[sourdough]

If going south in Feb. you will want to start looking for a place to book right now. We book our spot in March for the next November because they will be booked.

There are LOTS of RV parks in the areas you mentioned. You're preferences are what will determine where you want to go. We stay in the FL panhandle because we really like it and my daughter/grandgirls live there. We don't like crowds or fancy resorts so we don't go to them.

Lots of folks come from MI to our area and all along the southern coast. If you come down I would suggest staying south if you want to get some "warm" weather. The FL panhandle is nice but will get a night or 2 around freezing - which we like; we like to have a little bit of cooler weather. Further south in FL becomes a zoo the further you go and the closer to the coast you get. We also like the FL panhandle because we usually spend a week or 2 in/around Destin which has some of the prettiest water in the country. MS/AL are OK but to us the water doesn't seem to be nearly as clean.

In FL gators are everywhere. We see them all over the place including the ditch beside the road by our RV park. We also have a puppy and take her all over the place including gator "infested" areas. Some things to remember;
keep puppy on a leash; not retractable, but a solid leash that you can control quickly. ALWAYS be aware of your surroundings and never go near waters edge or in thick grass/brush near there - situational awareness is imperative. Gator mating season is generally April to June or so. Be extremely cautious during that time because they can and will get aggressive. Keep puppy close; let her/him have a good time and smell/investigate all they want to....at a safe distance from dangerous areas. Listen for them if you are out in mating season - we've sat and listened to them "do their thing" just sitting on a park bench.

We take puppy every single day to a park with a lake that is filled with gators. We've seen many of them including some BIG ones. They don't care about us but keep a safe distance. Watch out for wallowed out grassy areas, torn up ground or piled grass. I keep pup a minimum of 30' from the edge of any tall grass that leads to the water and keep my eyes moving constantly. We then spend 30-45 minutes with her sitting on a park bench with us just absorbing the sounds and smells of the egrets, eagles, herons etc. She absolutely LOVES it. Taking puppy is fine if you take precautions, or....don't be like the bozo about 3 years ago that took his dog to the lake to play "fetch" in the water....that dog didn't come back.