We’ve had several people ask us this question. Here’s why we decided to winter in Yuma, Arizona, after we retired.

Read Let the Games Begin

It’s easy to get to from Colorado in the winter. You can get there crossing over just one pass in Utah, and it’s been warm enough to de-winterize the motorhome when we stop for the night.

It’s warm and sunny. According to the Guiness Book of World Records, it’s the sunniest city in the world averaging 4,000 hours of sunshine a year. Colorado is very sunny, but it doesn’t routinely hit 80° in January.

The restaurants! Our kids gave us gift certificates for several local eateries. We’ve tried a couple, Bodega 23 and The Broken Yolk, and still have some to go.

There’s a lot to do, and not just at our 55+ RV resort. My Yuma bucket list is long. Even though we’ve checked off several activities and destinations, I won’t run out of ideas this winter. On the top of my bucket list are the Yuma Territorial Prison and High Tanks Brewing, a family brewery in the middle of a date palm farm. Glad we still have lots of time to keep exploring.

It’s affordable compared to so many other snowbird destinations, which means we can stay longer and play more.

We took a day trip to Los Algodones, Mexico, this week. It’s just a 20-minute drive to the parking lot in Winterhaven, California. Then you walk across the border. They didn’t check my passport on the way in, but they did when we returned to the U.S. The markets are so fun, and we had a nice lunch before heading back. Just so you know, you can each bring one liter of alcohol back, duty free, every 30 days. It’s not super cheap, but cheaper than at home.

There is so much desert to explore. We’ve gone Jeeping with new friends several times. Some highlights include Picacho and American Girl mines, Valley of Names, Mittry Lake Wildlife Area, a couple of wild burros and watching an Osprey practice taking off and landing in the desert. So cool! We are near the Marine Air Station, so we see all kinds of aircraft going over.

The history of Valley of the Names, located in Winterhaven, California, is really interesting. According to Atlas Obscura, “During World War II, soldiers training in the desert north of Yuma, Arizona, began decorating a site they called “Graffiti Mesa,” using rocks to write out their names in the clay. The tradition continued on after the war, and the graffitied area grew and grew. Today over 1,200 acres of land are decorated with signatures, messages, dates, initials, and designs.”

One of my must-do experience is going to The Lemon Grove, a family-operated farm, orchard and market. It’s just a few minutes from our resort, so we go once a week or so. You can get a bag of fresh lemons, oranges or grapefruit for $5! You can also buy fresh produce and eggs, choose from a great sandwich selection and…holy moly, Dole Whips. My new favorite treat. There’s a second location now, Grove 95, which is, not surprisingly, on highway 95.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more Tales From the Empty Nest.

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