Every RVer is different. Some of us like motorhomes, and some like trailers. Some of us like to move around from place to place, seldom staying longer than a week in any location, while others like to “put down roots,” and often stay several months at a time in one place. There are those of us who always want to see new places and hate traveling the same routes, or going back to the same RV parks. Others find comfort in the familiar, and have favorite places where they go every winter or summer. Some appreciate upscale RV resorts with every amenity, while there are those of us who prefer the small mom and pop campgrounds.
I say viva la différence! Wouldn’t it be a boring world if we all enjoyed the same things and went to the same places all the time? Not to mention crowded!
Even among fulltiming couples, preferences can vary. I love to be on the go, and if we stay more than a week or two in most places, I start getting hitch itch. Miss Terry, on the other hand, likes to find a nice place to nest once in a while. She enjoys having time to bake, crochet, read, and just relax. So we compromise, which is the secret to success for any snowbird or fulltiming couple.
In Saturday’s blog, Ten Least Favorite Places, I wrote about some of the places we have visited and didn’t care for. I expected to get comments from readers who agreed with me, as well as from those who didn’t. I wasn’t disappointed.
Several readers agreed that they also don’t like the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, and I heard from those who love it.
I was surprised to see that my friend Mike McFall agreed with me in his Mike and Pat’s Travels blog post yesterday, since they have a beautiful lot at Retama Village in Mission, Texas. But Mike said he’s no fan of the Valley, outside of Retama. Having visited Mike and Pat and seeing how nice Retama Village is, I have to agree that it’s the best thing we saw in the Rio Grande Valley.
The great thing about the RV lifestyle is that there is no “one size fits all.” Barring health or financial issues that might put a cramp in our traveling style, most of us are free to do it our way.
If we want to bounce around like pin balls from one corner of the country to the next, we can do it. If we like to find a comfortable place and hunker down for a season, there are plenty of RV parks offering monthly rates. If we enjoy watching the sun set over the ocean, or sunrises over the Great Lakes; if we are desert rats, or find comfort in the high mountains, we can go there. If we are history buffs, we can actually go to the places where our forefathers struggled to build this nation. If we love playing golf, what better way to enjoy our hobby than by following the sun all year long, playing in shirtsleeves from Connecticut to California?
Don’t you love being a part of our great lifestyle, where one size does not fit all?
Heck, some of us even have alternate personalities. My alter-ego, Bad Nick, was at work yesterday putting together a Bad Nick Blog post titled Charity Begins At Home. Check it out and leave a comment.
Thought For The Day – Never confuse a street address for where you actually live.
Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!
Compromise is the name of the game in any successful marriage, not just for RVers. Consensus is better, of course, but not always possible without a lot of work. Sometimes we just have to be aware of which partner wants something the most and be willing to work with that. We aren’t on the road yet but we’re full-timing while still “planted” in one area for work. We’re eager to be on the road in September!
“Don’t you love being a part of our great lifestyle, where one size does not fit all?”
Yes, yes, yes! 🙂 Difference is what makes this lifestyle so unique. We love it! 🙂
I think you hit the nail right on the head.
Different people have different preferences and different needs.
So – just as those 10 worst places you mentioned might be a great places to others – all the review sites and ratings can not work for everyone.
From the campground perspective – they are not and should not cater to all RVers, and when being reviewed or ranked – they should be reviewed within the category they belong to. In other words – a campground that position itself as a great overnight stay on the highway should be ranked at the same scale as an upscale RV resort.
This is the one feature I am missing the most when looking for campgrounds out there.