Snowbird Tips for Heading North

The flowers are blooming, the days are longer, and spring is in the air! With the new season comes the migration of snowbirds back north. There are some things to consider when making this move. To help you have a smooth trip, we've come up with five snowbird tips for heading home. Safe travels!

5 Snowbird Tips for Going Home After Winter

1. Create a Pre-Departure Checklist

Before you leave, create a pre-departure checklist. You can include some of these steps or just focus on things to pack. The important thing is that you don't forget any essential items or tasks. A checklist keeps you on track and frees your brain to focus on other things.

2. Plan your Route

Sometimes the trip is better than the destination. Snowbirds heading back home have lots of choices for the route they want to take. In many cases, the slower route can be more scenic than the fast route.

But snowbirds should also consider where they'd like to stop during their trip. These stops will impact the route, along with events happening along the way. Check for parades, festivals, sports games, and more along your route. These events can have a major impact on traffic and travel times!

3. Conduct an RV Maintenance Check

No list of snowbird tips is complete without an RV maintenance checklist. Before you head north, run through tests of some essential RV functions. For example, measure your oil and fluid levels, test the brakes, and check the tire pressure. If you want to be extra careful, have a mechanic scan things to make sure there aren't any hidden problems.

4. Prepare for Freezing Temperatures

While it may be warm where you are, the drive home could have very different weather. As snowbirds head north in spring, it's worth considering elevation and weather differences. If you'll be traveling through the mountains in spring, it's very possible you could hit freezing temperatures.

Freezing temperatures can seriously damage an RV that hasn't been winterized. If you might encounter cold weather, blow the water out of your RV's water system or use antifreeze. Remember, you can always keep drinking water in the heated living area or your personal car.

5. Switch Your Services Back Home

Maybe the most important of these snowbird tips is transferring your services back home. When you winter in a different location, you often switch things around. Those changes need to be reversed in spring.

Some services to think about include:

• Prescription medications
• Mail
• Utilities
• TV
• WiFi

We hope you've found these snowbird tips helpful as you head north. If you know other snowbirds traveling home, share this post and give them a helping hand!  

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