Sunday January 18th 2026

On Friday I got an early start for the drive to Tampa for another visit to the Florida RV Super Show. It was a colder morning than I realized. The car started as usual. I put it into reverse and backed into the road. That’s when I noticed that I didn’t have a clear view forward. The windshield had a thin layer of frost. I am no stranger to frost. I lived in New England for nearly 60 years. It just never occurred to me to check for frost in Central Florida. The defroster cleared the frost in short order once I found the right button to push. The dashboard temperature display read 33 degrees.

I arrived at the RV show closer to the opening hour than Wednesday and was able to park closer to the entrance. By the time I departed, the parking fields were densely packed. It was a busier day than Wednesday even though it was far colder. The dogs were also back. On Wednesday I didn’t see as many uncomfortable pups accompanying their humans as I have seen and commented on in previous years. On Friday they were back in force trying to keep from getting trampled while their human’s attention was elsewhere.

My goal was to revisit a few RVs I thought had promise as downsized options. I also discovered a whole new area of the show I hadn’t found on Wednesday. The show increased in size significantly this year. The new area of the show wasn’t well advertised and located in an area that wasn’t accessible in previous years. People new to the show probably found it easier than those of us assuming we knew all the show areas.

I successfully revisited a few RVs figured out a few things and eliminating some specific brands. I learned long ago not to expect correct answers about the RVs from sales staff unless they are from the factory. There are a few of those available, but most of the sales staff are temporary staff hired by the dealerships. At best the temporary staff have generic RV knowledge. I think some of them come from a pool of used car salesmen. Some of the answers I’ve overheard from other peoples questions are outrageous.

My next steps in the search process will be online. I need to check details on the various RVs and on the possible dealers to purchase it from. Dealer location isn’t much of an issue. Getting what I need for a good price is primary. I believe that the “show price” is available most of the time. In my opinion the dealer is spending more money to be at the show than they spend getting a unit for sale at their dealership.

Saturday and Sunday at my base camp were focused on the NFL playoffs. The Patriots won, so I’m happy.