my issue is with the lodging tax.

Those who have violated the law by not pulling permits or paying lodging taxes are being retroactively charged.  

I am an owner and a property manager for cabins/lodges/lake houses in the Branson area/Lake Tablerock. 

Entry price point is anywhere from $100,000-$150,000 for a 1 bed or studio condo and the sky is the limit for larger 10 bedroom lake view lodges (currently on the market for around $1.6+ million).

Young investor looking  to possibly dip my toe in the water at a rental property that can at least break even allowing me and my young family (16 mo. old and baby on the way) to go for free lodging down to the area 1-3 times per year. 

My question is are we required to get a license through the Florida DBPR as a "transient public lodging establishment"?  

Renting a room at the lodge costs $300 - $600 per night, so renting a camper for $200 - $300 seemed like a no-brainer.Renting the campsite is $99 a night.

Raleigh and Cary for example might be too expensive, so perhaps it would be better to wait on the down payment until you can afford a nice rental property for the long term or even to house hack as suggested.Also, A house hack is when you benefit from others paying your lodging on a owned property.

The EAA fly-in in Oshkosh is an annual airplane event that draws thousands of high income visitors all looking for lodging. 

"A vacation rental is a type of short-term rental that allows a host to offer fee-based lodging at their primary residence without being present on the property e.g. use of the entire home.