Know any "Snowbirds" that either drive or fly to their winter home and then back to their summer home? We know a couple, my 1/2 brother and his wife, and a widowed guy that do that and have been for numerous years. They are in their later 70's. Both have a winter home in Florida and summer home in PA and the other in Michigan. I done some online research and really couldn't find a thing about what happens when "Snowbirds" can no longer travel due to illness or whatever. A permanent disability could happen also. Now, if it becomes a must, where will they choose to live...........winter home or summer home. Most don't want to live in their winter home during winter months and don't want to live in their summer home during possible hot/humid summers. So, just what would they do? And, whether you are a "Snowbird" or not, what would you do?
I never heard the term snowbird until I moved to Nevada in 94 and stayed 11 years. I lived 65 miles north of Las Vegas in High Desert about 2600 feet. I was a mechanic and worked doing automatic transmission in a nice little shop. There were about 3 casino's in town and several trailer and motor home parks and of course snow birds were always the yearly crowd. It also brought a lot of work to our shop. After 9/11 everything shut down and all that seasonal work came to a standstill. I think if I were going to find a place to live after becoming unable to travel it would be San Diego. There is no better weather than in San Diego. Winters average around 48 in the mornings and you would drive to work or at least I have, and see snow in the mountains. By the time lunch time arrived it was sunny and warm in the low 60s and off to the park for lunch and a little baseball with the other people I worked with. I was working at Center City Ford San Diego at that time and we would go someplace different every day to have lunch. One of the favorites was a Pizza place in Kearney Mesa. They had a buffet and for 3 bucks you could eat all you wanted of fried chicken and pizza. One guy would go in and get a ticket and pretty soon the whole table had about 10 guys sitting around it eating on that one ticket. Heh the owner never complained because we were all wearing our work clothes and he knew we worked nearby and would get a little break on a car repair. It really was wonderful weather, I miss it but my Mother lived there since 49 and she sold her house in 95 and moved here where I'm at but she is gone now. I doubt I will ever go back to San Diego but I will always have the great memories. Just out of pure coincidence I left Vietnam for Christmas leave at my first years end and I was in San Diego Christmas Eve at my Mothers house. That was Christmas of 1968. I went back two more years and spent those in country.
During part of my Navy years, I was stationed in San Diego. My wife lived there for awhile also. The weather may be as perfect as anyone would want, but the cost-of-living is very high. I still wonder what would happen if a "Snowbird" could no longer be a "Snowbird".
The snowbirds I know remain in the area in which they have the most connections--usually in the North--when they can no longer travel. There are some exceptions here, where snowbirds decide to leave this harsh climate and stay in Arizona or Hawaii, the two most common "snowbird" areas for Alaskans.
I have a neighbor who’s a snowbird. His permanent residence is here but he travels to Florida in a motor-home in the winter and stays till spring. He and his wife didn’t go last year because of covid but they are going this year. He said when the motor-home doesn't run anymore they will stay here.
My brother and his wife are in their 80s, and they have a small place in Florida as well as their regular home in Menominee, Michigan. They are both retired but, in addition, while in Florida, they both work for Disney World. If they had to choose one, I expect they'd be back in Menominee because that's where most everyone they know are. The Rio Grande Valley of Texas saw mostly snowbirds from the Midwest. Other than the mobile home park people and probably some of the restaurants, they weren't much appreciated by locals in the Valley, the most common objection being that they drive slow and complain a lot.
I can understand that (in red). But, then again, what is meant by "drive slow"? The speed limit or under? Millennials and young Gen X folks here drive 10 to 15 mph over the speed limit. Us older folks, that either drive the speed limit or 5 mph over it, really urk those that drive faster. As far as "complaining", I do enough of that. LOL