Becoming a snowbird and getting mail...

[Scousers]

So we are also traveling - not full timing - 6 months. Previous season I had used General Delivery in VA, SC and in FL to receive forwarded mail. Never had a problem...now I have had mail returned to sender twice - once from my home address?? (go figure) and now on the road in AZ. I needed to use General Delivery because the state parks won't accept pkgs. We are in state parks for 2 weeks...I called 4 Tucson AZ post offices that said on their individual tool webpage that they accepted General Delivery. I tried calling all of them to confirm before I picked one to use. Not one of them answered a phone call - multiple attempts at each. The Google reviews all give low reviews and mainly they lose mail or won't answer their phones. I decided to try sending to the downtown PO and tracking alerted me this morning that my package has been returned to sender! It said on the top line: General Delivery...just as I had used last year...I tried calling and calling the PO and after a bunch of rings it just disconnects. Called the 800 number and the representative tells me you cannot use General Delivery without getting permission from the PO POSTMASTER! I said - how do you get permission when they won't answer the phone...and the reps response is a broken record - like this is a privilege to use General Delivery, not a right, and you need to have permission before you try to use it.
So, my advice to others is - don't depend on having General Delivery on the road. The only thing that really works is Amazon lockers...and you cannot get your mail via Amazon (yet). I am sooo frustrated.

From the USPS website:
General Delivery is intended to be used for: A participating Post Office to serve transients (people who travel extensively) and those without a permanent address.
and
No application is required for General Delivery. Persons interested in General Delivery should speak with the postmaster.

Catch 22 - You can't speak to the Postmaster if they won't answer the phone.

Maybe you need to send them a letter!!! Jus kiddin, it would probably be RTS

[bstreet5]

Make sure RV park has no problem with accepting packages, I remember watching a video BLOG where someone got evicted for sending a package in C/O the park office.

[fez111]

We have USPS forward our mail from Christmas to Easter. Our park here in northern Florida has individual mail boxes for most lots. Some permanent residents have their own boxes.

However, packages and most magazines DO NOT get forwarded. I have several aviation magazine subscriptions. My wife calls each publisher and changes our address. Most are instructed to revert back to home at the appointed time.

Lastly, expect at least a two week delay for most mail. If you need something faster than that use Fedex or UPS. Our 2 cents.

One more thought...We used to change the addresses on our credit cards before we left, but that caused other problems with zip code confirmation for gas, etc. Now we don't change anything except the magazines.

[TS_Breezes]

Yes - I always ask the campground if they accept packages - Just got off the phone with one and was told there is no post office services if you don't have a box number. in their area (Gila Bend, AZ)..a UPS store is 65 miles away. Will be calling a UPS store in the Flagstaff area to see if we can setup something.

Make sure RV park has no problem with accepting packages, I remember watching a video BLOG where someone got evicted for sending a package in C/O the park office.

[ajg617]

a UPS store is 65 miles away. Will be calling a UPS store in the Flagstaff area to see if we can setup something.

The only problem my son ran into with UPS was they wanted him to be physically present with ID to set up a PO Box. Happened to him in Idaho and here in NH. Not sure if that's UPS policy nationwide or local to those two places.

[RVoyager]

We just started a year long RV adventure before moving into our next home. Our plans will be to travel every summer. So, we signed up with iPostal1.com. Our mail is delivered to one of their many locations. You can login to see a picture of mail in your mailbox. Give disposition: Dispose, Forward mail to any address, Scan contents. Junk mail is recycled.