Tag: snowbirds

Snowbirds in Florida: 10 Reasons to Migrate to Ruskin, Florida

Posted on August 17, 2020 by - Florida Living

Ruskin Florida neighborhood with overlay text

Florida’s warm winters attract hundreds of thousands of winter-weary Northerners every year. Drawn to the state’s beautiful beach cities and coastlines, snowbirds tend to migrate toward cities such as Tampa, Naples, and St. Petersburg, Florida.

The real hidden treasures of Florida, however, are often their smaller, coastal cities and towns. With access to the water and a lower cost of living, they have much to offer.

One of these places is Ruskin. Just 24 miles from Tampa, it is famous for its proximity to beautiful beaches, fishing, dining, and more. If you are thinking about moving to Florida, here is a look at 10 reasons to consider migrating to Ruskin.

1. White, Sandy Beaches

Ruskin’s beaches, such as nearby Apollo Beach, are defined by stunning white sand and wide open views, and are the perfect place to sunbathe, swim, picnic, or relax with friends and family. Gorgeous and just a short drive away, they conveniently deliver the ideal Florida experience. Since Ruskin is very close to the coast, you enjoy your pick of locations. Apollo Beach is the closest, but Siesta Key Beach, St. Pete Beach, and Treasure Island are all also within reach. If you choose to live in Ruskin, you will have plenty of time to explore some of central Florida’s best beaches.

2. Abundant Fishing

Ruskin may lie close to beautiful beaches, but it is best known for the fishing opportunities it provides. One of the top pursuits of its more than 22,000 residents, fishing is an integral part of Ruskin life, and easily accessible thanks to its proximity not only to the ocean but also to the Little Manatee River. Enjoy deep sea charters and river fishing alike, with many charter companies offering packages that range from full-day adventures to shorter half-day excursions that you can tailor to your schedule.

3. Adventurous Boating

Pursue your love of the water on a boat when you migrate to Ruskin. The Freedom Boat Club and other boating organizations in the city allow you to boat as often as you like, on whatever boat you desire. Deck boats, pontoon boats, sailboats, you can find them all in Ruskin. Or, bring your own and cast off from the local marina, or from the boat ramp located in our Little Manatee 55+ community.

4. Delicious Dining

The Tampa area, where Ruskin is located, is known for its culinary delights. For those who want to stay closer to Ruskin rather than venturing out toward Tampa, however, there are also some delicious dining options. Local favorites include the Ybor Grille, Beanies Bar and Sports Grill, and the Hot Tomato. Thanks to its coastal location, Ruskin and the surrounding area offer wonderful seafood platters and meals as the stars of many restaurant menus.

5. Affordable Living

Living near the Florida beach is an expensive proposition if you are trying to live in the city. In smaller coastal towns, like Ruskin, however, you can enjoy attainable and affordable beach living. Hillsborough County mobile home parks and 55+ mobile home communities in Ruskin, FL, for example, offer quality living that is also affordable. Find the right community, like Bedrock Communities’ Little Manatee community, and you can enjoy amenities, low lot rental rates, and a desirable location for a price that even tight budgets can easily manage.

6. Proximity to Tampa

The small-town feel of Ruskin is appealing to many snowbirds who want to enjoy a peaceful environment. However, for those who want to also enjoy everything a big city has to offer, Ruskin offers the perfect combination of peaceful town and big city proximity. Just 24 miles from Tampa, Ruskin makes it easy to enjoy access to healthcare, shopping, and entertainment in the city. Minutes away from major expressways, residents can also easily access almost any other city in the area with ease.

7. Small Town Feel

Ruskin may be close to Tampa, but it loves feeling like a small town too. The town eschews the recent development in the area and embraces events such as the town farmer’s market and the annual Tomato & Heritage Festival. It is a place where you can get to know your neighbors and become a part of a community. You can enjoy that community feel even more if you live in one of the retirement communities in Ruskin, Florida. Sun City Center, for example, is right next door, and our Little Manatee 55+ community gives you the opportunity to connect with neighbors through numerous social events and a friendly atmosphere.

8. Outdoor Areas

The summers may be hot, but the rest of the year provides beautiful weather that you can enjoy at any of Ruskin’s many outdoor areas. Simmons Park, for example, delivers breathtaking views of Tampa Bay, while the Ruskin Family Drive-In Theater offers double features through a nostalgic outdoor format. Parks, playgrounds, and river access also deliver family and retiree-friendly access to the outdoors year-round.

9. Cultural Opportunities

The Tampa area is home to many places where you can enjoy cultural pursuits, such as art and science. Head to Tampa to enjoy the Salvador Dali Museum, the Art Museum, and the Museum of Science & Industry.

10. Manatee Viewing And Zoo

Finally, Ruskin may just be the place for you if you want to learn more about the animals for which the Little Manatee River is named. The Manatee Viewing Center in Tampa allows visitors to see these beautiful creatures up close, where you can enjoy one of the most unique and fascinating creatures Florida has to offer. Learn more about animals other than the Manatee near Ruskin, as well. The nationally-renowned Lowry Zoo is just a short drive away, and offers educational opportunities as well as the chance to view stunning animals.

Whether you want entertainment, shopping, food, beaches, boating, fishing, or more, Ruskin offers you tantalizing choices for a reasonable cost of living. If you want to migrate to Ruskin, consider our Little Manatee community. Attainable, affordable Florida living is within reach with beautiful homes nestled along the Manatee River and numerous amenities and social activities allowing you to pursue the Florida life you are dreaming of.

55 Mobile Home Communities in Florida: Is It Safe to Go?

Posted on July 15, 2020 by - Travel

Senior couple with a dog packing a car under the snow and moving to Florida

COVID-19 has upended lives around the world. One of the biggest areas affected by the pandemic has been travel. For snowbirds, those individuals who travel South in the winter and back North in the spring. The coronavirus outbreak has left them with some difficult decisions to make: Stay in their winter accommodation, or go home?

There is no one answer for these seasonal travelers. Some choose to stay where they are for the duration of the pandemic. Some decide or are forced to go home. Many factors influence their decisions. Here is a look at some of the things that affect snowbirds’ travel decisions in 2020.

Available Accommodations

Mobile home communitySnowbirds who wish to remain in Florida during the pandemic have to make sure they have extended accommodations. Those whose snowbird rentals in Florida end or are closed because of the pandemic are often forced to return home.

For example, a NYTimes article on the subject entitled ‘Snowbirds Ask: Should We Stay Or Should We Go?‘ noted. When Florida state parks closed because of the coronavirus outbreak. Snowbirds who were staying in those state parks had to leave.

For those who wished to stay despite their accommodations coming to an end. Networks of family and friends have often come to the rescue. Through these connections, some snowbirds have found new places to ride out the pandemic. Without needing to chance possible virus exposure on the trip home.

Another example, in a Tampa Bay Times article entitled “Coronavirus Florida: Traveling back home, snowbirds? Doctors recommend you stay put“. One snowbird named Lynn Byrne chose to move into an empty house owned by a friend when she needed to stay in the state.

The best solution is for snowbirds to find accommodations that allow them to remain in Florida indefinitely. For example, owning mobile homes in 55 mobile home communities in Florida makes it easy to shelter in place for as long as necessary.

These homes are often very inexpensive, and may even save snowbirds money over renting every winter or for longer periods of time. Long-term RV parks can also provide a place for snowbirds to weather the pandemic in the area they love. Especially if they brought an RV to Florida anticipating a short stay and are unable to remain in their current RV location.

Exposure Risks

Coquina Beach Seafood and Music FestivalNo one wants to be exposed to COVID-19. The desire to minimize the risk of exposure drives some snowbirds to return home, and convinces others to stay longer in Florida.

Many experts recommend that snowbirds stay where they are for the duration of the pandemic. Remaining in their current location, according to them, presents a smaller chance of virus exposure than does trying to make the trip home.

In some places, the tendency of seasonal travelers to heed these recommendations has been reflected in occupancy rates for popular snowbird vacation spots. For example, while not located in Florida, the executive director of the 400-member Texas Association of Campground Owners reported a decrease in reservations of only 5 percent since the pandemic hit.

Of course, it isn’t just the experts who play a role in convincing snowbirds to stay in Florida throughout the pandemic. The advice of family members, and their own personal preferences, also play a role in their decision to stay where they are.

Some snowbirds report sheltering in their Florida accommodations because they simply feel as if staying where they are reduces their risk of exposure. Even if that means they have to change their annual travel habits.

Others, however, are concerned about the risk of exposure in outbreak hotspots like many areas in Florida. Concerned about images of packed beaches and reports of outbreaks, they choose to go back home. Where they feel that their exposure risk is lower.

The best decision for snowbirds in Florida is the one that makes them feel most comfortable. The evaluation of expert recommendations, current outbreak hotspots, and one’s own situation is a personal one. It yields different decisions for the individuals making them.

Travel Safety

Gulf of Mexico waterfront in Cedar Key, FloridaIt isn’t being at home that makes some snowbirds nervous about returning home at the end of the Florida snowbird season. It is the trip itself. Many seasonal residents drive for several days to get to and from Florida. Driving that far requires multiple stops, possible layovers in hotels, purchasing gas and food, and other activities that require close contact with other people.

Some snowbirds in Florida choose to make the trip because the appeal of home outweighs any risk that traveling presents. Other snowbirds choose to fly rather than drive. Still others opt to remain in Florida, because they believe that the risks of travel outweigh any difficulties that staying in Florida present.

Those who choose to travel home should limit their interactions with others when possible, as well as minimize stops, according to Dr. Marc Yacht, who led the health department in Pasco County, FL, until his 2007 retirement.

Family

Man sitting on beach on lawn chain in Sarasota, FloridaThe decision about whether to stay or go for seasonal travelers in Florida is an emotional decision as much as it is a practical one. Snowbirds want to be near friends and family, and that often drives them, quite literally, back north.

For others, however, family and friends are in Florida. One individual even reported to the NY Times that one of her children moved into the Florida community where she lives in order to be near her during the pandemic.

With the opportunity to be near loved ones, snowbird rentals in Florida become more appealing. When given the choice to shelter in peaceful Florida neighborhoods and pursue fulfilling activities near loved ones, staying past the end of the snowbird season makes the most sense for many.

The decision about whether to go or stay is a personal one. Snowbird campgrounds in Florida are likely to remain more full than usual through the summer and fall months as seasonal travelers opt to wait out the pandemic in the state. Many others will continue to choose to make the trip home.

If you find that snowbird rentals in Lakeland FL, Ruskin, MT Dora, or elsewhere, are ending and you need a place to stay, or if you are looking to extend your stay in the Sunshine State for any reason, Bedrock Communities might be the right place for you. Our 55+ communities in some of the most desirable locations in the state make Florida living attainable and affordable, for as long as you want to stay.