Spending the winter in central Florida was a new experience for us with time to really check out the area. Although we are not likely to return to the Zephyrhills area for another winter, we are grateful that we had a nice park (Emerald Pointe) to stay at while we consider our future Florida plans that probably won’t include returning to Siesta Bay near Fort Myers Beach.

In early February, we took a quick day trip to Siesta Bay to see for ourselves the status of the park and how the area was rebounding four months after Hurricane Ian. Even though we had seen pictures and videos, it seemed worse in person. The normally active and busy Siesta Bay was a ghost town with the majority of park models marked for demolition. With no estimate of when the park may reopen, along with devastation on Estero Island and Fort Myers Beach, we felt like we were saying goodbye.

Not closing the door completely, as we still have first right of refusal on the lot when Siesta Bay reopens. We really missed being close to the beach this winter and will continue to miss Fort Myers Beach eclectic style and small family owned businesses and restaurants we came to know. I’m sure with time, the area will rebuild and thrive; it’s still a beautiful beach setting.

We kept busy with visitors and activities. With Ken and Violet nearby we were able to see them several times and attend the RV Super Show in Tampa in January.

My brother Milt and wife Linda stopped as they were passing through the area, and we caught up with friends Susan & Gale Polter and Shelly Pike in Dunedin. Really like the town of Dunedin! Glad we got to visit Jim’s cousins in The Villages, both beautiful and overwhelming.

Friends we met last fall in the panhandle, Susan and Darryl, arrived for a three month stay at Emerald Pointe in January. The four of us enjoyed trips to Busch Gardens, local restaurants, and a Tiger Spring training game in Lakeland.

We stayed at Clearwater Beach for a few days with Cheryl, Darren, Ellie and Norah in February. Beautiful views from the hotel and the little girls loved the beach and pools. We enjoyed our small Super Bowl party even though Darren’s team (Eagles) fell short.

Accounting and tax work kept me busy parts of January through early April. Transitioning to my own business went well; a little less work time and more free time! Jim took care of all the annual RV maintenance and by late March we were getting kind of restless to get back on the road.

Taking a couple of short trips over to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground felt good. We met Dan, Christie, Megan and Anna at Disney the last week of March and then a week later Beth, Kevin and Gemma. The campground was nice and we enjoyed the Disney parks; good family time.

We have spent a lot of time considering where we go from here. A spring trip has taken shape and we will spend some time out west after a stop in North Carolina, arriving in Michigan in mid-June. Highlights on this trip include the St. Louis Arch, several stops in Colorado, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area UT/WY, Jackson Hole WY and Grand Teton National Park, and the Bighorn Recreation area in northern Wyoming.

We are also planning a Fall trip that will end in the Florida panhandle in November where we will stay next winter.

The “Forgotten Coast” panhandle area that includes Port St. Joe to Carabelle, St. George Island and St. Joseph Peninsula, has drawn us in since our stay last year, so we are going to give it a try next winter. Yes, cooler temperatures for sure; but the trade off is a slower pace, less crowds and traffic, with beautiful beaches nearby.

Speaking of planning; here are some RV park and planning observations I can share: No big surprise, but park fees have continued to increase and seem to have accelerated this winter especially in popular areas. With high demand in southern Florida during the winter, there is a lot of competition to find seasonal spots and even more challenging to find monthly sites to rent; and the higher prices reflect this.

Even planning our Spring trip, I noticed higher prices and most parks requiring 100% payment up front. It’s easy to get a hefty amount tied up in park deposits and you really have to take note of the cancellation policies. Quite a change from 5-6 years ago. Since this is the current reality, our strategy is to try more State, National and Corp of Engineer parks when possible, www.recreation.gov. I am finding more parks that charge higher rates on weekends, but some parks offer weekly “discounted” rates. If you can stay a little farther out from popular areas, that helps and take day trips with the car. Trying a stay in the panhandle next winter fits this plan – less people and lower prices. We’ll see how it goes.

As we wrap up this Winter stay, we are anxious to get back on the road and are looking forward to the next adventure.