8 Things Snowbirds Pack for Arizona That Locals Find Hilarious

A “Welcome Snowbirds” banner goes up outside a Mesa recreational-vehicle resort every October, right on schedule.

The people who follow it rarely pack for the Arizona that’s waiting for them.

These are the things snowbirds pack for Arizona that never quite survive contact with the Valley.

1. Summer Clothes Only

Phoenix’s December days average a mild 66 degrees.

The overnight low drops to around 45.

Many newcomers don’t expect that big a drop after dark.

Convinced the desert stays warm long after sundown, some snowbirds pack nothing heavier than shorts and flip-flops.

Can you say burr?

Longtime Arizonans keep flannel pajamas, a space heater, or an extra blanket within reach all winter, even while a covered pool sits untouched a few feet away.

Anyone who packs only summer clothes learns fast.

2. Snakebite Kits

Arizona’s rattlesnakes brumate, a dormant state similar to hibernation, from around October through March. They only stir on unusually warm days to sun themselves near their dens.

A rattlesnake in January typically acts nothing like a rattlesnake in July.

But some snowbirds pack a snakebite kit and thick canvas gaiters into their backpacks before a 50-degree winter hike near Sedona or South Mountain.

Snake experts say the animals respond to temperature, not the calendar.

Most of the time, a snowbird’s snakebite kit is just a conversation piece at the clubhouse.

3. Skis and a Snowboard

Skis and a snowboard ride along with some adventurous snowbirds who want some winter weather, tossed in the car by anyone who pictures snowcapped peaks the moment someone says “Arizona in the winter.”

But snowbirds who don’t travel outside Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Mesa never get to use them.

Phoenix’s official weather record has recorded a significant amount of snow only twice, an inch in January 1933 and another inch in January 1937.

That’s nothing compared to where most snowbirds come from.

Flagstaff, about two hours north at roughly 7,000 feet, receives over 100 inches of snow most winters and is home to its own ski resort, Arizona Snowbowl.

Arizonans who split their time between the Valley and the high country know exactly which suitcase needs the parka.

A Scottsdale garage usually ends up storing it instead, snow or no snow.

4. Truck Beds Full of Firewood

More than a few snowbird pickup trucks show up at their condo having bought firewood before arriving, ready for cozy nights by the fireplace.

But Maricopa County’s Air Quality Department calls a “No Burn Day” whenever wintertime pollution builds up.

Lighting a wood fireplace, chimenea, or wood stove on one of those days breaks the rule, even in a rental with a chimney built for exactly that.

Fines for illegal burning run $50 to $250, depending on how many violations you have.

Longtime residents check the forecast before they strike a match.

Unknowingly to many snowbirds, a truck bed of oak or mesquite logs can sit untouched for weeks at a stretch.

5. Sweaters for a Teacup Yorkie

Sweaters and booties for a small dog fill more than a few snowbird suitcases every winter, driven by worry over a chilly desert walk.

But coyotes, not the weather, are the bigger worry for a small dog in a lot of Scottsdale and Ahwatukee neighborhoods.

A sweater doesn’t stop a coyote.

In one Ahwatukee stretch, coyotes killed three small pets in backyards within a single month, grabbing dogs and a cat that weighed barely more than a bag of sugar.

Wildlife experts tell owners to escort small pets outside, especially before sunrise and after dark, rather than letting them out alone.

A quick look at your yard beats checking the thermometer every time.

6. Their Own Golf Cart

Think a rental community in Sun City could possibly be short on golf carts?

Roughly 40-50% of Sun City households already own at least one golf cart.

A trailered-in golf cart shows up anyway for some new snowbird arrivals, hauled down just in case the rental community comes up short.

Arizona expects that golf cart to carry its own state registration, insurance, and a licensed driver behind the wheel before it touches a public road.

Locals shake their heads, knowing that bringing in out-of-state golf carts is more of a hassle than it's worth.

7. Lawnmowers and Bags of Grass Seed

Most yards in the Valley never had grass to begin with.

Scottsdale banned natural grass in the front yards of newly built homes back in 2023, part of a broader shift toward gravel, decomposed granite, and drought-tolerant plants across the region.

A lawnmower and a bag of grass seed land in more than a few snowbird trailers who bought a part-time home in Arizona, packed by hopeful gardeners planning to green up their yard.

But no grass means no mowing.

A snowbird's lawnmower never leaves their garage all season, and their grass seed goes bad.

8. Pool Floats and Rafts

An unheated backyard pool in the Valley typically stays around 55-60 degrees through December and January, well under the 70 degrees most swimmers need to feel comfortable.

Many snowbirds pack pool floats and a couple of rafts anyway, determined to enjoy lazy laps under the Arizona sun all winter long.

People who keep a pool heater running pay for that luxury.

Everyone else waits for April.