places to hole up for the winter?

[xeperu]

Howdy, all. Thought I'd pick your brains a bit.

Been wandering around Cali for like a month and as it gets colder I find myself looking for a place to hole up for the winter, perhaps recharge my funds somehow and relax, plan for spring. A place with good houseless community services and nice people would be ideal.

I am considering Phoenix area, but the most appealing feature about that place is the weather. People have also suggested Texas, New Mexico, L.A., Florida....I'd like to stay west of the Mississippi if possible. I'm not oppossed to staying in Cali either, just want to keep my options open.

Among the other qualities I'm looking for in a place is somewhere introvert-friendly. By that I mean large enough that I don't feel smothered by close-contact with a limited number of people and have access to cultural resources (music shows, libraries, natural features, art collectives) that don't require me to have a car or know someone to involve myself with/be aware of. Access to realtively quiet, unpatrolled wilderness areas would also be ideal. For people who are trying to keep this information under a little cover, please feel to PM me.

What are some of your favorite places to spend a winter and why?

 

[landpirate]

I'm going to move this over to the Destinations - North America section of the forum. I think it'll fit in there and get noticed better.

 

[OutsideYourWorld]

Well one idea I have is the Workaway program (www.workaway.info) You can bunker down in places for months at a time if you like (and I often did). I think tehre are quite a few places in the states, many ranging in what they are all about. I'm also an introvert, and found everywhere I went to be more than accomodating for my type of lifestyle.

 

[Wawa]

This fits some criteria and not others, but.... check out Quartzsite, AZ? It's nothing in the summer, but by winter it turns into a mess of flea markets, rocks and gem shows, and all the snowbirds from everywhere camped out in the desert. Once you get past them, there is lots of warm beautiful desert to live in, mountains and trails and old mines to explore.

The explosion of shows and events means a lot of temporary work is available, and if you have any crafting skills, there are tons of vending opportunities... lot of the events sweeten the deal for artists because they want more handmade stuff. If you want to learn, the very affordable rock and gem club does workshops on all kinds of lapidary related stuff, glass bead making, wire wrapping, flintknapping, metalworking, can't even remember what all else.

This is a wintering spot for a lot of traveling artists, and people just looking for somewhere warm, easy, away from cities to crash for a bit. It takes a bit of searching around past the rows of giant RVs and tired old town, but it's a good place.

 

[Wawa]

Also, yeah, I'm partial to Quartzsite. Four-ish years ago I stumbled into the place, new on the road, broke and confused with no useful skills.

I met a lot of great people, learned skills that changed my life, and came back the next two winters able to really successfully sell shit that I made... kinda amazing feeling.

 

[xeperu]

Also, yeah, I'm partial to Quartzsite. Four-ish years ago I stumbled into the place, new on the road, broke and confused with no useful skills.

I met a lot of great people, learned skills that changed my life, and came back the next two winters able to really successfully sell shit that I made... kinda amazing feeling.

Hey, man! Sounds like an awesome place. I will definitely make it a point to pass through.

 

[Mankini]

Marin County is where its at. Also Sonoma and Napa (the towns themselves and the surrounding counties).

Monterey County as well. Half Moon Bay; Pacifica, that whole area.

As far as outside the Motherland, try Sedona AZ.

 

[kokomojoe]

I've heard Phoenix isn't the best as far as traveller friendly places go. I have friends out there with jobs and shit who like it but from a traveller standpoint you can definitely find better places.

 

[Venatus]

just go south to the slabs for the winter, dont get too sucked into it all there but you should be safe from the cold. and the people are nice so long as your decent as well

 

[Coywolf]

Marin County is where its at. Also Sonoma and Napa (the towns themselves and the surrounding counties).

Monterey County as well. Half Moon Bay; Pacifica, that whole area.

As far as outside the Motherland, try Sedona AZ.

Sedona is cool, but i am from flagstaff, and it gets frickin' cold there in Winter time. Wonderful, beautiful place though. One of the best towns in AZ if you like a small place next to water. Watch the cops in AZ, they really, really suck.