My wife and I have had so many wonderful pet/house sitting experiences. Years ago I envisioned that TH might provide a wonderful opportunity to be in warmer location during the winter. Of course, living in Minnesota, almost everyplace on the planet would qualify as “warmer”. We hope for significantly warmer. The challenge seems to be connecting with warm-climate homeowners. I would welcome any suggestions from others who might be TH snowbirds. Thanks in advance!
Why don’t you look at SE Asia or Sri Lanka for winter sits? Definitely warmer although pretty competitive as there aren’t loads of sits on THS in that region. (Local FB pages also an option). Otherwise the Canary Islands, Cyprus, Southern Turkey or Morocco will all be pleasant temperatures too at that time of year. Lots of choice @Cubme953 #winterescapecoming
@Cubme953 How about Australia?! We’ve done lots of sits there in (European/US) winters. Our very first sit was a 4 week Christmas sit in Perth with 2 cats. Daily beach walks, BBQs, swimming in the sea- glorious! Australia has quite a big presence on THS but there are other sites you could try like Aussiehousesitters.
We’ve also done sits in KL, Singapore & Bali. They are very hard to get- especially since the 5 app limit but- but there are local FB groups too.
In Europe Souther Spain is wonderful in winter. Lovely mild winter temps, cool nights, mostly warm sunny days.
Closer to home, it seems that as a large city, Phoenix, AZ always has plenty of sits, as well as Tucson. I love southern AZ in winter, temps are perfect for me with cool nights and toasty days, low humidity. Florida does seem competitive in winter, but the whole Carolina and Georgia coast would be significantly warmer than MN, although not exactly balmy. I have noticed that the Florida panhandle sits don’t seem as competitive as the rest of Florida.
There are many places in California which are much warmer than Minnesota in the winter! People usually think of southern CA (San Diego, Orange County, LA, Santa Barbara, and Palm Springs area), but the San Francisco area is also wonderful, and even Sonoma County.
You can study weather averages to see what I am talking about. We live in Portland, Oregon, which is really cold November through March. I grew up in a suburb of San Francisco, and we have been spending a lot of time there recently, and I was pleasantly reminded how nice the weather is all year round!
We agree with @Hikergal. We have been sitting 2 years full time with 90% of our sits in Arizona. The winters here are amazing! Plants generally take care of themselves and more often than not, HOs have more cacti/rock landscaping…so less work on that front. As for pet sitting, walking dogs in AZ winters is just awesome. It does get cold for a few weeks but no where near snowy/icy conditions. We escape the summer heat by going up to Prescott/Flagstaff or San Diego. Definitely recommend Arizona winters!
I appreciate all the helpful comments. We’re well on our way!
@Lokstar not this winter! Southern Spain has been hit with rain and snow! Great for skiing holidayers but some serious damage from flooding and poor travelling conditions! I’m resident in Madrid, Spain and came to the coast at Javea for 3 weeks. Ok Madrid has snow now and so I’m glad I made the move but some days of perpetual rain have spoiled beach options and Christmas and New Year celebrations have been curtailed by the unseasonable stormy weather. Restaurants and cafes have certainly suffered. Beaches have been swept away or become inaccessible owing to invading floods.
The sunshine is finally returning later this week..
I feel particularly sorry for those who have flown in for a warm up only to find it far from that here. Nowhere is guaranteed Winter sunshine in Spain anymore!
That’s hard stuff! And disappointing for you guys! At least you escaped the snow! 
But it does seem weather in Spain is becoming much more unstable. So much rain & flooding the last couple of years. We were there from mid Dec- mid Feb 2021/22 and the weather was lovely the whole time. We must have just got really lucky!
We are once again in Australia (Perth area) for 3 months (2 sits) and the weather is spectacular and very stable. But ofcourse it’s summer here so to be expected! 
@Lokstar I’m not really complaining as the streets are cleaner, emptier for walking a reactive dog, cafe food not on the ground and an emptier dog park for ball games with my boy.
I was chatting to a workman, a road sweeper who works daily from 7.30 am to 1.30pm. He cleans the whole port area. Rainy weather means less “traffic” and easier days for him too However spring and summer here are very busy. He was looking forward to his days off on Public Holidays. The rain and consequent flooding brings a lot of extra work though. He said the area has lots of trees that aren’t properly maintained.. lots of detritus and damaged trees result.
In the hot summer months Spaniards are on tenterhooks about forest fires.. again the poor forestry supervision results in fires spreading rapidly, villages being evacuated and the army called in to help the firefighters. The pandemic halted a lot of the work I suppose..
Climate considerations are becoming more topical.
Temperatures today are 6 - 9 !!plus a windchill factor!
Meanwhile in UK Newcastle Upon Tyne..… Happy Pet sitting wherever you are! I’m happy !
I’ve escaped from my home again after a four day rest and reset! Madrid in winter is often cold and snow may well be added !
I’m down in Estepona a 7 hour drive away.. funnily enough there was snow on the mountains this morning! My journey down announced overhead “Snow forecast reschedule your journey accordingly!”
Yikes! That just made me drive faster!
Well this place isn’t storm proof and Storm Harry and Storm Irene came to stay too. But there’s warmer rain and blue skies and yes the sun too, at times. I have an adorable cat and dog for company for my two week retreat.
If only I played golf!
The dog is thrilled I’m Into walking though. He thinks golf is highly overrated.
The pool photo has snow on the mountains.. even though the pool was cleaned yesterday I’m not keen on trying it!
This is my second winter in US south. I always start in Los Angeles because my daughter is in school there. Last year I left and spent Jan in Austin, then Gulfport, MS-- great sit, formerly feral cat so just fed it. Weather was great, then I was in FL. I had to be back in Detroit for a dental appointment end of Feb, so that was my limit. This year, I started Dec in Pasadena on a cat sit, then my daughter and I did a holiday sit in San Clemente. Then I was in Huntington Beach for a week, now a month long sit in Tustin. Pool, hot tub. Great weather. From here, I am doing 3 weeks in Scottsdale, AZ on my way back east. So you can get some great winter sits. Start early. I booked my month long sit in Tustin last summer.
That’s great planning and what a pay off! Yes the earlier the better. This last sit of mine isn’t with THS but my reviews got me it. As the Home owners have twins under two they paid for me to get a good night’s sileep after my 7 hour drive at a friend’s Airbnb nearby. That thoughtfulness and consideration was such a great start!
We are both hoping this is one of many sits and I couldn’t be happier.
Lovely people, pets and place! Bingo!
Another nice part of Spain @Highfive is Estepona although it’s been a few decades since I was last there. Used to spend many happy holidays as a kid around that area long with Marbella and Fuengirola.
It was 1c in Madrid at 7.30am this morning when a friend walked his dog in the village he lives near Madrid.
I’ve swapped for warmer rain! Luckily I’m waterproof and am sitting a waterdog. The cat, however, is unimpressed!
How green is your golf course? Not as green as mine!@richten1
I’m a good swimmer so I’m not panicking yet, I’m also on a hill here..
What’s keeping me cheerful? I’ve found some great Home Owners who love what I do and want me back later this year. Costa del Sol sunshine ahead .. at some point, surely?
