5 Warm Weather RV Getaways for Winter Travelers

Winter is here, and it’s time to find a warm weather RV destination for you and your RV to escape the bitter cold!

Florida

But don’t despair, you can still find warm weather RV destinations to escape the winter chill right here in the US of A. There are thousands of great winter camping opportunities and you won’t need to cross the border to find them. Just head deep into the sun belt and stop before you get to Mexico.  The 10 states in the sunbelt, listed below, are all viable winter destinations for RVers but a few of them offer more diversity in their camping options and most of these states work very hard to attract and accommodate winter RV campers. 

For example, Florida (#1 on the list) offers many excellent winter camping locations that are either on the bright blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico or along the vast Atlantic Coast plus there are innumerable inland campgrounds centered around national attractions like Disney World and the Everglades National Park.  Florida has over 1650 RV campgrounds plus national parks and BLM land for boon docking and that’s just in one of the popular sun belt states.

Texas

Texas (#2 on the list) is another great winter camping destination because there are dozens and dozens of small family-owned RV parks plus large corporate parks with all the bells and whistles to make your winter camping experience both warm and memorable.  Texas has beautiful campgrounds all along the Gulf of Mexico from South Padre Island to Corpus Christie, to Galveston, to Texas City. Additionally, there are numerous parks and campgrounds that are not right on the gulf coast where you can take advantage of the hospitality and inland community charm of historic destinations like San Antonio, Victoria, Houston, Austin, and Fort Worth.

The state is massive and open and warm in the winter.  The people of Texas will welcome you and make you feel like family.  You can experience southern hospitality in most of the sunbelt states but Texans pride themselves on making visitors feel the warmth and charm of their beautiful state’s hospitality.  

If you live in the interior of the US or Canada you may find that the best warm-weather RV destinations to escape the winter chill are due south of your home.  You don’t need to make the long and difficult drive all the way to the east or west coast to find warm winter camping locations since Texas is absolutely huge and more than a little excited to invite you to “come and stay a spell”.

California

California (#3 on the list) is a viable warm weather RV destination to escape the winter chill if you’re starting out on the west side of the continent. From BC or Alberta or any part of the Pacific Northwest you can just jump on Interstate 5 and head south until you feel the warmth.  And from Chico to San Diego you’ll find thousands of RV parks and campgrounds to satisfy any of your personal preferences.  If you like deep forest camping or coastal destinations or urban campsites, California has it all. 

But be careful of the Sierra Nevada mountains, they still pack a wallop of cold winter weather, and if you don’t believe me review the historic record of the Donor Party who were pioneers on the Oregon Trail in 1846 when they got caught in a snow storm in the Sierra Nevada Mountains near Truckee and had to resort to cannibalism to avoid starvation.  Aside from this grizzly tale California offers many unique locations and dozens of attractions and activities to keep you busy while you enjoy warm weather RV camping.  Everywhere from San Diego, Santa Barbara, LA, Palm Desert, Joshua Tree National Park and Bakersfield offer stunning warm weather for winter RV camping. 

As an example, we spent one winter in Palm Desert California camped under a few dozen date palms and we were able to eat freshly picked strawberries from a local farm all through the Christmas season.  In California, you can spend your days exploring museums, historic landmarks, cactus gardens, or attend local sporting events.  There’s plenty to do and see in California while you enjoy the warm winter weather.

Arizona 

Arizona (#4 on the list) and I will throw in New Mexico along with Arizona for this discussion, are viable warm weather RV destinations in which to avoid the winter chill.  Arizonia and New Mexico are land locked so they don’t have any coastal property to offer RVers but the states are legendary winter destinations for RVers and many of their large RV parks offer everything from pinochle tournaments, to lapidary equipment, to pickle ball courts, to knitting lessons, to water aerobics in multiple swimming pools.  These parks are designed to encourage RVers to actively join and enjoy communities of like-minded people. 

There are over 800 RV parks in Arizona and New Mexico and many of these cover acres and acres of developed terrain.  These are great places to take an electric bike out for a morning excursion or go for a brisk hike.  Local cactus gardens and old historic missions are popular tourist attractions and downtown Albuquerque and the Grand Canyon National Park are both worthy local destinations. Both Arizona and New Mexico have active tourism bureaus that specifically cater to the RVing community since snow birders spend billions in these two states and account for over 180,000 jobs in Arizona alone.

Alabama

Alabama (#5 on the list). I will include Louisiana and Mississippi with this #5 best destination for warm weather RV camping to avoid the winter chill, because the location and weather for all three of these states is very similar. Alabama has a large presence in the RV manufacturing space and as such RVers are drawn back to these factories for repairs and to check out the newest models, features, floorplans, and accessories.  Another advantage of camping in these southern states might be economic. 

Since Alabama and its neighboring states are not the top RV destinations like Florida and California you might find more economical camping opportunities, even in the height of the snow birding season.  And even though it’s not one of the top three destinations you will still find many worthwhile attractions and activities.  We breezed across this area a few winters ago and took in a bonafide swamp tour in Louisianna.  It did not disappoint.  It was complete with alligators and turtles sunning themselves on half submerged logs and cypress trees growing right up out of the water with Spanish moss hanging from most of the limbs above. 

In Alabama you can go to the US Space and Rocket center in Huntsville or visit historic Mobile.  The jazz and music scene in New Orleans might also be worth your time and attention.  And don’t get me started on the local cuisine of Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisianna where cajun rules the day.

Alternative to the Sunbelt

The sunbelt is defined as that wide swath of states just above Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico where the winter climate is balmy and warm. But you don’t have to get all the way to San Diego or Miami in order to find warmer winter weather. We checked the weather forecast for Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina today, January 7 and the weather forecast said it will be 70° today, in the middle of January!  

Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina is about 20 miles south of the southern Virginia state line, which is pretty much dead center on the eastern seaboard and not very far south of Washington DC and Pittsburg. If you can camp in a comfortable 70 ° in January in a location that far north, then what about other locations across the US that are approximately at the same latitude?  

Frankly, you can get too far south in the sunbelt and run into other uncomfortable weather conditions like excessive humidity which is just as uncomfortable as the cold weather you’re trying to avoid. In October of 2019, we were in Orlando, Florida and it was so hot we could barely stand up outside.   There are other weather hazards to be aware of even in the sunbelt states.  Just because these states are warm doesn’t mean they are utopia. 

Wind, tornadoes, and hail are all possible dangerous weather conditions you might encounter in a sunbelt state.  And recently wildfires have become a very real threat.  The fire in LA last year highlights this danger and even some southern states have recently struggled to control wildfires.  Flooding and mudslides round out the local weather dangers for RVers so be diligent in your research and planning.

Going south for a warmer winter camping experience doesn’t necessitate a drive all the way to the lowest points on the US map.  If North Carolina is 70 degrees in January, then South Carolina and Georgia should also offer some warm weather RV options as should points further from the east coast like Nevada, Northern Texas, and Oklahoma. 

Plan Ahead and Make Reservations Early

In summary we’ve identified warm winter camping destinations on both coasts and for mid-continent residents who are looking for relief from harsh winter weather but the opportunities are not restricted to Florida, California, and Texas.  As stated earlier, all of the Sunbelt states offer camping opportunities for RVers seeking relief from the cold northern climates.  And all of these states want and need your business.

There are literally thousands of RV parks in the Sunbelt states, but there are many thousands of snowbirds who travel south to seek shelter in the Sunbelt, so be prepared for a little competition at the best camping locations, like Key West, Corpus Christie, Disney World, and Las Vegas.  Do your research and make your reservations early to enjoy all that the sunbelt has to offer. Avoid the rut. 

Tryout several of these unique locations to experience the local culture and cuisine for yourself and you won’t want to miss any of the regional attractions. There’s so much to see and do in these warm weather RV camping locations that you’ll probably run out of time before you’ve done it all, and the more times you go south for the winter the more unique RVing experiences you will enjoy, so embrace the long drive south so you can take advantage of all that the Sunbelt has to offer.