Florida or Bust!

[garycorbett]

I am retiring this Christmas; winter is miserable here so we are planning on taking the truck camper and V20 to Florida in Jan (may go in Nov and leave it/fly back). We are considering storing RV and V20 in Florida spring to fall and flying down winters to use it. I have another boat here so I don't really need it up here. Should be a great Florida fishing rig. The drive back and forth to Fl is miserable, very costly on fuel and I drive only 55 so it will take forever (45 hrs maybe). Thinking of maybe the Tarpon Springs/Port Richie area; not so costly; not so far north. Can anyone help me on this? Comments? Cost of good storage? problems? best locations? Thanks

[RobsTV]

That is where I've lived the past 25 years.
Coming from Michigan for 20 years prior, I could now never leave this place.
Brother lives in Ft Lauderdale, and while it is a nice place to visit, New Port Richey is still where I would rather call home.

Very quiet and laid back. Almost like Mayberry at times.
Woods and Country (not country music) are everywhere, yet you are never more than 10 to 30 minutes drive from major cities. I live less than a mile from Downtown NPR and have 14 acres of woods next to my home.

Two main rivers, Ancolote(?) and Cottie (Pithlachascottie?).
Park ramps at mouths of both. Cottie river ramp is next to Hooters. Several other ramps nearby. Never more than 15 minutes away from a ramp.

Shallow flats water. Pretty much need to go out about 20 miles to hit 45' to 60' of water.

Small islands within a couple miles of shore, suitable for camping, dot the area.

Current water temp as I type is 80 degrees.
(unheated and not enclosed inground swimming pool is 84)

Marina on the Cody river where buddy keeps his 22' CC with T-Top high and dry indoors is $200 a month (he just moved in there last month).

Tampa is about a 30 minute drive away, yet seems like hours..
Florida Keys about 8 hours away.

Bought my small 2 bedroom '70 1200sf home with garage for about 50k 3 years ago (pool added later). Home values have more than doubled in last year.

http://www.newportricheymainstreet.com/events.htm

http://www.chascofiesta.net/ (my favorite)

http://www.visitpasco.net/

http://www.gasparillapiratefest.com/ (my second favorite annual event happens in Tampa)

http://www.robstv.com/Files/McDonaldsDoc.jpg

[Hammerhead]

Gongrats and Welcome to Florida when ya get here.
My advise is fly down and buy now. Prices increase almost daily. Best thing is buy a lot or two and build a Dome home. They are hurricane proof...and cheap to build. AIDomes.com has a factory in Melbourne.

I'm here on the east coast in Jensen Beach..nearby Stuart. The gulfstream is about 15 miles out. Lot'za dolphin and sails. For the east coast I think the hot spot that's not thru the roof $$ is Sebastian.

Franco, What channel and call sign you use when out.
I'll say "Hey".

[garycorbett]

RobsTV - thanks for all the info!!! We are coming down in the RV for this winter - I was considering the Suncoast RV Resort - are you familiar with it? Nestled in the state park there. Is it decent? We might consider a mobile home park next year or buy a 32 ft 5th wheel to live in. Thinking of joining the Ancolote Key Anglers club. Anyway - will need boat/RV storage in the summer when we go back north.

[garycorbett]

Wow - 75 views! Anyuone else got some info on the area in question or the best RV Park or campground to be in or cheap and good off season storage there??

[RobsTV]

US 19 is the main drag on the west coast. Everything revolves around it. In some places, it is the only north/south road within 5 miles of the coast.

Suncoast RV Resort is on US 19 about 3 miles north of us. Right next to the big mall up here. Hard to see from the road. Haven't been in there.

RV parks are scattered all around here, every couple miles.

[garycorbett]

RobsTV - nice talking with ya. I guess i'll soon start calling around to those parks. I suppose I would consider buying a house but I understand that it is difficult for Canadians to own land in Florida; easy to lease land like as in a mobile home park where you own the unit but not the land. Know anything about this. In 1980 I was looking at buying in Key West - could have got a nice house for $9,000. Boy I sure wish I had persued that now. Would be worth a million.

[Blue_Runner]

Shoulda-coulda-woulda!