Snowbird Lodging

[aaronc879]

I am hoping to go down to Florida for the month of March, maybe a few days on each side of March. Not finding any affordable lodging. Looking for something under $3000 for the month, preferrably well under. Would like to be within a block of the beach but could consider something else for a really good price. Where do people look for lodging that rents by the week or month? Everything I am seeing just has a daily rate with no deal for staying weeks. Or they are asking like $1500+ for a week which isn't realistic for me. I'm just one person and don't need anything fancy. Is it too late to find anything decent? Idea?

 

[Jerry1]

You’re right at the end of their busy season. Very difficult to find anything that would meet your requirements even if you tried to book the month of March for next year. Most “deals” go way ahead of time and are for a minimum of three months (Jan - Mar).

I would like to do just the month of February. Maybe next year we can find someone who wants January and work a deal. Short of something like that, I think you’re going to have to pay up and/or move further away from the beach.

 

[OldShooter]

Are you looking at AirBnB? You can just message a host and ask about weekly or monthly rates. My uneducated guess, though, is that it will only be the more expensive properties that are open for the entire month. You might also try the extended stay hotel type properties. Dull as dishwater but they are set up for the kind of rental you want.

 

[38Chevy454]

Several issues that are making it tough to find what you want:
1. It is still busy season for snowbirds until after March
2. Being close to the beach
3. One month is not really long term for better rates


My suggestion is to look into being bit farther from the beach. Also location wise the E and NE coasts are lower cost than on the W or SW gulf areas. Same for panhandle area is lower cost than W or SW. You could look into Panama City Beach (although spring break may jack up the prices there), Destin, Pensacola on gulf coast. By March the panhandle is warmer and should be nice temps. Some cooler days, but also days into 80s.

 

[aaronc879]

Are you looking at AirBnB? You can just message a host and ask about weekly or monthly rates. My uneducated guess, though, is that it will only be the more expensive properties that are open for the entire month. You might also try the extended stay hotel type properties. Dull as dishwater but they are set up for the kind of rental you want.

I forgot about those extended stay hotels. They aren't as cheap as you would think but i'll check it out. If it's cheap enough that it makes sense to drive to the beach and pay for parking every day then I could do that but it's probably not likely. If I had a bigger vehicle I would just sleep in my car and get a gym membership to shower then paying for beach parking every day wouldn't seem to bad. Unfortunately I have a small sedan and i'm 6'6" so that would be rough.

 

[aaronc879]

Several issues that are making it tough to find what you want:
1. It is still busy season for snowbirds until after March
2. Being close to the beach
3. One month is not really long term for better rates


My suggestion is to look into being bit farther from the beach. Also location wise the E and NE coasts are lower cost than on the W or SW gulf areas. Same for panhandle area is lower cost than W or SW. You could look into Panama City Beach (although spring break may jack up the prices there), Destin, Pensacola on gulf coast. By March the panhandle is warmer and should be nice temps. Some cooler days, but also days into 80s.

I've been looking at Daytona Beach, North Miami area and Sarasota area. I guess i'll check the weather and prices in the panhandle. Never been up there.

 

[braumeister]

I've been looking at Daytona Beach, North Miami area and Sarasota area. I guess i'll check the weather and prices in the panhandle. Never been up there.

Just as an example, take a look at the Fort Walton Beach/Destin area. You could certainly rent a place for a month for $3K or less.

 

[Fermion]

the panhandle stuff is generally pretty cheap. We rented a house in Carabelle that was on a small private lake within 2 blocks of the ocean for $1700 a month. Of course that was in 2016, but I doubt it has gone past $3000.

Amazing amount of black bears in that area...more than I have ever seen in Washington state. No moose though.

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

I guess i'll check the weather and prices in the panhandle. Never been up there.

The Redneck Riviera! It's like a different state compared to where you were previously looking.

 

[rk911]

why don't you look for a park model in an RV Resort? most, at least many, of the snowbirds will start back north in March. park models can be pretty nice. if you go that way look for one with the 'Florida Room' extention.