGO is one brand name but there are several manufacturers,

it's great and light and very durable!

like birdie said,,,, research !


and best of luck ... and let us know wht you do,,, we wanna see pics!



J

[TarheelBornGal]

Janet,

This is off-topic, but saw you have a Boston Terrier too! We love the breed. They are so entertaining, loving, and special. Does yours travel in your RV with you?

We had Pepper for nearly 15 years, and now have Paisley. Got her at 7 weeks, and she's now 4 years old. I posted a photo over on the "Introduce yourself" sub-forum (thread = "Complete Newbie with Big Dreams").

Emily

[sharon]

FINALLY remembered to go out in the garage and get the name of my flooring...sorry Colleen

Armstrong vinyl plank flooring
4.5" X 48"
20 mil thick with beveled edges

Lifetime residential warranty/10 year light industrial

Don't know if they give a warranty on rv's or not...