Fledgling Snowbirds

We are one month into our first-time snowbird experience, having ditched the cold, gray Oregon sky in exchange for brighter, warmer winter days in Tucson, Arizona. We spent three nights here last March, which is when we decided to reserve the same site for our 2-month stay this year. We liked the lemon tree – the roots give us a sense of permanence, while the bushy green shrub semi-hides our neighbors nasty plumbing hoses.

The park is well taken care of and the staff is helpful, but watch your speed when coming and going. Trash pickup is a breeze. We simply put out bags out in front of our trailer and the golf cart men quickly scoop it up and take it away!

It’s fun to walk through the park and see how others stake their claim. A herd of donkeys, a dog fence along perceived property lines or perhaps you’d prefer what I call the “skybox sites.” It’s all in good fun!

We quickly discovered the Saturday morning golf tournament. Organized by one of the longtime regular snowbirds, the 2-hour challenge includes cash prizes for top scores. With putting greens scattered about the property and 30-plus holes, it’s much harder than it looks…although one of us (ahem) got six holes-in-one last time we played.

No resort would be complete without an official corn hole court. Two pickleball courts are kept clean and dry for those who brought their rackets. Above is one of two pools, both with a jacuzzi…very popular with the snowbird crowd.

We also have the BBQ Rush Restaurant on site. I haven’t tried all the food, but they have some of the best BBQ’d chicken I’ve ever had. It was the perfect spot to reserve a table and watch the Super Bowl. I’d guess about half the crowd went home happy.

Camping cabins, an exercise room, washers and dryers, several dog parks and wash stations for pets provide guests with most comforts of home. The property also offers a pretty good morning walk. With 400 sites, I’ve discovered takes awhile to cover the entire property. 

Even with all this, plus a bike trail, right out our front door, the best part is still the incredible hiking available within a short drive. Will we come back next year? It looks that way, but we’ll see.