Snowbird Tips

Retirees, are you ready for a winter with warm weather? Here are our top tips to help you prepare for the perfect snowbird season.

Tips for Snowbirds

With winter around the corner, retirees up north are preparing to make their much anticipated trip to warmer locals throughout the sunbelt. These sun-seeking seniors, snowbirds as they’re called, have many fantastic cities to consider when planning their winter away from home.

To support these travel-loving, vacation rental-seeking adults, we’ve come up with a thoughtful list of snowbird travel tips. So whether you’re a seasoned snowbird, a recently retired adult looking to avoid the polar vortex, or someone simply thinking about retiring soon, we’re sure this advice will help you make the most of your snowbird experience.

Snowbird Travel Tips

1. Decide What Kind of Snowbird Vacation You Want:

Snowbirds, before you decide on a destination, it’s helpful to ponder what you are hoping to do or accomplish during your months away from home. We recommend you consider the climate you’d like to stay in, activities and amenities you want to have access to, and proximity to nearby cities.

If you’re already day-dreaming of the sound of waves breaking or sitting surfside with a book in your hand, then quite obviously, you’ll want to consider coastal towns and cities. If the ocean is not a must-have item on your snowbird wish list, then decide if you want to be near a body of water at all. If you’re instead hoping to spend your days hiking and biking, then a Southwestern city might better cater to your needs.

2. Research Snowbird Destinations

Now that you have a better sense of what you want to do and what kind of climate you prefer, it should be easier to focus your city research. If the ocean is a must have for you, then perhaps Southern California or Florida’s Gulf Coast are the best regions for your snowbird vacation.

If you want water but don’t need the ocean, then consider Florida’s inland cities, which neighbor numerous lakes. The greater Orlando area is surrounded by great cities boasting some of the best vacation rental bargains. The Villages, the famous snowbird haven, is also an inland city surrounded by quaint lakes welcoming boating and fishing enthusiasts.

While Arizona is the most popular south west state among snowbirds, there are countless cities that offer warm whether and outdoor trails across that region, from New Mexico west through California.

Trip Tip: If you’re hesitant to book a monthly rental in a city you’ve never visited before, consider staying there for a week or two during the spring or summer before the snowbird season begins.

3. Compare Rental Rates

Before you commit to a particular town or city, it’s best to get a sense of the going rental rates in that place. To do so, we recommend searching for rentals in various cities on our site. Since Tripping.com displays inventory from over 25 leading vacation rental sites, browsing the search results on our site is a great way to get a sense of the available properties and their rates in the snowbird destinations you are interested in.

We also suggest that you use the map when conducting your search, which will allow you to easily see and discover nearby cities, in the event that you are not too familiar with the destinations you’re considering.

Tips for Snowbirds Booking a Rental

1. Inquire to Many Properties

There are fantastic rentals in popular snowbird destinations. We encourage you to inquire to all of the properties you are interested in, as no response from the owner or property manager is guaranteed.

2. Ask Questions

Feel comfortable asking questions about the rental in your message to the owner or manager. Here are some FAQs that might be relevant to you:

Is your property pet friendly? – Some property listings simply state ‘pets considered’. Consequently, you might need to seek confirmation from the rental's manager.
I see your rental is pet friendly, do you allow pets of all sizes? - Some owners only allow small dogs.
What is the bed configuration?
Are any of the bedrooms on the first floor?
I see you have a pool, is there an extra fee to have it heated during the duration of the reservation?
Is your property wheelchair accessible?
What kitchen appliances do you have?

What to do Once You’ve Booked Your Snowbird Rental

1. Tie Loose Ends Up At Home

Manage the following housekeeping tasks to help ensure that all is well back home while you’re away.

Home protection and security: If desired, arrange for someone to check on your property while you are away. Using motion sensors or timers for your lights is a popular action step. Emberlight, an easy to use adapter, allows you to control lights remotely using their free mobile app.
Newspapers and mail: Figure out what to do with your mail and pause newspaper deliveries if necessary.