Snowbird Checklist for Texas Winters: How to Prep Your RV for a Conroe Stay

Texas winters near Houston are mild — most days you'll be in shorts. But every few years a hard freeze rolls down from the north and catches people off guard. This checklist is what we walk through with snowbird guests at Gleneagles RV Resort in Conroe so the season is comfortable, safe, and easy on your rig.

Pick the right site for a long stay

Reserve early. Snowbird season runs roughly October through April, and our monthly availability tightens up fast in that window. Ask for a back-row site if you want maximum quiet, or a site closer to the office and laundry if you'd rather minimize walking. Tell us your rig length and slide configuration when you book — we'll match you to a level concrete pad that fits.

Monthly rate at Gleneagles is roughly $600/month for a Regular site and $650/month for a Large site, plus metered electricity. Water, sewer, fiber Wi-Fi, on-site EV charging and free laundry are included.

Freeze protection — the most important section

Houston-area winters average highs in the 60s with lows in the 40s, but hard freezes do happen — sometimes for several days at a time. Be ready before the first one.

Heated water hose: install one before you arrive. A standard hose can freeze and crack overnight even in Texas. Wrap the spigot and any exposed plumbing with foam insulation or pipe wrap.

Skirting or insulation around the underbelly: not always necessary, but useful for multi-month stays if your rig isn't a true four-season build. Even a basic foam-board skirt cuts wind under the coach and keeps tanks warmer.

Tank heaters: turn them on before the freeze, not during. If your rig doesn't have built-in tank heaters, internal heat pads are inexpensive and easy to add.

Disconnect and drain the hose if a hard freeze is forecast and you don't have a heated hose — fill your fresh tank and run on the pump for a day or two.

Keep cabinets open on the coldest nights so heated cabin air can reach the plumbing under sinks.

A small ceramic space heater can take load off your propane furnace on long cold snaps. Don't run more than one large heater on a single 20-amp circuit.

Mail, packages and Amazon

We accept packages for registered long-term guests — have them addressed to your name, the resort address, and your site number. For personal mail, most snowbirds use a UPS Store mailbox or a mail-forwarding service like Traveling Mailbox or Escapees Mail Service. Set this up before you leave home so important mail isn't sitting in your home mailbox for months.

Amazon delivers reliably to the resort, usually within 1-2 days.

Healthcare and pharmacy

Conroe Regional Medical Center is about ten minutes from the resort, with several urgent-care clinics and walk-in primary-care offices nearby. HCA Houston Healthcare Conroe and Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital are both within 15 minutes.

Set up a 90-day prescription transfer to a local CVS, Walgreens or H-E-B pharmacy before you arrive. If you're on Medicare and traveling outside your home state, double-check your supplement or Advantage plan covers Texas providers — most do, but it's worth confirming before you need it.

Pets in winter

Pets are welcome. Conroe's winter is mild enough that most dogs are perfectly comfortable, but short-haired breeds appreciate a coat on the coldest mornings. Keep pets indoors during freezes — water bowls outside will freeze and concrete pads get cold.

Several well-reviewed vet clinics are within ten minutes for routine care, and 24-hour emergency vets are available in The Woodlands.

What to do all winter

Winter is actually the best time to be a tourist in the Houston area — humidity drops, mosquitos vanish, and outdoor activities open up. The Houston Symphony plays at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion through the shoulder seasons, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo runs every February-March, and Galveston Island is comfortable for beach walks November through March.

Closer to home, the 220+ miles of paved trails in The Woodlands are perfect for walking and biking in cool weather. Sam Houston National Forest is 20 minutes north for day hikes without the summer heat.

What to bring

Heated water hose, foam pipe wrap, a small ceramic space heater, a backup cellular hotspot, good rain gear for the occasional gulf storm, and a light jacket for evenings November through February.

Most snowbirds also bring a bike, a folding chair set, an outdoor mat for the entry step, and a small grill. There's plenty of room at each site for an outdoor living setup.

Reserve your winter site

The earlier you book, the better the site selection. Call or text 281-653-7772, or reserve online at gervresort.com. Tell us your arrival date, departure date, rig length and slide layout, and we'll confirm a specific site number before you arrive.