Venice, FL is Ranked #1 Destination for Snowbirds for 2021-22 in New Report
The top five destinations for snowbirds in 2021-22 are Venice, Naples and Dunedin in Florida plus Mission in Texas and Apache Junction in Arizona
Venice, on Florida’s west coast between Tampa and Ft. Myers and with a population of around 23,000, is our #1 snowbird destination. It frequently ranks in lists of pleasant places to live and the average Oct. – March temperatures are a cozy 69 °F. As befits a top snowbird spot, a high proportion of the housing is for seasonal use, 28%, there are 5.7 health facilities per 1,000 people, and no fewer than 12 golf courses.
Florida maintains a strong foothold regarding best destinations for snowbirds, ranking with 43 cities in the top 100
Cities like Phoenix, AZ, and Tampa, FL, are great snowbird destinations, but smaller communities nearby like Apache Junction and Dunedin emerge as better options this year with an ideal mix of attractions, charm, and lower overall costs
Naples, FL, has more golf courses than any other snowbird destination, no fewer than 70
Fans of less-crowded places can choose from 20 top-100 cities with populations of less than 40,000
The traditional type of snowbird has longtime favored Florida, and for good reason. The Sunshine State certainly offers warmth and endless miles of gorgeous sandy beaches as well as countless golfing options. But as the mix of people who travel south during the colder season changes, there’s more diversity in where they might be headed this year.
More than 40,000 of consultancy giant PwC’s employees can now work remotely, joining millions of others already living the “working from anywhere” lifestyle, many at companies such as Facebook, Dropbox and Quora. Aside from the fun and the sun, these new snowbirds seek a good internet connection, a peaceful environment that lets them work, and some nature to relax in. These attributes have earned them the name ‘snowmads’ — or ‘zoombirds,’ as they still need to join their colleagues in online meetings.
What are the best destinations for snowbirds this year, when aside from the regular amenities, there are other boxes that locations need to check to appeal to both the old and the new snowbirds?
To find the best cold-season hideaways, we looked at almost 1,000 places around the US and evaluated eleven factors, including:
- Temperatures from October to March
- Housing for snowbirds: Availability for seasonal use, and median cost to rent and to purchase as a second home
- The incidence of crime per capita in each destination
- The length of beach found beginning no more than 10 miles from a destination
- The amount of park space per capita and the number of golf courses nearby
- Local internet speeds, as many snowbirds will be zoombirds or may simply want to blog a lot
- The number of health care and social assistance establishments per 1,000 of the local population — the average over all the places we considered is 3.2
- The cost of renting a self storage unit — snowbirds visiting the same destination every year, and even second-home owners, can ease their luggage burden by keeping golf clubs, surfboards or seasonal clothes in a unit
State-wise, California and South Carolina join Florida, Arizona and Texas in providing the US’s top snowbird destinations, with some amazing places that appeal to a wide range of visitors from across the US. Moreover, after pausing travel plans for a year, Canadian snowbirds are keen on reaching their favorite winter spots, even flying down to the US if they cannot drive through the border for now.
Narrowing down the ranking to the city level, we found that while cities such as Phoenix and Tampa are still good for snowbirds, smaller communities nearby may offer better options this year, with good facilities and internet infrastructure, recreational opportunities, and plenty of fresh air. And the cost of living there may be reasonable.
You can read the full report here: https://www.storagecafe.com/blog/the-best-cities-for-snowbirds-this-winter/
Photo: Storage Café