SNOWBIRDS...when do you plan to head North, & why? (Bradenton: colleges, pharmacy)

[MOforthewin]

Went out to the Beach in Englewood today and had early dinner. Around 330 and no wait for a table, number of empty tables outside. if this were late Feb on a nice weekday at 330 the wait would have been about over half an hour. When I left at 430 it was even less crowded surprisingly. I mean still a bit more crowded than pre covid at the same time of year but a ton less packed than it would have been back in March.


Drove by Carabas on the way home and hardly any cars in the lot at 5pm.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

Went out to the Beach in Englewood today and had early dinner. Around 330 and no wait for a table, number of empty tables outside. if this were late Feb on a nice weekday at 330 the wait would have been about over half an hour. When I left at 430 it was even less crowded surprisingly. I mean still a bit more crowded than pre covid at the same time of year but a ton less packed than it would have been back in March.


Drove by Carabas on the way home and hardly any cars in the lot at 5pm.

Those are good indicators. I use the parking lot at the Venice Pier beach where Sharkey's and Fins is at, & the smaller Service Beach parking lot adjacent. I too look at restaurant parking lots. I also see what Downtown Venice looks like along West Venice Ave and Miami. Even the Jetty parking area and Crowe's Nest restaurants have their own stories to tell.

Its cleared out quite well now. I'll be trying restaurants in the days ahead at dinner time to see if there are still wait times M-Th. F-Sat will likely still be busy though.

Overall, I'm seeing fewer out-of-state tags, less cars, and less people.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

Those are good indicators. I use the parking lot at the Venice Pier beach where Sharkey's and Fins is at, & the smaller Service Beach parking lot adjacent. I too look at restaurant parking lots. I also see what Downtown Venice looks like along West Venice Ave and Miami. Even the Jetty parking area and Crowe's Nest restaurants have their own stories to tell.

Its cleared out quite well now. I'll be trying restaurants in the days ahead at dinner time to see if there are still wait times M-Th. F-Sat will likely still be busy though.

Overall, I'm seeing fewer out-of-state tags, less cars, and less people.

I was last at Sharkies in Early April. Went on a late Wed afternoon around 5pm and had to wait 45 mins for a table. Was close to 90 degrees for the high though. Was shocked how crowded it was. A number of people looked to be on vacation just the way they were dressed nicer.

That's one way you can tell a long time local versus someone on vacation is the way they dress. We dress down around here and they dress a lot nicer while going out.

What will be interesting in a couple years if Covid dies down. These early retired folks who moved down here on a whim. If they hate the humidity a lot in the summer and only own one house if any of them will sell and move back north full time if they can make a profit on the house.

I'll probably eat a Fisherman's Village this Sunday. It's been a busy season there and the restaurants don't have a ton of help. last time I went a couple weeks ago it was slower. In the middle of summer on a weekday when it's very hot out it can be slow at times. I don't know how those shops in there survive the off season with the high rent. Some go out of business though and don't make it I've seen. Shoe shop in there went out of business.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

I was last at Sharkies in Early April. Went on a late Wed afternoon around 5pm and had to wait 45 mins for a table. Was close to 90 degrees for the high though. Was shocked how crowded it was. A number of people looked to be on vacation just the way they were dressed nicer.

That's one way you can tell a long time local versus someone on vacation is the way they dress. We dress down around here and they dress a lot nicer while going out.

What will be interesting in a couple years if Covid dies down. These early retired folks who moved down here on a whim. If they hate the humidity a lot in the summer and only own one house if any of them will sell and move back north full time if they can make a profit on the house.

I'll probably eat a Fisherman's Village this Sunday. It's been a busy season there and the restaurants don't have a ton of help. last time I went a couple weeks ago it was slower. In the middle of summer on a weekday when it's very hot out it can be slow at times. I don't know how those shops in there survive the off season with the high rent. Some go out of business though and don't make it I've seen. Shoe shop in there went out of business.

Some snowbirds head back North & never return. I'm noticing a lot more listings in this area all of the sudden...at the end of snowbird season.

I dont think its the heat and humidity that stops them from returning, I think its old age, & fear of becoming dependent. From 60 years of age to 80, most retirees can take care of themselves, but from 80 on, they become increasingly dependent.

My Great-Grandparents snowbirded from Hampton Bays/Quogue Long Island NY to Deltona FL until they reached 90 however, & my father's over in St. Lucie West golfing his brains out at 87, so some do last longer.

I don't know any renter snowbirds, (I talk to them while out and about)...all I know are lots of dual homeowners, & the Two groups are quite different in their migration patterns. Renters have little flexibility, dual homeowners have a lot more flexibility to stay here longer, or leave sooner. The dual homeowners cleared out of my community in droves over the past 2 weeks...very few remain.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

I've noticed easing, but not as much or as fast as I thought. Some of it is just lots of new permanent residents.

I'm seeing less out of state car tags, & parking lots at the beaches are easing up, & again, less outof state tags.

The Canadians & Minnesotans stay longer due to the weather back home still being lousy.

The 3-4 month renters have left, the Spring breakers are mostly gone, its the snow birds who own 2 homes who can leave as they wish that are staying longer...& the new permanent residents that we are seeing now.

I stil have not tried a top 10 restaurant from 5-8pm yet, but I have noticed Fins at the Venice Pier loading up starting at 4:45. By 5:30, its crowded, & by 6 its packed & too loud for me to deal with....ugh!

It's better than it was, but we have a a ways to go.

With all the new transplants ( and still more pouring in all the time, from all indications), I don't think we will get there.

[newtovenice]

Originally Posted by Travelassie

With all the new transplants ( and still more pouring in all the time, from all indications), I don't think we will get there.

Yep.

And I'm still seeing an incredible amount of out of state plates.

I'm not noticing any difference on the roads, and am not sure where the idea that "everyone is leaving/has left" is coming from.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by newtovenice

Yep.

And I'm still seeing an incredible amount of out of state plates.

I'm not noticing any difference on the roads, and am not sure where the idea that "everyone is leaving/has left" is coming from.

Go to the beach parking areas, and waterfront dining establishments the visitors frequent....do so repeatedly enough times, & you'll see a big difference. Ask the managers in those restaurants. Walk along West Venice ave and ask the store owners. Look, ask, listen, & the trend is obvious...but not absolute. Even in August, we'll see lots of out of state plates because so many are moving here.

Ask your dentist, doctors, & pharmacy about recent trends.

Are there parking spots available along West Venice Ave in the downtown shopping district? How about downtown SRQ or Bradenton?

Look at the restarant parking lots at 6pm, are they still 100% full?

The evidence is all around you. Some are more atuned to these changes than others.

[newtovenice]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

Go to the beach parking areas, and waterfront dining establishments the visitors frequent....do so repeatedly enough times, & you'll see a big difference. Ask the managers in those restaurants. Walk along West Venice ave and ask the store owners. Look, ask, listen, & the trend is obvious...but not absolute. Even in August, we'll see lots of out of state plates because so many are moving here.

Ask your dentist, doctors, & pharmacy about recent trends.

Are there parking spots available along West Venice Ave in the downtown shopping district? How about downtown SRQ or Bradenton?

Look at the restarant parking lots at 6pm, are they still 100% full?

Um... not spending all day everyday stalking restaurant and store owners, and healthcare and pharmacy workers, and roaming shopping and beach parking lots from Venice up to Bradenton?

But thanks for the suggestion, I guess???

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

Go to the beach parking areas, and waterfront dining establishments the visitors frequent....do so repeatedly enough times, & you'll see a big difference. Ask the managers in those restaurants. Walk along West Venice ave and ask the store owners. Look, ask, listen, & the trend is obvious...but not absolute. Even in August, we'll see lots of out of state plates because so many are moving here.

Ask your dentist, doctors, & pharmacy about recent trends.

Are there parking spots available along West Venice Ave in the downtown shopping district? How about downtown SRQ or Bradenton?

Look at the restarant parking lots at 6pm, are they still 100% full?

The evidence is all around you. Some are more atuned to these changes than others.

Thing is, at least in this neck of the woods( Charlotte County), the doctors, dentists, and other business people have been saying they don't notice much of a slowdown in the number of patients/clients after the season is over, they've said they are busy year round these days. I can see how busy the pharmacies are when I pick up my prescriptions- and many of the people in the lines say they are recent transplants( including some incredibly rude ones who try and jump the line).

Many of our local popular restaurants have packed parking lots and lines at 6 PM, 7PM- especially on Friday and Saturday nights, even now.

I don't doubt that there are snowbirds who have left or who will leave for their northern homes soon. But apparently enough people are moving here permanently, or leaving later, that we don't notice a few missing snowbirds in the crowds.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by Travelassie

Thing is, at least in this neck of the woods( Charlotte County), the doctors, dentists, and other business people have been saying they don't notice much of a slowdown in the number of patients/clients after the season is over, they've said they are busy year round these days. I can see how busy the pharmacies are when I pick up my prescriptions- and many of the people in the lines say they are recent transplants( including some incredibly rude ones who try and jump the line).

Many of our local popular restaurants have packed parking lots and lines at 6 PM, 7PM- especially on Friday and Saturday nights, even now.

I don't doubt that there are snowbirds who have left or who will leave for their northern homes soon. But apparently enough people are moving here permanently, or leaving later, that we don't notice a few missing snowbirds in the crowds.

That's one nice thing about owning my own business is I can tell them to go pound sand if I want to if they p*ss me off enough.


I'm noticing a slowdown. My business at the fleamarket the last two weeks has slowed. Noticing it's a lot less busy, especially on Fridays which is when the snowbirds like to shop. My sales are still doing ok for Fridays despite foot traffic is probably down 25 percent compared to 4 weeks ago.


When I went to Manasota Key to eat the other day it was a lot slower. Even though it was 330 in the afternoon if that was early March on a similar nice, warm day I'd be waiting at least 30 mins to eat outside. Were a lot of empty tables.


The big chain places are the worst for long waits. These older folks are familiar with these places IMO hence they pile in because they know what they can expect compared to up north. That's what I notice. Waits are longer at Olive Garden, and Outback for example and the folks are old.


I work at Publix two nights a week and I've notice it's a lot slower at night the last two weeks now.


The weather up north sucks too this spring, hence why I'm thinking some started to leave later this year rather than late March or early April.