MOST EXPENSIVE Campground EVER vs FREE Camping: KEY WEST, FL

Today we set out for Key West, Florida to show you how to go about getting a FREE night stay and we're also going to take you to the most expensive campground we've ever stayed at.

[@kodiakdiaries]

I feel so sorry for you guys having to deal with that terrible view😂😂😂 Awesome video. Can't wait to visit Key West,FL ...!

[@thecumminscamper]

Thank you for the sympathy 😂 it wasn’t an easy view to live with. Super fun time and totally recommend you and Beth going there at some point

[@largemarge1603]

10:16 "We are going to turn around for a better view of the water..." Commercial cut to 'submerged vehicle self-rescue device'. Perfectly perfect.

[@thecumminscamper]

Hopefully your patience with the commercials helps one day put a few dollars in my pocket for the videos. I don’t really like doing the Patreon thing where you gotta ask people to pay you. I’d rather earn money from advertisers

[@SpykersB]

First my mom is french, so any frenchies wanna come at me for saying my two cents, tread cautiously. But yeah i've had two run-ins with travelling frenchies in rv's from? Quebec or over seas? I don't know but they had a chip on their shoulder too! a better than thou rude attitude, so yeah wtf n what hole did they crawl out of? 🤨...lol Secondly, i have the NL 10-2, the doors have a bottom n top window, this summer i backed up to ocean views on BC Vancouver island, (love sitting on my steps btw) one day a storm rolled in, i closed my outside door, sat at my table and i can still see the ocean via the doors n my side window, sit on the bed and i see ocean quite well from both side windows n the door. I had campers on both sides of me but you don't look straight side ways dude! Lol. Even my neighbor said to me, "man u didn't come out for hours!" " i said cause i can see the view pretty good toasty warm inside!" Lol! N that is 100% no bs. So if we ever cross paths u must ask me to show u it ain't that bad. Lol 🍻

[@scrub175]

Subscribed after the friendly frenchies. Love KW, our home away from home. Boyd’s does offer free back in service since the sites are so small and area congested. I couldn’t imagine big rigs backing in there.

[@thecumminscamper]

Hahaha so glad the friendly frenchies remark grabbed your attention. Boyd’s is amazing. They’re a top notch crew. The back in service is really impressive especially when they breakout the machine to move the 5th wheels without a truck. They offered to park our truck camper for us. I kinda giggled at first not understanding how tight these spots are for bigger rigs. What a location they have there!

[@montanaairframer]

When you barhop Duval Street it's called The Duval Crawl by the way.

[@thecumminscamper]

Oh snap that’s a great name for it! Thanks for the comment and for watching🤘

[@garyvickers9474]

Wow, I guess I will mark key west of my bucket list for campgrounds

[@thecumminscamper]

It’s a very expensive place to go for a campground but if it’s only for a night or two we found it to be worth it.

[@mzollnerable]

Great video. guys, thanks...

[@thecumminscamper]

Thank you so much for the kind words! Greatly appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment

[@TravelingKory]

Hi, Guys! Came across your video while searching for Key West campgrounds. I've heard great things about Boyd's. Actually, price doesn't seem too bad for a couple of nights, especially for a holiday. Looks like y'all made the best of it too! Love your rig, music selections and how you took us all along with your "day in the life" portrayal of your stay and experience. Thx much for sharing! 👍😊👍😊

[@thecumminscamper]

Hey y’all, Thanks so much for watching and commenting. We’re really glad you enjoyed the video. Hope you have a great time when you visit Key West! Be sure to subscribe please if you haven’t already for more day in the life videos.

[@davidpisano5862]

Holy smokes that’s expensive! But I guess like you said, weekend and holiday weekend. Thx for showering scene. Got excited for a min there buddy

[@thecumminscamper]

Hahaha I always gotta go back and double check that I didn’t leave myself exposed in any shots. Thanks for watching neighbor!

[@denniskwasnycia1950]

Great video! Wow! that much and they sure get you squeezed in close together. Our Lance 1161 has the bathroom at the back and a side door. Agree, not much for seeing out the back, just side windows.

[@thecumminscamper]

The rear windows is one of the reasons I struggle with the idea of ever getting a different camper although the 1172 has a nice rear window so I could get excited about that.

[@myjavadogs]

What a great time in Key West! Haven't been there in years! Boyds looks great!!

[@thecumminscamper]

Thanks so much for watching and commenting. It was a ton of fun and we’d definitely recommend Boyd’s. Everyone who worked there was super nice.

[@treetopflyersofva2]

Another awesome video!!! Nice to see how the big boys go glamping. Not for me👎. Dispersed 👍. Love how you explained about mid bath truck campers vs rear bath truck campers. I never thought about that. Thanks 🙏 again for taking us with you all on your adventures!!!

[@thecumminscamper]

Dispersed campings the best! We’ve found some recently in the Ocala National Forest which has been gorgeous. Today we’re at our first “hip camp” which feels like dispersed camping but cost $13 a night. Floridas so developed there isn’t much dispersed camping left that isn’t swamp land. Thanks for taking time out of your day to watch and comment. Truly appreciated 👍

[@sheepdogtruckcamper520]

Awesome video buddy.i have tough so many times on getting a scooter. Love the video and definitely looked like money well spent beautiful spot

[@thecumminscamper]

Thanks Ron! You’re gonna love Florida. Keep counting down the days till you’re down in the warm weather

[@sheepdogtruckcamper520]

@@thecumminscamper yes I’m to be at the new dealership for April 1 you’ll always be welcome there

[@thecumminscamper]

@@sheepdogtruckcamper520 thanks brotha!!!

[@MaiaBaybee]

Honey, I roam brought me here but staying & subscribing for the awesome vids!!!

[@thecumminscamper]

Thanks so much! We love those two and get to hang with them again tomorrow!

[@tomwarren6477]

Sweet video. I live in Alaska and Key West is where I want to get to with my truck camper. Love your adventures keep it up👍🏼🍺🍺

[@thecumminscamper]

Thanks Tom for watching! Part of why we wanted to go to Key West was so that when we make it to Alaska and hopefully the arctic circle we can say we’ve been to the southernmost and northernmost places in the USA

[@startlivingagain5705]

Wow. Pricey. But nice location. This is another great video. Good job.

[@thecumminscamper]

Thanks so much for the compliments on the video and for taking the time out of your Sunday to watch. It was definitely very expensive but a super cool way to spend New Year’s!

[@edstein5642]

Other than some shaded spots in the state parks most Keys “camping” appears to be parking lots. I’ll have to be camping by kayak, pirate-style, tenting and hammocking on islands and docks. Take a month & paddle down to Wisteria Island….

[@thecumminscamper]

Heck yea! Now that’s a real adventure!

[@prayforthe_1644]

7:50 i’m sure the rich snobs loved it when you pull along the side of them

[@thecumminscamper]

Thankfully they left and the people who replaced them were super nice and loved our rig.

[@prayforthe_1644]

@@thecumminscamper We camped at fiesta key resort near Marathon because we had the encore package when it was cheap. Had a seven year-old basic travel trailer with no slide outs because that’s all we could afford at the time. Got a great deal. They had a good package for campers but not anymore. Everybody had rigs that were $500,000 and more and look down their nose at us. We didn’t care because money doesn’t define who you are. You seem like awesome people and I wish you were in life.

[@thecumminscamper]

@@prayforthe_1644 money is just a green piece of paper that we can’t take with us after we die. Most people I’ve met with less expensive rigs use them more often and take them to deeper places than the 50k rv folks. Our camper, not the truck, was $8500 when we bought it and have made it into what you see today. I’m a big fan of buy something you can afford and make it into what you want it to be. Thanks for the kind words and for watching the video!

[@prayforthe_1644]

@@thecumminscamper 🎤⬇️🎤⬇️🎤⬇️🎤⬇️

[@prayforthe_1644]

@@thecumminscamper Don’t know how far you go but jetty Park, Lake Louisa State Park two of our favorites in Florida and there’s a family owned campground called “a big wheel a big wheel Rv park” just across the border, which is very nice to camp at full hook ups. Great hole in the wall place to eat nearby is called “ship to shore” precious scallops, and seafood with huge portions There are a lot of things to do here in St. Mary’s Georgia won free museum is a free naval sub museum that has submarine models from World War II to nuclear subs. It is near rivers State Park, but we couldn’t get reservations there. However, this site has full hook up, which is a plus plus plus and a refill propane tank here for $20. The clothes you have the bone yard, which is petrified trees on the beach what a sight!! There is a total/loggerhead rescue center nearby, which is incredible also and this is coming from someone that doesn’t impressed often but thanks to my wife. She expanded my horizons. They have mansions there also that you can go into where Rockefeller, the Goodyear family lived, etc. etc. try to go during Christmas time. Of course you have Cumberland Island and Cumberland Museum, which is free. Also Cumberland Island was a lot of walking and I think the ferry is like 30 bucks ahead. We didn’t seem.of value

[@largemarge1603]

13:49 "This shower, I'd give it an eight out of ten..." Commercial cut to 'hand-held powdered shower scrubber'. Ideally ideal!

[@thecumminscamper]

I wish I only have it a 7 now looking back on all the footage

[@murdiesel]

WoW that was expensive but seemed to be a lot of fun! Great video and thank you.

[@thecumminscamper]

Thanks so much for the compliment on the video and for watching! It was definitely expensive and not something we’d regularly do. Cool to be able to say we’ve driven to the southern most part of the United States. One day we’ll hopefully get to say we went to the northern most place in the US too

[@murdiesel]

@@thecumminscamper I have a 2017 Ram 4dr 4x4 with a NorthStar 850SC on it and eventually going to flatbed myself. Y'all have a great set up and to be able to back up to the water like that is awesome. Up on New Symrna (Lower Southern Daytona) and Daytona you can drive on the beach for the day for like $20 dollars to dusk. Great videos and safe travels.

[@thecumminscamper]

@@murdiesel sounds like a sweet set up you’ve got. I love Northstars. My buddy’s got one and they’re an awesome camper! Hope to catch you out on the road or trails one day

[@edensfamilyadventures2714]

We paid $120/night in Perdido Key, FL in February 2022. It was a nice place and we made friends with 2 other couples that we have stayed in touch with. since. We don't regret it and would stay there again.. Good times! 😊👍🌴🌊

[@thecumminscamper]

Glad y’all were able to make some longtime friends out on the road. We tell people all the time that the best part of being on the road full time is the people you meet

[@jkhelms]

Cool vibe!

[@thecumminscamper]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@jasoncruz3506]

Great to see fellow New Jersey

[@thecumminscamper]

Thanks Jason! Jersey strong 💪

[@sthcstog]

Just found your channel and I am really enjoying it. When will you break out the dirt bike?

[@thecumminscamper]

So stoked that you’re enjoying our channel! Our next video coming out on Sunday will have us using the dirtbike in Big Cypress National Preserve. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment🤘🤘

[@OverlandCitrus]

Hi guys great video love KW been there over 50 times, I camped at Boyds 4 time a year 15 days each time for 10 years big money place but great spot close to down town travel safe

[@thecumminscamper]

Thanks big guy! Was bummed to see you leave Vanfest but I get it, it was hot 🥵 out there. Boyd’s is great. We’d definitely go back there again in the future.

[@nicolejoanne4793]

Love your channel! My partner Paul and I are currently renovating a 2010 Arctic Fox 990 truck camper and we’re so excited to get on the road, we’ve been looking for trucks similar to your setup with a flatbed and storage on the sides but I was curious if you think you absolutely needed your 5500 vs a 3500 dually? Our camper has a slide out and is pretty heavy but we feel like a 3500 would suffice. Since you have experience in it I wanted to know what y’all’s opinion was on it?

[@thecumminscamper]

Nicollllleeee thanks so much for the comment and compliments on our channel. Glad y’all are enjoying it. I would 100% recommend a 5500. Having spent our first 2 years on the road with a 3500 we learned that being overweight happens quickly and then things start breaking. Not sure if y’all have gone all the way back to our Broken Down In Baja series but we killed an axle in Mexico 2 years ago and part of that I attribute to our weight. An arctic fox is an awesome camper but they’re known for being heavier than some other brands. Then you’ll find yourself stuffing your flatbed full of gear, your backseat becomes your garage and before you know it you weigh 16k for a vehicle designed for say 14,500. That was our dilemma. Additionally a 5500 often is the same price as a 3500 as it’s a more specific buyer so there’s less demand in my opinion. Hope this helps!

[@davestevens4263]

Hey I love the hammock set up , whomever designed that we're using there noggin . I'm a fabricator & appreciate all cool designs & builds .

[@thecumminscamper]

A guy name Chris out of Oregon came up with the design and sells them under the brand Adventure Hammock Company. I’ve had this thing for almost 4 years. Great company and a great product

[@OurFulltimeAdventure]

The Keys are super expensive but definitely beautiful!

[@thecumminscamper]

Totally agree y’all!

[@scable-eq7bp]

Very cool video, great content. The music being used at 11:30 in the video sounds like the opening music in the Lucy Thomas Music video "A Whiter Shade Of Pale".........

[@thecumminscamper]

Thanks so much for the compliment on the video and our content. So glad you’re liking the videos and the music. Be sure to subscribe if you haven’t already. We really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment.

[@mrgatorzx]

Honestly, in my opinion, that's not bad price considering it's new years in the keys. It's a vacation,

[@thecumminscamper]

You’re totally right that it’s a vacation so splurge on quality accommodations in a great location! Worth it for sure. It only stung when I heard the price over the phone but then I sat back and realized where and when we were going for our trip. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@ericnunn8856]

Ouch on the cost…. But you have to pay to play Looks like you guys had fun Thanks for sharing 🤙

[@thecumminscamper]

You’re absolutely correct. Gotta pay to play sometimes. No regrets but certainly not something we’d regularly spring for. The rest of our time in the Florida keys was trying to find cheaper places to stay which was few and far between. Thanks so much for watching and commenting! Greatly appreciated that you took time out of your Sunday to watch our adventures.

[@outdoorwreck347]

Nice hammock setup. Where did you find it?

[@thecumminscamper]

Adventure Hammock Systems is the company name. You should be able to get 5-10% off using discount code @thecumminscamper at checkout

[@markgosser9578]

Holy crap, I thought Fenwick Island Delaware was bad at $165.00 a night on the water! We really love though, we are going in July for 10 nights at $1650.00. Last year we had dolphins jump in front of our camper. Plus we have our jet ski with us. Nothing light being on the water.

[@thecumminscamper]

It sounds like you had an amazing experience at Fenwick Island. Sometimes if you want access to a beautiful place, you gotta pay for it via a campground spot. Thank you for watching and for commenting. Are y’all going back to Fenwick Island this year or somewhere different?

[@travelsinseemore]

Much better view backed in! The price....whew! That's EXPENSIVE!

[@thecumminscamper]

Way better view! Couldnt agree more on it being expensive tho! Thanks for watching and commenting. Have a great week. See you next Sunday!

[@The1Towing]

I THINK I SAW YOU GUYS ON THE TURNPIKE!

[@thecumminscamper]

It’s definitely possible! We’ve been in Florida since mid November all over the place. Thanks for watching and for the comment!

[@maxmillion4216]

That was nothing compared to my stay at a Best Western Plus in Moab Utah in late September for $278,00 for one night.

[@thecumminscamper]

How and why?

[@mikesleigher932]

I've been there before, the best deal is monthly... but u gotta book a yr a head of time.. I paid $3500

[@thecumminscamper]

That’s not too shabby for the location! I had heard that Boyd’s monthly rates are pretty fair but I didn’t know how much a month costs. Pretty beautiful place. Thanks for watching our video and taking the time to comment 👍

[@EarthRoamingAdventures]

Ha yep Florida aint cheap but factor in Mexico distance and extra insurance ist not bad for winter camping in cool location

[@thecumminscamper]

I agree! Way less fuel consumed than if we drove to Mexico. Plenty of $10 and free camping also can be found in FL if you look hard enough and wanna live for cheap. Thanks for watching and commenting. New videos coming out at 9am today!

[@williamrizzo1285]

Welcome to the Keys, we live in Marathon.

[@thecumminscamper]

Thank you for the warm welcome!!!

[@danmartin2235]

Awesome video! I want to change my camper to your style, way nicer layout.

[@thecumminscamper]

Thanks so much for the video complement. We love the layout. It’s super spacious. We’ve had a lot of good times with this camper over the last 5 and a half years of ownership

[@mikesleigher932]

Just realize that price can change at anytime

[@thecumminscamper]

For sure

[@ksailor71]

I wish I could rent a man so I could take my son on trips like this. It’s just too dangerous by myself.

[@thecumminscamper]

I think if you stick to well researched, nice campgrounds you can find a safe avenue to introduce yourself into the RV/vanlife world. My Mom did a year as a nomad in a van at age 62 by herself and I can’t think of any sketchy stories from her travels and she stuck closely to campgrounds. We also know a ton of solo female travelers who take lots of safety precautions with great success and only a few sketchy stories. We have a lot of “rules” as to where we’ll go and stay because even as a guy I want nothing to do with a bad situation or a confrontation. Thanks for watching and commenting. I truly hope you can find a way to safely get out there and travel similarly to how we are

[@MayhemRv]

No way I would pay even half that to be packed in like a sardine with views of the neighbors.

[@thecumminscamper]

I don’t blame you one bit! It’s not ideal. Thanks for watching and commenting. Greatly appreciating you taking the time to watch our little adventure

[@breakdownbill1]

Free camping spot cannot come complete without the constantly barking dog😂

[@thecumminscamper]

So true!

[@k1ghz960]

This is not camping, this is stinking up what used to be a nice island.

[@thecumminscamper]

It’s going to be pretty tough to go backwards and make Key West into what it once was so I’ll be happy to enjoy what’s I can of the place despite it maybe not being what it once was

[@geraldrector6170]

Wow the island has got too commercial for my likings. Back in the 70’s it was more relaxed when I’d go down. Progress can be a bad thing just sayin. Never less good video n safe travels.

[@thecumminscamper]

Definitely very commercial. I’d imagine if we compared how most places were back in the 70s to how they are now the synopsis would be that things have all been commercialized. Was the Navy base active back when you visited the keys?

[@geraldrector6170]

@@thecumminscamper seem like the planes were flying some now n then but nothing major. We free camped in a old Ford van. I had a old lazy boy I’d pull out the back when we would pull over beside the bridges n sleep. I think the campground was Captain Rickys we stayed at at Key West. Orange groves were a cool place to pull in and sleep as well up around Titusville.

[@Bubba-wx7lp]

The Keys were cool in the early- mid 70s. Now,pretty much ruined.

[@geraldrector6170]

@@Bubba-wx7lp I agree. I won’t go back. Too much concrete for my likings.

[@rons9197]

Bahia Honda State Park

[@thecumminscamper]

We wanted to go there but it was booked solid. The challenge with the state camp grounds is people book them a year ahead and because the campgrounds are so inexpensive people will book a whole week and only use two days of that week.

[@rons9197]

@@thecumminscamper State of Florida now gives the residents of Florida a Month head start on out of state campers. I would look for last minute cancellations and I booked a year in advance the fulling furnished large tents they set up.

[@davestevens4263]

You walk out of an patriotic American coffeee shop & there's rain bow cross walks wtf . Thanks for the adventure but I'd never pay that much ! Did they hold a gun to you off camera ??? Too many people for me , I'm the off grid remote free camper . Well. It wasn't bad I subscribed y'all seem cool & chill

[@thecumminscamper]

Key West has definitely got some diversity of beliefs. You’ve got the typical Florida conservative crowd mixed with the local Key West flair and tourism crowd. Made for a nice mix of cultures and everyone was having a great time. Tons of people most certainly but it was New Year’s Eve and Day so pretty busy time of year to be there. Thanks for watching and commenting!!!

[@GeorgeStar]

Still lying, crying, pouting, sulking, lying, lying, lying about a stolen election comrade? Grow up, get over it, you lost. - Sloppy Steve Bannon 2016

[@sarahann530]

FREE FOR ME NOT FOR THEE signed Dave

[@largemarge1603]

19:03 Scampers on motorbike, zero protection gear. Commercial cut to 'nursing courses for survivors of traumatic accidents'. . An aside: Some motorcyclists adhere to the slogan: * All The Gear, All The Time (ATGATT). My ancient BMW has 130,000 miles/210,000km, a veteran of rough logger tracks and leisurely expeditions to Ecuador. I tend to over-dress for the potential of a dump. Weird, eh?

[@thecumminscamper]

We are working on getting Marisa gear for our motorcycle so we can safely ride that together. I agree on the risk of riding the scooters without helmets but sometimes I’m too thick headed to use my head

[@largemarge1603]

@@thecumminscamper ... your beautiful head, your thoughtful and considerate head, the head every other spokes-model wishes they had head.

[@SpykersB]

⁠@@thecumminscamperoh did u ever hear about these utubers (my friend followed them) they were in their late twenties i believe, they had a toy hauler, they were on a scooter too! and a vehicle came out of know where kinda thing, flying right at them, killed him instantly n put her in a coma for two weeks. It's always beware of the idiot trying to kill u, wear helmets next time please. 😘🍻.

[@thecumminscamper]

@@SpykersB I’m not sure who they are but that’s some crazy stuff

[@michaelmeyers1827]

That’s terrible

[@thecumminscamper]

Sarcasm?

[@christenuta3743]

Good video just didn't like that you were drinking in KW then road the moped back to the camp. Next time use Uber please.

[@thecumminscamper]

Thank you for the kind advice.

[@tedholvey2271]

That's a RIP-OFF!!! As long as people pay that, they will continue to charge those rates. I visited Key West in 1978, 1982, & 2017. I am so fortunate to have visited then, KW is imploding on itself. KW is being destroyed by TOURISM!!! It's too bad.

[@thecumminscamper]

I mean Key West is and has been largely supported by tourism. If you took away tourism from Key West it would be more likely to implode on itself than with tourism. I think extreme inflation and high demand is the bigger problem here than simply blaming tourism

[@Beardinc]

Typical Quebecois, Trust me us Canadians cant stand them either lol

[@thecumminscamper]

Hahaha we have friends from Canada and traveled through 5 provinces last fall and that was the consensus of everyone we met

[@JimmyVYouTube]

You guys seem cool- Key West was the 1st time I ever paid $350 for a hotel room. Liked and Subscribed

[@thecumminscamper]

Thanks Jimmy! Greatly appreciated that you liked and subscribed! Glad to have you here. Hope to see you go down the rabbit hole of our 2 years of KZbin videos 😂