If you are a full-time RVer or are considering hitting the road full-time after retirement or when the kids are gone, extended stays in places may well be a part of your plans.

RV parks in the southern states and along the Mexican border are full of RV travelers who arrive in early November and stay until the last snow has melted from the ground in their northern homes.

Many of these “snowbirds” spend six months or more away from their homes enjoying the milder weather in these southern resorts. Not all of these travelers are rich or with the means to afford a second home, most are just savvy bargain hunters who have been able negotiate a deal.

Most RV park owners in the country face the ordeals of a seasonal business. Other than southern California, most areas face extremes of weather. Arizona is sunny and mild in the winter, but it turns into an oven from May through September.

Most RV owners love the snowbirds who travel south and stay put for four to six months at a time. It makes life easier and budgeting more predictable to have all those RV spaces filled rather than having to depend on the whims of overnight campers.

To encourage those long-term stays, many RV parks will offer discounts for campers who stay for a month or more. You will often have to ask for the discount and it may not be advertised, but they are generally readily available.

Many RV park owners will also give good deals to “regulars.” Many people go back to the same place year in and year out. If the surroundings are pleasant, convenient, and fit your needs, staying put for a long time can make sense, both for the traveler and for the park owner. In those cases, most RV park owners are more than willing to give discounts to these regulars, who may also become close friends.