In 2007 Rene Agredano embarked on full-time RVing with her husband and three-legged dog, and never looked back. Through her work as a small business owner, writer, metalsmith, and animal advocate, she loves sharing RV knowledge with other nomads here at Let’s RV, and on her website at LiveWorkDream.
Everyone has different ideas about making the most of winter. If yours is to get away from it completely, these Southern California’s warm winter RV destinations are a great reason to pack your rig and hit the road.
Why Flying South is Awesome in Winter
With practice, it’s usually not too hard to stay warm in an RV during cold weather. You can even enjoy winter RV camping fun sometimes.
If you own a four-season RV, winter isn’t so bad. Features like dual pane windows and thick insulation on camper walls can make winter RVing comfortable. If power goes out, four-season RV owners have an easier time staying warm in an RV without electricity.
But even four-season RV owners find that living in an RV during winter presents other challenges. Constant humidity and RV mold created by RV furnace heaters, claustrophobia brought on by insulating RV windows with Reflectix, and keeping stir-crazy kids and pets occupied indoors are all situations that RVers can avoid at by flocking to the Southern California desert region.
Flying south just makes sense. After all, we might not be able to do anything about a bomb cyclone. But with a home on wheels and fuel in our tank, we can almost get away from the worst of it in the SoCal desert.
Stay Comfy and Avoid Cold in the Southern California Desert
Poking fun of Southern California is a national past-time in the USA. But come winter, where would you rather be in winter, other than basking in the warm sunshine of the SoCal desert? As I write this, it’s pouring rain on the California coast, but not here in the SoCal desert.
Unlike some other popular winter RV destinations, winter rarely put the brakes on outdoor fun in Southern California’s desert cities. A chilly day here is in the 60s Fahrenheit! Temperatures make it easy to play outside all season long. From golfing to pickleball, off-roading to film festivals, art fairs and farmers markets, your social calendar will be fully booked by the time you arrive at your RV resort.
If you have the ability to get away from severe weather, why wouldn’t you?
Things for RV snowbirds to do in and around Palm Desert
The Palm Springs and Palm Desert cities are the heart of fun snowbird activity in Southern California. There’s so much to do in the region that it’s impossible to list them all here. One of the most complete events calendars is on the Discover Palm Desert website, and includes must-see events like:
- The Palm Springs International Film Festival (January)
- The Palm Desert Senior Games (January / February)
- Desert Winefest (February)
- Coachella Valley Wildflower Festival (March)
Three Top-Rated Warm Winter RV Destinations in Southern California’s Palm Desert Region
The Palm Desert region of Southern California has so much to offer. The weather is consistently great. There’s a lot to do here. However, since it’s in Southern California, it’s also one of the most expensive winter snowbird destinations in the country, running a close second to Florida. But when you’re trying to stay warm in your RV by avoiding snow, SoCal really is worth the price.
As a frugal RVing fan myself, I find that staying on the outskirts of desert cities makes the season nmore affordable. The best warm winter RV destinations in Southern California that I’ve discovered include:
Rancho Casa Blanca (55+ resort)
This is not an overnighter’s RV resort. Rather, snowbirds who bought an RV lot at this lovely park will often rent their parking pad out to seasonal guests. Lot rental prices are quite reasonable for the area, the resort is beautifully manicured, and packed with amenities and activities to keep guests social and busy all winter.
We stayed here from November 1 – March 31. Its a mix of concrete pads with park model homes, rvs and Motorhomes. Theres a par 3/18 hole golf course on site. We rented a nice level pad with 50 amp electric, water, sewer and cable. We leased internet equipment from Spectrum in La Quinta. WinCo, Walmart and a number of fast food restaurants are all nearby. In order to rent, contact the front office and they will contact any owners willing to rent. The owners will contact you directly. We have really enjoyed this park and everyone is very friendly. There are a few swimming pools and hot tubs scattered throughout the property as well as laundry facilities and mailboxes assigned to each space.
@RVL490820, RV LIFE Campground Reviews
Shadow Hills RV Resort
Offering both long-term seasonal stays and overnight RV campsites, this top-rated La Quinta RV resort is closer to all the in-town action. Rent a luxury site with patio furniture, privacy hedges, or a basic parking pad with a grassy lawn for lounging. You can even invite friends without RVs to stay in the park’s Airstream rentals or tee-pees.
We are full-timers. This is a very nice and very well run RV park. All but maybe one of the spaces are back-in, but the roads are wide as are the spaces. The park hosted a cocktail party on Christmas Eve with eggnog and appetizers. They also had happy hours (that’s right, hours) with champagne and appetizers for New Year’s Eve. The folks running the park are very friendly and work hard to keep the park nice and clean. We love this place and will be wintering here again.
@JJMirage, RV LIFE Campground Reviews
Fountain of Youth Spa and Resort
If you love biking and hiking in the desert, off-roading with friends, and soaking in hot mineral water, the Fountain of Youth (or “FOY” as regulars call it) is worth the 50-mile trek east of Palm Desert. FOY sits at about 100-feet below sea level, making it one of the warmest winter RV destinations in Southern California. You’ll always feel warmer here than in Palm Desert.
This is a well kept secret RV resort that is 50 years old. Friends asked us to join them and we are so glad we did! FOY accommodates large rigs well, and offers a variety of site choices. Much of the park has permanent housing, some trailers as old as the park and some newer manufactured housing. There are units available for short term rental as well. It’s a popular location for off-road enthusiasts. The real draw is the spas, pools and activities. People love this place for its community, friendship, variety. Some families have 3 or 4 generations of history here.
@Gma Terrie, RV LIFE Campground Reviews
FOY is so much more than being one of the warmest winter RV destination in Southern California. From the friendly RVers and park model owners, to the huge array of amenities, the five star facility is remote, but has everything you need for relaxation and fun. An on-site post office, convenience store, twice-weekly farmers market, cafe, fitness center, multiple pools, and services like high-speed internet connectivity all make for the easiest winter RV living at great seasonal rates.
Why Snowbirds Return to Southern California RV Resorts
Whatever warm winter RV destination you choose in the Southern California desert, you’ll probably love spending the season without freezing RV pipes and worrying about snow accumulation on your RV roof. There’s a million reasons why snowbirds keep coming back to this beautiful, fun, and warm desert.
