Where to go in the Winter

[TampaShawn]

Hello All,

I just got rid of everything I own but a few boxes and my small SUV and have hit the road. Now I am trying to figure out where to spend the winter.

I am heading up to Seattle now. The plan is to spend the summer in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest, but I have no idea where to go for the winter. I want to follow the weather. I would prefer not to drive too far South since I want to explore Wyoming (and maybe Utah and Colorado) Spring/Summer 2020.

Another glitch is I will probably have to fly to the East Coast and stay there from late September to January. So I will put my car in storage and fly out but will be back wherever my car is in January. I have never driven in the snow and really don't ever want to, the thought of snow totally terrifies me.

I am looking for a good city or town (or a few cities or towns) where I can rent a room, work online during the week, and explore on the weekends (that will be warmish) for the winter. Where would you recommend? I can do multiple locations and do one to two week stops a various locations going South and North. I would love to know good stopping points too. 

Oh and I don't really want to go to California. I have lived there in the past and have already explored it.

I know this is a crazy request since I am not really much of a 'vanner' yet, but you all are the experts and I really respect your opinion. I do sleep in my small SUV at times and have been to RTR though! One step at a time! I will get there.

Thank you for your help and support.
Shawn

 

[Weldman]

Unless you got few thousand dollars to waste away I would say divert from Seattle and head for Sequim/Port Angeles unless you got relatives or friends to stay with. It's not just politics and the high cost of living in Seattle, but the stress of bad traffic and the non drivers. I speak from experience I lived in Port Angeles for almost 5 years and am originally from Texas. You got more of a chance on the Olympic Peninsula as there is way more to offer there to explore unless you want the city exploration.
As for winter I would stay in the area unless you want to go across the US I say Arizona to Florida is best route.

 

[TampaShawn]

Thank you Weldman,  I have a 5 week house sitting gig in Seattle or I probably would not be able to stay there for long.

I am still trying to figure out where else to go in the in Pacific Northwest so thank you for the information on Sequim/Port Angeles.

I plan on staying somewhere in the Western USA for winter. I just need to figure how far south I need to go to be warmish in the winter.
Shawn

 

[Cammalu]

Shawn there are a bunch of us in the Quartzsite, AZ area wintering. If that’s still too cold you can head down to Yuma or go even further south into Mexico.

 

[bullfrog]

Staying away from snow limits you to the far southern states January thru April in most years. I got snowed on in Tucson Arizona last year. Rents will in most cases be higher as you won't want to sign a 12 month lease in most of these areas. Boondocking, long term stay areas or cheap campgrounds are how most stay in warm places cheaply.

 

[jim solo]

I was looking into BLM - LTVA . I think it is $180.oo per season or 7months during the winter. Link to their website to get more info. I was going to do this soon as a way to learn how to boondock.

BLM - LTVA
https://www.blm.gov/documents/arizo...ia-desert-do/public-room-frequently-requested
https://www.blm.gov/documents/arizo...ia-desert-do/public-room-frequently-requested

 

[SLB_SA]

Oregon has no sales tax and the Oregon coast will usually be "moderate" in the winter (with lots of rain at times). From Brookings to Tillamook on US101 gives you hundreds of miles to adjust to local weather conditions. Corvallis and Eugene/Springfield are an hour from the coast but, as college towns, the availability of inexpensive rooms to rent is a question, although Albany, Philomath, Lebanon, Junction City, etc. might offer possibilities. The Oregon coast has lots of small towns and many of them are doing poorly economically (at least according to my relatives in Oregon and northern California); you might find inexpensive rooms in towns between Brookings and Newport.

 

[highdesertranger]

"Oh and I don't really want to go to California. I have lived there in the past and have already explored it."

whaaaaat you have seen everything there is to see in California. I find that hard to believe.

I would like to remind everyone that there are summer LTVA's too.


https://www.blm.gov/press-release/long-term-camping-opportunities-available-eastern-sierra

dang I forgot I posted that a couple of years ago and it came up on an internet search,

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=24079

highdesertranger

 

[SLB_SA]

Humboldt & Del Norte Counties, CA https://humboldt.craigslist.org/search/roo
Oregon Coast https://oregoncoast.craigslist.org/search/roo

 

[SLB_SA]

If you are willing to consider the northern part of coastal California, then Mendocino County, Humboldt County and Del Norte County are often reasonable. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Coast Fort Bragg, Willits, Leggett, Fortuna, Blue Lake, Eureka/Arcata, Crescent City, etc. are great. (Willow Creek, Weaverville, Redding, Shasta, etc. are probably colder than you want.) In Oregon, Tillamook, Seaside, Newport, Waldport, Coos Bay, Toledo, Florence, Gold Beach, etc. are nice. While it might be too cold, Yakima, WA is okay. (I hate Seattle traffic.)

 

[TampaShawn]

Thank you everyone for the replies and the information!

 

[MrNoodly]

I think it's easier following the weather if you don't schedule things more than a week or two in advance. And even plans for the next couple of days should be flexible.

Weather doesn't care what our plans are. "You want to be in such-and-such region in a particular season a year and a half away? And you want perfect weather? We'll just see about that. Bwah-ha-ha-haaa."

 

[lenny flank]

I try to spend every winter in either Texas or Florida.