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Brutal winter has us thinking about snowbirding

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ddstanford

ddstanford

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Where would you THP'ers go for golf and weather in the winter if you had a choice. We're getting hammered this winter season and the wife says she could use a break next Jan./Feb. Most of our retired folks go to AZ, but I was thinking about Palm Desert. Ideas and Thanks!
 
I went to Palm Beach over the winter for a golf trip. Lots of great courses down there. Can be a bit pricey, but you can't beat the temperatures.
 
Last year I spent 6 weeks in Orlando. It's the "high" season during the winter months and golf is pricey. This year we spent 6 weeks in Myrtle Beach. It was wetter and cooler than average. I could get the Passport card as a snowbird with excellent prices. Next year we will probably return to Florida.
 
I have had three Xmas breaks near Tampa/St Petersburg. Easy access to excellent courses in Bradenton, good weather, St Pete's Beach and great shrimp.
 
The place with the lowest property taxes out of your choices.
 
Lots of great courses in the Palm Springs/Palm Desert area, as long as you don't mind the fact that they're in CA.
 
JB said:
The place with the lowest property taxes out of your choices.
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not looking to buy, just rent and for us, FL is probably out so looking TX, NM, AZ, CA probably
 
Snowman said:
Lots of great courses in the Palm Springs/Palm Desert area, as long as you don't mind the fact that they're in CA.
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I'm willing to let that pass haha. Also the fact we might be on the younger side there.
 
From where you live I would say either Arizona or Palm Desert. I think it is warmer in PD during the winter.
 
The Villages, FL. Disney World for retired folks. Most places are golf cart accessible.

Free golf for life! But only 9 hole “Executive” courses. It gets busy in the winter months.

81 today.
 
I have played a lot of Sarasota/Bradenton golf over the years on my typical 10-2 week trips down to visit family each winter. My mom is now 92 and seems be doing very well. She is totally independent and drives so much better than all other blue-hairs I've seen down there. She could pass for late 70s, easily. My two sisters' families are also close by. I'm the only one still up north. But, I digress.

I would expect I will continue to go to the area for many years to come. Would I live there for the winter if I could figure a way to do so financially...and convince my wife? Maybe. There is some great golf and the winter weather is near perfect most of the time. Generally, I like it, except for all the snowbirds. They overrun everything in winter. Particularly the golf courses. However, the winter golf conditions there are not necessarily the best in my opinion. It depends on the quality of the course. Arizona is better. I liked Tuscon a lot, but Phoenix/Scottsdale is probably even better. Both are expensive in high season. Vegas area not bad either, but can be a lot colder. And, you can get in a lot more trouble spending 2-months in Vegas! (I did three weeks there once. I was young, in my 20s. Man, I got an education.)

I think for me, if I could do a two-month winter thing anywhere, leaving my family out of the equation (since you don't even know them ;)), I'd think somewhere in California would be at the top of my list. Maybe Palm Springs. Maybe Santa Barbara. San Diego area would be great too, except a bit too populated for my taste.
 
Phoenix, AZ in the winter/spring has Fiesta Bowl, Barrett Jackson, Waste Management, and Spring Training (March). There are a ton of visitors. I am assuming of course that things open up next year. The prices for golf are high and the days are shorter. It is tough to get reasonable tee times at the popular golf courses. Also the restaurants are full from the other snowbirds that live here. It may take a few trips to figure out which side of town you prefer as well.

Phoenix and Tucson are getting a ton of construction on their outdated highway systems so traffic is also a pain to go from one side of town to the other. I don't go to California because <Enter border patrol joke here>. :ROFLMAO:
 
DougE said:
I have played a lot of Sarasota/Bradenton golf over the years on my typical 10-2 week trips down to visit family each winter. My mom is now 92 and seems be doing very well. She is totally independent and drives so much better than all other blue-hairs I've seen down there. She could pass for late 70s, easily. My two sisters' families are also close by. I'm the only one still up north. But, I digress.

I would expect I will continue to go to the area for many years to come. Would I live there for the winter if I could figure a way to do so financially...and convince my wife? Maybe. There is some great golf and the winter weather is near perfect most of the time. Generally, I like it, except for all the snowbirds. They overrun everything in winter. Particularly the golf courses. However, the winter golf conditions there are not necessarily the best in my opinion. It depends on the quality of the course. Arizona is better. I liked Tuscon a lot, but Phoenix/Scottsdale is probably even better. Both are expensive in high season. Vegas area not bad either, but can be a lot colder. And, you can get in a lot more trouble spending 2-months in Vegas! (I did three weeks there once. I was young, in my 20s. Man, I got an education.)

I think for me, if I could do a two-month winter thing anywhere, leaving my family out of the equation (since you don't even know them ;)), I'd think somewhere in California would be at the top of my list. Maybe Palm Springs. Maybe Santa Barbara. San Diego area would be great too, except a bit too populated for my taste.
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We're thinking along your lines. And PD is close enough to some other cool things.
 
echico said:
Phoenix, AZ in the winter/spring has Fiesta Bowl, Barrett Jackson, Waste Management, and Spring Training (March). There are a ton of visitors. I am assuming of course that things open up next year. The prices for golf are high and the days are shorter. It is tough to get reasonable tee times at the popular golf courses. Also the restaurants are full from the other snowbirds that live here. It may take a few trips to figure out which side of town you prefer as well.

Phoenix and Tucson are getting a ton of construction on their outdated highway systems so traffic is also a pain to go from one side of town to the other. I don't go to California because <Enter border patrol joke here>. :ROFLMAO:
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My grandparents spent winters in Tucson and I spent one winter there while I was at school, but I think I like Phoenix/Scottsdale a bit better. I've heard they have changed a lot and traffic is getting pretty rough. I love the golf there.
 
Just speaking about the western U.S. (desert southwest)

Our first winter on the road after our retirements, we went close by our permanent digs. Not that Vegas gets that cold. We figure a shorter distance was better at first, so as to learn what we needed to know.


We spent 4 months in Bullhead City AZ. A short drive across the river is Laughlin NV. Lots of great golf, and other entertainment in that area. Winter temps ave in the mid 60s. Some days will hit 80* degrees. Any cold weather only last 2-4 days.

Farther south is Parker, AZ. Quiet area with pretty decent golf, and water sports available.

Unless a person likes crowds, I stay away from Lake Havasu AZ. Same with Quartzite, AZ.

Tucson AZ is not bad. Again some great golf in that area. However, the wind, and frequent dust storms take some getting use to.
 
Carolina Golfer said:
how do you manage the house you are leaving behind?
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I was gone from the house for 13 years and had people that watched over the place with only one problem, pipes froze one winter, now we have a shut off valve
 
My top choices: 1) Phoenix/Scottsdale, 2) La Quinta/Palm Desert, 3) Baja California Sur (La Paz, Los Cabos)

Perfect weather all Winter and great golf.
 
I prefer Palm Desert California but we chose Florida out of convenience of access from our summer home near Toronto Ontario.
 
I wish we had jobs where we could work remotely and do this
 
Outthere said:
I prefer Palm Desert California but we chose Florida out of convenience of access from our summer home near Toronto Ontario.
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Great to hear because Palm Desert is more convenient for us!
 
ddstanford said:
not looking to buy, just rent and for us, FL is probably out so looking TX, NM, AZ, CA probably
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There are a lot of great THPers in AZ if that helps! 😀 I would choose there.
 
MattyD-MPLS said:
There are a lot of great THPers in AZ if that helps! 😀 I would choose there.
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Certainly not out of the running and I have high school friends who live there
 
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