For many seniors, retirement is all about travel. Some jet around the world, while others make frequent trips to toasty spots like Arizona and Florida or relax on luxurious cruise ships. Those with true wanderlust often turn to the world of recreational vehicles, or RVs. Criss-crossing the country in their tricked out mobile homes, they stop and stay wherever and whenever they'd like. Nearly 8 million American households own an RV, according to a 2005 study by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA). Although results from its latest study are still being compiled, Kevin Broom, RVIA's director of media relations, says the group is conservatively predicting this number to rise to at least 8.3 million, despite our country's recent economic woes. Not too surprising, as it's an affordable way to travel, especially for those on a fixed income. Additionally, many seniors like to find a prime spot, set up home for a few weeks or months at a time and earn a little cash while staying occupied with a part-time or even full-time job.
(Image: https://p.turbosquid.com/ts-thumb/0M/T9s3Jy/Kv/s24searchimage_c/png/1709675578/600x600/fit_q87/fba2004a4df2a6121edb68e3ac7cd84932da21e7/s24searchimage_c.jpg)Because of this phenomenon, online sites abound that match workampers – RVers and campers looking for work – with both paid and volunteer jobs. The numerous available jobs tend to be in the service and tourism industries, with many clustered around scenic parts of the country. Keep reading to find 10 of the most common positions filled by senior workampers. With many workamper jobs available in the tourism industry, it's not surprising that being a tour guide is one of them. If you're passionate about sharing your love of something – a particular national park or museum, for example – this could be the perfect job for you. It also helps if you're active and enjoy the outdoors, as many guide jobs require physical fitness and some sports skills. Finally, it's important to have a sense of humor so you can loosen up a group and encourage questions and interaction.
And multitasking skills are critical, as you may have to be everything from guide to chauffeur to teacher to nurse during a particular tour. Typical available positions include whitewater rafting guides, sea kayaking guides, fishing guides, trek leaders, biking guides, naturalists and, more recently, zipline lead and support guides. Peruse the job listings for amusement parks, tourist attractions or theme parks. Branson, Mo., is quite popular with RVers looking for musician jobs; check out available positions through area staffing agencies. And don't overlook Silver Dollar City, a theme park just outside the town. Be prepared to go through an audition, as you'll obviously have to demonstrate your skills. Auditions for summer positions may need to be completed as early as the previous November or December. Branson's not your thing? There are plenty of musician positions at loads of other places, including everywhere from Disney World to Dollywood to small, private campgrounds that provide entertainment for their guests. Don't see any appealing jobs listed online?
Most job sites allow you to post “situation wanted” ads, in which you can advertise your particular skill set or jobs you're willing to do. Workamper News, a subscription newsletter for workampers, provides this option, as does the free Work for RVers and Campers Web site. And don't overlook other Web sites and social media tools such as Craigslist, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter as a way to get the word out. Property caretakers typically perform chores such as lawn mowing, sometimes on large tractors, and related landscaping tasks including picking up fallen branches, weeding, laying mulch, edging, hedge trimming and more. If the property to be cared for includes buildings, the job might also entail checking faucets, electrical outlets, heating and cooling units, phone repair near me android lines and locks. Caretaking positions can be just a few hours a week all the way up to full time. Remember, jobs under this heading can vary widely, so make sure you have all the details. A caretaking position recently advertised for a ranch in Arizona's White Mountains includes watering horses and cleaning stalls.
A volunteer host keeper/caretaker position at Forty Mile Point Lighthouse on Lake Huron in Michigan involves greeting visitors and providing them with historical information about the light station, working in the gift shop, lighthouse museum and pilot house and keeping the buildings neat and clean. And while most caretaker jobs provide lodging, this one requires you to bring your RV. Loads of RV parks and campgrounds are near towns with restaurants, and many are looking for cooks. In addition, larger campgrounds that have cafés typically need cooks too. Johnson's is a small, family-run café and campground tucked into the east side of Glacier National Park in Montana, and cooks are often needed for the café, which seats about 150 people. It's not uncommon for cooking to be included in other positions as varied as activities director (you'd cook for an activity you planned that has a meal component) and park manager, so that's another consideration if you enjoy cooking, but not all day or every day.
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