Florida Keys just too expensive

[USExplorer]

Anywhere where land is constricted by water and/or mountains in a desirable location, you will find sky high prices. Florida Keys, Hawaii, San Francisco, New York City, Santa Barbara, Malibu.

Check the cost of shipping your rig to Puerto Rico, perhaps? Cheap living there for sure. Or just find a cheap place to park it in South Florida and take a puddle jumper over there, bum around with the locals for a couple months.

I also noticed east of Naples on I-75 there is a big grid of dirt roads, part of the sprawling Rural Estates subdivision. South of the expressway, I don't see any houses for miles. You just might be able to hide in the palms and camp out for free. Stealth is the rule in the South; with the lush vegetation in Florida it is a rather easy task unless you have a honking big camper.

 

[poprouge]

If you are authrozied to utilize the military campgrounds, then there are a few inexpensive options even in Key West in Floridia (Key West Naval Air Station, Key West, FL). It's not open to the public and has strict DOD guildelines on who can utilize the grounds typically Active, National Guard, Reservists, Retired, 100% DAV, DoD Civilians, DoT civilians working for Coast Guard, NATO allies on orders to the US. While some veterans fall into one or more of these categories, not all do. I am an authorized veteran (100% DAV), and have a couple of campgrounds that are my go to when in Floridia. For example the Naval Air Station in Pensecola has primitative tent sites for $7 a night. I have access to clean showers, laundry (both of which have AC), and water. With a private beach a few feet away. Been there in July and was fine at night even without AC. There are also common use areas where I can relax and charge up my phone and wifi is typically avail at most of the campgrounds I have been too. RVs typically pay around $25 or so and sometimes they can find weekly and monthly rates. If interested check out http://www.militarycampgrounds.us/

Edit to add: There is actually a van dweller that uses one of the tent sites and pays a monthly rate that works out to be even cheaper. He just pitches a tent for storage and kitchen.

 

[kayell]

I also noticed east of Naples on I-75 there is a big grid of dirt roads, part of the sprawling Rural Estates subdivision. South of the expressway, I don't see any houses for miles. You just might be able to hide in the palms and camp out for free. Stealth is the rule in the South; with the lush vegetation in Florida it is a rather easy task unless you have a honking big camper.

Interesting satellite view on Google maps. That area appears to be in Picayune Strand State Forest https://www.google.com/maps/place/P...0c7098359fd1f90!8m2!3d26.142351!4d-81.5619639

http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Div...ts/State-Forests/Picayune-Strand-State-Forest Primitive camping is allowed. Fee looks to be $10 per night. http://www.freshfromflorida.com/content/download/62942/1443429/FDACS-P-02050.pdf

"Picayune Strand was logged for cypress and pine trees in the 1940s and 1950s. After logging was completed, land in what is now the South Golden Gate Estates Tract was purchased by developers and drained for the construction of what was intended to become the largest subdivision in the world. This area became the setting for the infamous “swampland in Florida” scam. Potential buyers were flown over the land during the dry season and subjected to high-pressure sales tactics. Many lots were sold to people who never saw their land on the ground. Few homes were ever built in the subdivision due to the lack of electricity and high summer water levels. "

I suspect it would be pretty uncomfortable with piles of mosquitos. Lowest precipitation months are Nov to April.

 

[USExplorer]

South FL has a wet and dry season, with our winter being their dry season. Of course mosquitoes are active year round in FL but their numbers exponentially increase in the summer. I visited the Everglades in December, and it was warm but not muggy at all. I didn't see a single mosquito the whole time I was there.

Miami rainfall: June 10 inches, January 1.6 inches.