Any Full Time RVers?

[mgjim]

I'm wondering if any of you have tried the full-time RV lifestyle before you settled down in The Villages. I've been looking at the pros and cons of RV life versus staying in one location for the rest of my retirement. I would like the flexibility of living wherever my heart desires. On the other hand, I am worried that I won't be able to do it for very long before it gets boring and I suspect it's hard to make long-term friends.

Any advice?

[Pat Reilly]

Hi...we travelled in our RV for 12 years and fulltime RV for two years..then we found the Villages and rented a house for a month and ended up buying a home..but the RV life was still calling us..so we rented our home in the winter and headed out in the RV all over south Florida..it's warmer south...and did a little summer travel also..but recently we decided to settle in The Villages..they have the most bang for the buck..and we now have the RV up for sale..it's a great place to hang your hat..we call the villages indoor camping..people come for all over to live here and you have to go out to meet the people..just like camping..It's a wonderful life and we are Blessed

[amybelles]

I don't know if I can give you any advice, but I can tell you our thoughts and experiences so far. We have been full-timing for almost three months now...not long, I know! I just retired from teaching this past school year and we sold our house in June. My husband still works from the RV with some traveling for his business. So far we have been to Maine and Michigan this summer and soon headed back to PA to be near my parents and our son for a month or two. Then we expect to head south for the winter and then west in the spring. We bought our motorhome almost three years ago (our second one,) intending to fulfill our dream of being full-timers for a year or two, and then settling down in the part of the country we liked the best. But then we made a trip to TV in March, visiting a friend, and fell in love with it! Now our plans are changing. We are headed down for a lifestyle visit in a couple weeks. I am pretty sure we will buy and live there from October to March and RV the rest of the time. Seems to me that will be the best of both worlds! We will see what happens. I am excited but a little nervous about what we will decide to do.

I understand what you are saying about being afraid of being bored and not making long-term friends. There's only so much sightseeing you can do. I am anxious to be in one place for awhile to make new friends, have an active lifestyle, and do some volunteer work. On the other hand, there are so many places in the US I want to see, and RVing is the perfect way to do it!

[Midvale]

Check out The Escapees Forum:
Escapees Discussion Forum (http://www.rvnetwork.com/)

Many of the members are fulltimers.

I'm wondering if any of you have tried the full-time RV lifestyle before you settled down in The Villages. I've been looking at the pros and cons of RV life versus staying in one location for the rest of my retirement. I would like the flexibility of living wherever my heart desires. On the other hand, I am worried that I won't be able to do it for very long before it gets boring and I suspect it's hard to make long-term friends.

Any advice?

[BobnBev]

We full timed for 4 years, had some work done at Alliance Coach, discovered the Villages, and the rest is history.

When we started, we looked for a 36 foot motor home. Ended up with a 45 foot Monaco w/3 slides. Plenty of room in that monster.

Some prefer a motorhome, some a 5th wheel, and others a travel trailer. It's a personal choice.

Whatever you decide, keep us posted and the best of luck to you.

[gomoho]

Been there - done that - live in The Villages - thinking about doing it again. It is definitely a life for someone with wanderlust. We have not been on the road for over 5 years and still in touch with some folks we met out there. It is a lifestyle that is perfect for some, not so much for others. I personally think your idea of a home in The Villages and RV'ing in the summer is the ideal combo. You have roots, but if the urge hits you can take a little vaca to get away from it all. And there is nothing better than to be able to escape the heat in the summer. Our biggest concern with that option is having the RV sit for extended periods of time.

[buzzy]

Our plan is to use a motor home as a vacation home for the few hottest summer months. It will be our first RV experience. However, after traveling around Florida by boat from our old place, it should be an easy transition and more affordable. We still have lots of research to do about what to get for our needs.

[amybelles]

New question: do any of you belong to the RV club and go on trips with them? We will be interested in doing this.