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Have you wintered in the Sunshine State? Even if you’re not a full-time RVer, you’ve likely wanted to spend at least a week or two down south to soak up the sun, paddle with the manatees, and enjoy the fresh seafood and fruit that make Florida famous. However, booking reservations during winter can be a nightmare.
Today, we’re providing a few tips to help make your experience less stressful. We’ve wintered in Florida and have friends who have wintered in Florida for years using the Thousand Trails network. By not paying nightly rates, we’ve saved so much money while enjoying this popular winter destination’s salty air and sunshine. Let’s dive in so we can share our tips and tricks!
Pro Tip: Be sure to read Is the New Thousand Trails Escape Membership Worth It before renewing your membership!
Is Florida A Popular Winter Destination For RVers?
Yes! Florida is one of the most popular winter destinations for RVers because of its warmer temperatures. Snowbirds venture south to escape the bitter cold of winter. Families, retirees, and solo travelers make Florida their home during winter.
Florida is also full of attractions and outdoor recreation. Disney World, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, and Legoland are popular theme parks. You can enjoy kayaking or paddleboarding through the mangroves, book a daily fishing charter, or hike the many trails in the state parks. With comfortable temperatures during the winter season, these activities are still possible in Florida.
What Challenges Do RVers Have Booking Reservations In Florida During Winter?
Booking a reservation during the winter season in the Sunshine State isn’t easy. With snowbirds coming in from dozens of states and Canada, campgrounds fill up quickly. State parks are especially difficult to get into.
Rates are also higher during the peak winter season. Depending on their locations, RV parks may have monthly sites for $1,000 or more. For some RVers, staying within budget is a considerable challenge when winter camping in Florida.
What Is Thousand Trails?
We’ve written numerous articles over the years about Thousand Trails. We have utilized this membership program for years during our full-time travels. With the add-on Trails Collection, members can access over 200 campgrounds nationwide.
We don’t have to pay nightly fees, and we can stay up to 21 days at a time at each location. There are varying membership levels, so some RVers with the Camping Pass can only stay 14 days at a time. The membership fee is a one-time payment, and you only pay yearly dues to keep your membership in good standing.
Some RVers only stay at Thousand Trails locations, thus never paying a nightly rate and saving hundreds or thousands of dollars yearly. You can check out this article about how much money Thousand Trails has saved us!
How Many Thousand Trails Locations Are In Florida?
Florida has three Thousand Trails campgrounds: Orlando, Peace River, and Three Flags. But the optional Trails Collection add-on package provides access to 38 more RV resorts. It’s almost impossible to winter in Florida without this add-on.
We think it’s totally worth it to pay the $370 fee to access all of these locations. Then, you have more flexibility when you run into no vacancy at a particular campground.
Are Florida Thousand Trails Parks Crowded During Winter?
Yes! Like every other Florida RV park, the Thousand Trails campgrounds are crowded during winter. Typically, the peak season begins around Christmas and lasts until early March. Because most of the Trails Collections parks are near the coast, they’re highly sought after. Easy access to Florida beaches, shopping, and dining can make them challenging to get into.
Unlike most Thousand Trails parks around the U.S., the Florida locations operate under a “high use” period. This means the maximum stay length is two weeks, not three weeks, during winter. This helps keep RVers moving in and out unless they pay for a seasonal or annual site.
Tips For Booking Florida Thousand Trails Parks
Since booking reservations for Florida Thousand Trails parks can be challenging, we wanted to offer some tips. Whether you’re a snowbird heading south for several months or a family just looking to take a vacation over the holidays, we hope these tips will help make your booking experience less stressful.
Don’t Procrastinate
Thousand Trails members need to know their booking windows. Depending on your membership, you may have a 90-day window or up to a 180-day window. You must stay on top of your dates and make your reservation when your booking window opens.
For example, if you have a 120-day booking window and want to stay at Thousand Trails Orlando from December 28 to January 11, your booking window opens 120 days before December 28. Mark August 30 on your calendar and call first thing in the morning or book online.
Members with a smaller booking window must especially stay on top of their dates since other Thousand Trails owners have already made reservations with a higher-tiered membership. If you wait until a month or two before December to start making reservations, you’ll likely run into full campgrounds. Remember, these RV parks are also open to retail reservations.
Trails Collection parks have a 60-day booking window for most Thousand Trails members. Because these are highly sought-after parks near the beaches and popular vacation destinations, getting reservations is almost impossible if you don’t book them as soon as that 60-day window opens.
Call Daily To Check On Cancellations
If you stay on top of your booking window and still can’t get your full stay, call Thousand Trails daily to check on cancellations. Let’s say you want to book two weeks at Encore Fiesta Key in the Florida Keys. When you call to book 60 days out, and you can only get four days, go ahead and make the reservation.
Then, call every day to ask if you can add on any days to your reservation. This takes extra work, but it often pays off. People always drop reservations, especially as it gets closer to check-in time.
We have friends who have just a basic Thousand Trails membership. They called daily about every three hours for four days in November. Their persistence paid off when they were able to snag a cancellation and book a full two weeks in December.
Be Flexible
Wintering in Florida is challenging because so many people want to stay in the Sunshine State. You must be flexible to take advantage of the Thousand Trails network. If you want to be at Peace River, but there is no availability, have an immediate backup plan. If you can only get ten days but want 14, go ahead and make the reservation and find a Boondockers Welcome or state park to fill in the gap.
It’s better to have a general area you want to camp in rather than a particular campground. For example, consider booking in and around central Florida rather than solely at Thousand Trails Orlando. If you’re willing to be flexible within an area, it opens up possibilities. The Encore parks of Clerbrook RV & Golf Resort, Winter Garden, Lake Magic, Sherwood Forest, and Tropical Palms are within an easy drive of Orlando.
Book Your Next Stay As Soon As You Check In
Booking Florida Thousand Trails reservations during winter is tricky if you don’t know the rules. Because of the high-use restrictions in this state, you can only book two weeks at a time in any location. You can also only have two Thousand Trails locations booked simultaneously.
This means you can have a reservation at two of the three Thousand Trails campgrounds – Orlando, Peace River, and Three Flags – but not more than two at the same time. We suggest booking the next reservation as soon as you check in at the first.
For example, you have Three Flags booked from December 15 to December 29. Then you have nearby Southern Palms, an Encore park that’s part of the Trails Collection, booked from December 29 to January 5 to celebrate New Year’s. The following reservation is back at Three Flags from January 5 to January 19.
Since this is the second Thousand Trails reservation on your account during this high-use time, you cannot make another Thousand Trails reservation at Three Flags, Orlando, or Peace River until you check in on December 15. We suggest making the next reservation as soon as you’re checked in.
We also recommend alternating between Thousand Trails campgrounds and Trails Collection Encore parks. Because of the high-use restrictions, you can get four reservations in by traveling between these locations. For example, looking back at the previous example, go ahead and book a Trails Collection park starting on January 19. Now, your winter reservations extend from December 15 to the end of January or early February.
When you make that third Thousand Trails reservation at check-in on December 15, you’re making it farther out, which means you’re more likely to get a campsite. We know this can be frustrating. But it won’t be as stressful once you learn the art of making winter reservations at the Thousand Trails locations in Florida. We promise!
Enjoy the Florida State Parks To Fill Gaps
Finally, don’t skip out on Florida’s amazing state parks. We love the camping opportunities in these smaller locations. More than 75% of Florida’s state parks offer camping. But you’ll have fewer options if you have a larger rig over 40 feet long. So keep that in mind as you search.
Florida state parks open camping reservations 11 months in advance. However, your Thousand Trails membership booking window will be much smaller. Therefore, you can plan your Thousand Trails camping around your state park reservations or fill in the gaps between your Thousand Trails reservations with state park camping. Florida state park campgrounds are usually packed during winter. So, again, be flexible on location since you’ll probably be booking only a few months out.
Don’t Let Booking Florida Thousand Trails Parks Cause You Concern This Winter
Booking Florida Thousand Trails parks takes persistence and planning. People who don’t like to plan ahead don’t enjoy winter camping in Florida. They’ll head out to Arizona, Texas, or southern California instead.
But if you can book those reservations early, be willing to make phone calls, and remain flexible, you can enjoy winter camping in the Sunshine State. If you’re a seasoned snowbird, are there other tips for newbies hoping to make Florida their home during the winter?
