Arizona Good Deal!

ToddF · August 29, 2019

I'm looking ahead to 2020 and considering spending my "winter" in Cal Am parks if they run their special again next year. (My winter in AZ is the last few months of the year as I have to return to MN for tax season).

For anyone interested, it is advertised on their website for 2019...stay in any of their parks for $995 + Utilities for 4 months (Sept 3-Dec 31). This strikes me as a very good deal. (I won't have my zone pass or trails collection to fall back on next year as I plan to let them expire on Sept 30, 2020). ($1,295 for a 2nd group of parks that are a little more upscale).

I'm thinking of a month in Yuma, a month in Tucson, a month in Casa Grande, and a month in Mesa next year.

It would give me a chance to try something different than Thousand Trails, that I've been camping in since Oct '16. And "try on for size" parks that I might like to stay in for the entire winter once I retire.

I've been to Florida and the RGV and settled on Arizona as my preferred choice to beat the cold and snow. I love mountains!

http://www.cal-am.com/specials/

Twotoes · August 29, 2019

I stayed last winter in a Cal-Am Park in Surprise AZ. Sunflower RV Resort. It was a little more that $1,000 from Sept 10th till the end of Dec, but Jan, Feb and March were over $1,000 each. I am going to check out FL this winter.

2gypsies · August 29, 2019

8 hours ago, ToddF said:

I'm looking ahead to 2020 and considering spending my "winter" in Cal Am parks if they run their special again next year. (My winter in AZ is the last few months of the year as I have to return to MN for tax season).

For anyone interested, it is advertised on their website for 2019...stay in any of their parks for $995 + Utilities for 4 months (Sept 3-Dec 31). This strikes me as a very good deal. (I won't have my zone pass or trails collection to fall back on next year as I plan to let them expire on Sept 30, 2020). ($1,295 for a 2nd group of parks that are a little more upscale).

I'm thinking of a month in Yuma, a month in Tucson, a month in Casa Grande, and a month in Mesa next year.

It would give me a chance to try something different than Thousand Trails, that I've been camping in since Oct '16. And "try on for size" parks that I might like to stay in for the entire winter once I retire.

I've been to Florida and the RGV and settled on Arizona as my preferred choice to beat the cold and snow. I love mountains!

http://www.cal-am.com/specials/

$995 for 4 months is a great deal. We're with you..... we've tried Florida,Texas, Alabama but Arizona is the best!!

FL-JOE · August 30, 2019

That certainly is a great price special. If they were not full last winter it is good marketing on their part. Probably a lot of snowbirds tend to return to the same park in the same area year after year. You make friends, get to know the area, and start considering it a second home after awhile.

FL-JOE · August 30, 2019

14 hours ago, Twotoes said:

I stayed last winter in a Cal-Am Park in Surprise AZ. Sunflower RV Resort. It was a little more that $1,000 from Sept 10th till the end of Dec, but Jan, Feb and March were over $1,000 each. I am going to check out FL this winter.

What part of Florida are you considering Twotoes?

SnowGypsy · August 30, 2019

*"electric, sewer and trash not included". I am just curious as to how much that might add up to. We spent 6 years in AZ, and that appears to be the pre-heavy snowbird season. Anyone not familiar with temps in AZ during that time should realize that much of AZ is still very hot in the fall, and nearly every other month of the year, but we really liked AZ when we could get out to the mountains, zoos, museums............... January was really nice!

Twotoes · August 30, 2019

8 hours ago, FL-JOE said:

What part of Florida are you considering Twotoes?

I’m meeting up with some friends in Davenport near Orlando. Won’t be there till Dec1st. Staying in Golf Shores AL the month of Nov.

mptjelgin · August 30, 2019

2 hours ago, SnowGypsy said:

*"electric, sewer and trash not included". I am just curious as to how much that might add up to. We spent 6 years in AZ, and that appears to be the pre-heavy snowbird season. Anyone not familiar with temps in AZ during that time should realize that much of AZ is still very hot in the fall, and nearly every other month of the year, but we really liked AZ when we could get out to the mountains, zoos, museums............... January was really nice!

I understand electric not being included, as that is the norm with discounted monthly rates at RV parks, but I've never seen sewer and trash excluded. I wonder if that is a simple add-on monthly fee or if it is somehow charged based on usage?

Twotoes · August 30, 2019

Cal-Am Sunflower RV Resort Charged an extra $20 a month for sewer and trash last year when I was there. The add on charge was for each month Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb and March. This was in addition to your site rent and electric.

mptjelgin · August 30, 2019

42 minutes ago, Twotoes said:

Cal-Am Sunflower RV Resort Charged an extra $20 a month for sewer and trash last year when I was there. The add on charge was for each month Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb and March. This was in addition to your site rent and electric.

That is an interesting pricing strategy. I imagine that every site got the $20 per month charge, so why not include it in the monthly fee? I suppose that $995 for 4 months sounds better than $1075...

ToddF · August 31, 2019

I enjoy the "pre-season"...all the parks are half empty. Very laid back. At this price, a few bucks for utilities is fine with me.

I'm also planning to spend some time at Saguaro, in Benson. A wonderful place! It will be interesting to see if the proposed new housing development (huge) goes in and what affect it has on that area.

Jennifer Ministries · August 31, 2019

Amazing marketing strategy! it's really appreciated from my end. but expect more enjoyable facility as a customer at next season.

2gypsies · September 1, 2019

20 hours ago, ToddF said:

I'm also planning to spend some time at Saguaro, in Benson. A wonderful place! It will be interesting to see if the proposed new housing development (huge) goes in and what affect it has on that area.

This project has been in the news for years. One stumbling block after another. I really don't see it happening and hope it doesn't. Ground water is crucial in this area.

The Benson Escapee park is awesome!

https://tucson.com/news/local/hot-pursuit-of-permit-that-isn-t-needed-defines-vigneto/article_ca5b57b4-f541-59b9-8fb3-c89c8563f9ac.html

Ray,IN · September 2, 2019

On 8/29/2019 at 7:25 PM, Twotoes said:

I stayed last winter in a Cal-Am Park in Surprise AZ. Sunflower RV Resort. It was a little more that $1,000 from Sept 10th till the end of Dec, but Jan, Feb and March were over $1,000 each. I am going to check out FL this winter.

Be prepared to spend $1,000/month in much of FL. Stay inland for much less, however it is at least an hours drive to anything.

ToddF · September 3, 2019

Thousand Trails might be an option. Buy a zone pass and add the trails collection. You'll have access to about 20 parks in FL and 30 parks in AZ for up to 14 days at a time. (Then 7 days out). Only a few have a nightly surcharge. Is there anyone out there doing this? How does it go Jan-Mar? (No trouble Sept - Dec). I like the 7 days out because I can move around and visit state parks, boondock for a night here or there, and try other private and public campgrounds. And there is no up front fee to "join" like there is with the lifetime memberships. There are folks on those who move from park to park within the TT system every 21 or 28 days. If they use the Trails collection, the same rules apply...14 days in 7 days out of a TC park.