10 Winter Destinations That Won’t Be Crowded
Winter destinations can mean different things to different people. You might want to get out of the cold and choose a warm beachfront destination, or maybe you’d like to take a hike in a quiet winter wonderland. Either way, check out these winter destinations to spend some time away in the RV.
1. Sunshine Key RV Resort & Marina, Florida
Sunshine Key RV Resort & Marina is on 75-acre Ohio Key, just off the Overseas Highway in the Florida Keys. It’s also a short drive from Bahia Honda State Park and Key West. With nearly 400 sites with full hook-ups, it’s a great place to shake off those winter blues.
This winter destination is a unique resort with an adjoining marina that offers the RV adventurer access to a tropical island environment. It provides the perfect gateway for ocean activities or just relaxing at the water’s edge.
The park offers men’s and women’s exercise classes, arts and crafts classes, co-ed water aerobics, Bingo and card playing, dancing, and great fishing from the park’s swimming and fishing pier. Check out this post from Camper Report for a full video tour of Sunshine Key RV Resort.
Sunshine Key RV Resort. Photo via Campground Reviews
2. Hadley’s Point Campground, Bar Harbor, Maine
Located on the northernmost point of Mt. Desert Island, Hadley’s Point Campground offers campsites, cabins, and tent sites. Full hook-ups are provided, along with a heated swimming pool, basketball court, and playground.
The campground is only minutes from Acadia National Park’s entrance and downtown Bar Harbor. It is also located just above a public saltwater beach. Nearby, you can enjoy garden tours, antique shops, whale watching and boat tours, as well as art galleries, restaurants, bakeries, breweries and wineries.
Their winter season begins January 18 through May 13. Hadley’s Point Campground fully embraces the winter season with fire pits for roasting s’mores, at times a beautiful snowy beach, and nearby trails that are quiet during the winter season.
Please note Maine has current mandates for out-of-state travelers. Learn more on Maine.gov.
Hadley’s Point Campground. Photo: Campground Reviews user alnal90
3. Gulf Breeze RV Resort, Gulf Shores, Alabama
Alabama’s Gulf Coast is mild and sunny all year-round, making it a great spot to escape the northern winters. White sand awaits, along with wetland trails, kayaking, and bird watching. Wind down in the evening at one of the area bars or seafood restaurants which serve the region’s prized Royal Red shrimp.
Gulf Breeze RV Resort offers more than 250 RV sites with full hook-ups, WiFi access, cable TV, and indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Catch a fish in the lake, rent a paddle boat on the resort ponds, or just enjoy nature. The resort is handicap accessible and pet-friendly.
Photo courtesy of article author, Terri Nighswonger
4. East Jordan Tourist Park Campground, Boyne Falls, Michigan
Just 72 miles from Traverse City and 12 miles from Charlevoix, this family-friendly RV park is run by the East Jordan City Marina and the Elm Point Museum. Open year-round, the park offers 90 campsites, 75 with full hook-ups, plus Wi-Fi access, beach access, barbeque facilities, a camp store with RV parts and camping supplies, as well as a playground and picnic area.
With a nearby lake, boating and fishing are popular summer activities, but don’t miss out on winter activities as well. Boyne Falls is home to ski resort Boyne Mountain. Nearby Avalanche Bay is the largest indoor water park in Michigan with 88,000 square feet, 7 water slides, 4 pools, and 10 restaurants.
“There’s a nice beach with playground equipment. Also a dog run. This is our second visit and all went rather well. There’s a Glen’s market two blocks away, right next to a McDonald’s. You’re about 14 miles from Charlevoix. Lots of shaded sites. Roads are asphalt with dirt sites. No pull-throughs. Sites are quite wide. We have two slide outs on our 34 foot trailer and had plenty of room. Would stay here again. We camped at East Jordan Tourist Park in a Travel Trailer.” – Bill B on Campground Reviews
5. Sea and Sand RV Park, Oregon Coast
The Oregon Coast makes a great destination for RVers all year. The winter season is especially quiet with beautiful views and great whale watching opportunities as they migrate south along the coast to the warm waters in Mexico.
Sea and Sand RV Park provides the perfect home base on the Central Coast, just a short drive from Lincoln City and Depoe Bay. The park has over 109 RV sites including terraced oceanfront RV sites, hillside campsites, and more private campsites in the woods. Each site has full hookups along with cable TV and free WiFi.
Rates vary depending on the type of RV site and the season. They have daily winter rates as well as weekly rates and extended stay rates for the season.
Sea and Sand RV Park. Photo via Campground Reviews
6. Hocking Hills State Park, Logan Ohio
Winter is a great time to see Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio. With some 156 electric sites on paved pads, this park can accommodate up to a 50-foot unit. Enjoy heated showers, flush toilets, laundry facility, a camp store, playgrounds, and a volleyball court.
In winter, the waterfalls freeze, the mouths of caves are framed by jagged icicles, and footpaths are crisp with snow. There are more than 25 miles of hiking trails located throughout the park and adjacent state forest. Hike to Old Man’s Cave, Ash Cave, Rock House, Cedar Falls, or Cantwell Cliffs.
Cedar Falls in the winter. Photo via Wikipedia Creative Commons
7. Mammoth Campground, Gardiner, Montana
At an elevation of 6,200 feet, Mammoth Campground is the only park in Yellowstone that is open year-round. The park is located south of Gardiner, Montana and the park’s northern entrance. The camp is close to fishing, hiking, and the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces. Elk and bison can be seen passing through the campground.
The campground has wheelchair access with accessible routes along a paved roadway. Campground sites that will accommodate a 40-foot rig are limited. Sites that accommodate RVs are either pull-through or back-in with limited width for slide-outs. During winter, total vehicle length limit is 30 feet.
Winter in Yellowstone is as beautiful as in any season. You can see geysers erupt amid the snowy landscape and the turquoise of Grand Prismatic Spring is even more vivid when surrounded by white. Take a ranger-led snowshoeing tour to see bison, elk, and maybe a wolf pup.
Mammoth Campground. Photo via NPS
8. Apple Hill Campground, White Mountains, New Hampshire
Apple Hill Campground welcomes winter RVers with full hook-up sites, fire pits, and access to a network of cross-country skiing trails. Enjoy spacious wooded sites including pull-through sites, a general store, group camping and more, all year round.
Climb a mountain, enjoy a scenic nature trail, or navigate miles of snowshoe, cross country, and snowmobile trails. Ski down the mountains or just take a moment to watch for wildlife.
Apple Hill Campground is close to a number of nearby attractions including Old Man of the Mountain Historic Site, Cannon Mountain, Aerial Tramway, The Flume, Moore Dam, Mount Washington, Bretton Woods Ski Area, Loon Mountain, Santa’s Village, Six Gun City, Lost River, and two 18 hole golf courses.
9. Gulf Beach RV Resort, Biloxi, Mississippi
With an inground pool, on-site restaurant, and a 3,200-foot party deck to enjoy a sunrise or sunset over the beautiful white sand beaches, Gulf Beach Resort is one of the best winter destinations for RVers. Open year-round, the resort offers full hook-ups sites that face the Gulf of Mexico, with the beach across the road. Their spacious paved sites with patios are perfect for a large or small RV.
Be sure to bring your bicycle to enjoy the beach bike path, enjoy Ship Island, or take in nearby shopping. The park is also located just a few miles from Biloxi’s finest casino resorts, Biloxi Visitor’s Center, Biloxi Lighthouse and Pier, and numerous other family-friendly activities.
Photo courtesy of gulfbeachrvresort.com
10. Port Isabel Park Center, Port Isabel, Texas
The weather on South Padre Island stays sunny and warm even in winter. Grab your spot at Port Isabel Park Center and enjoy warm breezes while you comb the beaches for shells and watch spectacular sunsets.
The Laguna Madre encompasses the bay area of Port Isabel, South Padre Island, and Laguna Vista. This barrier island, with a subtropical climate, culture and history, make it a go-to destination for millions of tourists every year.
Port Isabel Park Center has some 200 spacious sites with plenty of activities for a memorable stay. Guests can enjoy a heated pool and hot tub, covered patio, organized activities, pool tables, workout room, basketball and pickleball courts, a dog park, lighted fishing pier and much more.
The park is a fully gated community near watersports such as windsurfing and kiteboarding. It’s a short drive to several birding and wildlife refuges as well as great shopping and dining.
Find more winter destinations
You can find more winter destinations with a quick search on Campground Reviews. Trip planning is also made easier than ever with the RV LIFE App and RV Trip Wizard.
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Terri and her husband, Todd, are full time RVers and work campers. They have been living full time in their RV for nearly two years with their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Newton, and currently reside in South Texas on the Gulf Coast. They hope to head west for the summer season. Writing is Terri’s passion but she also loves hiking, kayaking and anything she can do outside.
I’ve been living in my vehicle off and on for years. I lately had a dodge caravan.. Found it to be the best. But I’d like an older class b.. I think c too big. I’m in MI & I’ve been looking but too expensive.. Think I’ll get a grand caravan 2008 or newer with low miles and a few things I think are necessary. Any in site you can offer would b greatly appreciated. I’m 73 and would like to winter somewhere WARM. Help.
No wonder there are RV sites available at Sunshine Key, FL. At over $150 per day for the least expensive who can pay pay that????
It would be nice to know why these places are not crowded I have never seen any park in the keys not booked a year in advance
When I look at the photo of #9 I notice that both rigs are parked at the far, far side of their “site”, and when their slides are extended, both jut into the next site. I would be extremely upset if I was parked next to one of these rigs and had my site imposed upon. Good manners dictate keeping within your designated site, including one’s slides.