Snowbirds: Are you a lone eagle or do you prefer to flock?

[Koolau]

Heh, heh, we are "reverse" snow birds. (Pre Covid) we would return to the midwest to visit family and friends and LIVE in the old family homestead for 1 to 3 months in the summer. So we definitely "flocked" since we knew hundreds of folks in the area. Funny, but we have become more "popular" as guests or eat-out companions since we've moved "away." Folks know we're only available for a short time each year. I guess there are hidden advantages to every aspect of life - even moving away. YMMV

 

[kcowan]

We discovered that our flock was too timid to travel south this year. So I guess we are Eagles ? Hotel California all the way...

 

[2017ish]

Lone. We've done several islands in caribbean (2018); several other islands in caribbean (2019); Argentina/Chile/Brazil (2020); and are scheduled for Puerto Rico next month to avoid hassles of multiple border crossings in this climate.

FWIW, so far, we've done no more than five weeks on each "January" trip....

 

[bolt]

I prefer the term unencumbered.

 

[Markola]

Lone. We've done several islands in caribbean (2018); several other islands in caribbean (2019); Argentina/Chile/Brazil (2020); and are scheduled for Puerto Rico next month to avoid hassles of multiple border crossings in this climate.

FWIW, so far, we've done no more than five weeks on each "January" trip....

Sounds like we have similar tastes. FWIW, we spent a week on Vieques off PR and enjoyed it. It’s the kind of place where you might have to wait for a horse to move out of the way of your jeep in which the top hasn’t worked for years on the way to one of several beaches you’ll have to yourself. Take the boat over, not the rickety plane. Same for Culebra.

What were your favorite Caribbean islands, pray tell?

 

[Montecfo]

Sounds like we have similar tastes. FWIW, we spent a week on Vieques off PR and enjoyed it. It’s the kind of place where you might have to wait for a horse to move out of the way of your jeep in which the top hasn’t worked for years on the way to one of several beaches you’ll have to yourself. Take the boat over, not the rickety plane. Same for Culebra.

What were your favorite Caribbean islands, pray tell?

While 2017ish will hopefully respond soon also, I will say we enjoyed Viequez and Culebra on our Puerto Rico trips

We have liked all the Caribbean islands we have visited. Our favorite is probably St. John but most recently we visited Bonaire abs Curacao. Both very different and a lot of fun.

 

[CardsFan]

We discovered that our flock was too timid to travel south this year. So I guess we are Eagles ? Hotel California all the way...

You can check out, but you can never leave

 

[2017ish]

...

What were your favorite Caribbean islands, pray tell?

Have to divide into diving/nondiving

Nondiving attractions, so far, Dominica is at the top of the list.

Diving is tougher. Once upon a time (early 90s), we had an excellent week of diving in the Los Roques archipelago of Venezuela. But, I don't know what it is like today, and am hesitant to find out.

Otherwise, the usual Caribbean suspects: Little Cayman for the walls; Cozumel for the gentle drift diving and the splendid toadfish at night (and decent above water activities, once you get out of the strip area); Tobago for the variety of fish species and fairly intact Speyside reefs; and St. Vincent for the macro opportunities....

 

[brett]

Ours would be Cuba or St. Lucia.

 

[Markola]

Have to divide into diving/nondiving



Nondiving attractions, so far, Dominica is at the top of the list.



Diving is tougher. Once upon a time (early 90s), we had an excellent week of diving in the Los Roques archipelago of Venezuela. But, I don't know what it is like today, and am hesitant to find out.



Otherwise, the usual Caribbean suspects: Little Cayman for the walls; Cozumel for the gentle drift diving and the splendid toadfish at night (and decent above water activities, once you get out of the strip area); Tobago for the variety of fish species and fairly intact Speyside reefs; and St. Vincent for the macro opportunities....

I hadn’t thought of Dominica but just googled it. Is it slower-paced? I think I’m done with the more traffic-hammered islands.

 

[Franklin]

DW and I supposed to be traveling the world right now to celebrate the first year of FIRE. Since that ain’t happening, we at least bailed on a Minnesota winter and have migrated down (with our two cats!) to Savannah for the winter. We are renting in the gorgeous historic district, where entertainment is as easy as going for a walk to gawk at endless 200+ year old homes, 22 squares, the beach nearby or various colonial historic sites. We get takeout from some delicious restaurant or other when the mood strikes. It can be chilly but we’ve also had sunny days in the high 60s. We feel our decision is working out great.

Yet, I don’t really feel like a tourist here either, since I grew up in this area and my mother lives here. DW and I are committed snowbirds now and are already talking about future years. We might explore a different state or country each year or settle into this spot for a while and maybe get to know some folks. My parents’ continued good health might be a determinant.

I am curious what others do? We are mid 50s and I suspect we will tilt toward exploring a variety of locales for a while. We have no interest in purchasing more real estate but many people we know from Minnesota aim every year for the southwest coast of Florida, mostly to second homes there. Heck, so many Minnesotans go to Naples every year that it sounds practically like a suburb of Minneapolis! They have lots of relationships in both places, which also seems appealing.

Markola....we are in similar paths. I am writing you tonight from Savannah. Moved from L.A. (after 22 years of work) to SAV. Like you I grew up in Georgia and married a lady (34 years ago) from SAV. We moved here last year to tend to her parents. You are in town and we are on the Island. If I can help point you in any directions just PM and let me know. Ive been the lone wolf while DW is quite involved in the area. I have many opinions about SAV and have really enjoyed our surroundings. I prefer the spring and Fall! We are on the water so our life centers around rivers etc. But, I am in town several times a week. We just came back from a trip to Kiawia. Month before we hit Sea Island. All within a 2 hour drive. I can only imagine you're comparisons to Minn.

 

[Markola]

Thanks. I hope you got my PM.

 

[fisherman]

This is our first year snow birding in SW Florida. So far we really like the weather and fishing. Activities are limited due to COVID and I think we would really enjoy a lot of them. We would be flockers in normal times.

 

[bearkeley]

We enjoyed our solitude when we were working but realize that we like the occasional flocking (pre COVID). We are in our early 50s and retired 5 years ago. We normally travel south of the equator in the winters to get more sun, but like everyone else, enjoying what the US has to offer despite the shorter days.

We have a condo on Hutchinson Island Florida but normally rent it out for the winter so we are now cruising on our boat around Florida. We like the solitude (and safety) of anchoring out, but also miss the social aspects that come with cruising. We plan to meet up with fellow boaters who have been isolating as well, for a couple of weeks or so, then we will be “flying” solo again

 

[Nick12]

We fell into flocking. We had rented a condo in Naples a number of years ago and some friends who snowbird to Sarasota invited us to visit with them on our trip home. We liked the area and there were a number of people from the same area of Vermont who we know that were here, so we decided to rent in Sarasota for the following winter and later bought a condo here.

Fast forward a few years and there are 7 couples who live in the same area of Vermont who are now in the same neighborhood in Sarasota... we've lost a few men over the last couple years so we now are 4 couples and 3 widows. Most of us were/are golfers so we frequently golf together, occasional game nights, dinners out (pre-covid), shows, etc. We don't spend as much time together as it sounds but it is nice having a core network of friends that travel back and forth.

US News & World Report rated in 2020 #1 best place to retire - Sarasota FL. You picked a good place! We spent a weekend there. St Armands Circle is a nice place to drink and eat with a variety of options.

 

[DrRoy]

This will be the third year that DW and I have taken a snowbird trip. Not so much literally "snow" though, as we go in a late March to early April time frame. Our destinations are in Arizona or southern Utah, since we love that part of the country.