Vacation Home Rentals Blog

Flashback: Early 80s, me–decked out in an eyelet dress and Mary Janes–scurrying up Mt. Trashmore with my pastel wicker basket. At least two other dozen kids raced up the mountain for those jelly bean- chocolate-filled goodies, giggling as our moms and dads stumbled through grass and dirt to make sure we came out better than Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.

It’s an annual tradition in Virginia Beach I hope to one day share with my own children. Maybe next year, I’ll get my act together and rent a Virginia Beach vacation home for the weekend.

While I enjoy living in a big city and all the spoils that come with it–hello, foie gras cupcakes and an 18-mile lakefront–there are some things that just don’t compare to my hometown:

1. Hunky blue crabs plucked from the Chesapeake Bay
2. An hour’s drive to my favorite amusement park, Busch Gardens, where rides and “villages” pay tribute to Europe
3. A 5 percent sales tax (I pay 10.25 percent in Chicago, the highest of all major American cities.)
4. A lively boardwalk that hosts festivals all summer long (A local fave is the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival, a collection of 35 events topped off by the Boardwalk Weekend from Sept. 25 to Sept. 27, where thousands of revelers flock to the city for sandcastle competitions, surfing, food and hundreds of arts and crafts exhibitions.)
5. In-ground pools in my neighbor’s backyard

Because the idea of having to shower before and after entering a public pool grosses me out.

There’s no place like home.

When any publication releases its “hit lists,” my first reaction is to scan for my city (Chicago), then shake my head in agreement or reach with pure disdain (like the time Forbes.com named the Windy City as one of the most miserable places to live in the U.S.–a link that was heavily circulated in my Facebook network, and by a New Yorker no less.).

This week, Prevention magazine got it right with its report on the 25 Best Walking Cities. Not only were the obvious on the list (San Francisco, New York and Chicago–yay!), but medium-sized towns earned spots, too (Minneapolis, Columbus, Rochester).

Because the “winners” always get play, I’d like to focus on the bottom five, and why you’d want to pack your New Balances while vacationing there. Oh, and that picture above, that’s Seattle, which ranked No. 7. Who wouldn’t want to walk along that copper-hued horizon?

25. Tuscon
Prevention loved its user-activated pedestrian lights. Find your Tuscon vacation home here.

24. Sacramento
Sac-town is lauded for participating in PARK(ing) Day, where the city temporarily transforms parking lots into green spaces. Find your Sacramento vacation rental here.

23. Austin
Along with a killer live music scene, Austin boasts 50 miles of scenic paths. Scope out our Austin vacation homes now.

22. New Orleans
Those wrought-iron fences, historic mansions and colorful locals are worth racking up your pedometers. Scan our New Orleans vacation homes.

21. Columbus
A city without at least 10 parks is shameful. Columbus has hundreds, including one that recreated the famous Seurat painting, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.” Beat that.

No, the photo isn’t Six Flags, but the property owner of this Lake George vacation home assures us it’s 30 minutes away from Six Flags Great Escape Lodge & Indoor Water Park. So you can go canoeing and hit the roller coasters–a win-win.

While Disney World and Disneyland are making it sweeter to visit this year, all the extras–airfare, car rentals, etc.–may not make either an affordable option for your family. Have you thought of Plan B?

Take a road trip to a nearby Six Flags theme park. With attractions in 11 states, there’s bound to be a Six Flags within driving distance. From California vacation homes to New Jersey vacation rentals, lodging is plentiful and a lot more comfortable than that 300-square-foot hotel room that’s been dubbed a “suite.”

If you can swing it, purchase a season pass to maximize those dollars for unlimited trips, free concerts and special events and private access days. Pack a cooler with food, too. My most bitter moment last summer was walking out of Six Flags Great America and noticing all the folks who’d been smart enough to eat in the parking lot. Four hamburgers, four fries and $50 later–for lunch, no less–that image stung.

Oh well. At least we had fun at the park.

Just like it wasn’t fair to count the Michigan State Spartans out of the NCAA title, It wasn’t fair to write off Michigan vacation homes as worthy escapes. Just look at the log cabin beauty above. Wouldn’t you rather be there than in a padded cubicle?

And Michigan needs us right now. The collapse of the auto industry has pummeled the state economically, leaving locals without jobs and homes. Thank goodness for the championship game and all the millions of dollars it will pump back into Detroit.

Beyond the college hoops showdown, however, the state will need our help … so before you default to the Jersey Shore or Florida for the umpteenth time, consider your neighbors in the Midwest. From quiet Upper Peninsula vacation rentals to Lake Michigan vacation homes, your haven can come in many forms: cabins, cottages, chalets, whatever your getaway style.

Grab your six pack of Old-Style and don’t forget to download Kid Rock’s love letter to the state–”All Summer Long”–to put you in the Michigan mood. But please, leave your Budweiser bikini at home.

The Tarheel State has a lot more going for it than its boys in Carolina blue: It’s a great place to vacation with the family.

From North Carolina vacation rentals on the coast to mountain cabins, the state appeals to tripsters seeking the comforts of roomy verandas and cozy fireplaces. If you’re looking for glitz, this wouldn’t be the place to escape, which is perfectly fine when you’ve graduated from velvet ropes to diaper lounges.

If the cottage above catches your eye (And why wouldn’t it, priced at only $133 a night through the first week of May), you’ll be discovering one of North Carolina’s best-kept secrets: Topsail Island, a sleepy beach community where board shorts and tank tops are the uniform and friends meet at a neighborhood pool.

But the owner described it best.

“Close your eyes and feel the warm summer breeze caress your face as you listen to the wind and the rhythmic rumble of the breaking waves, the scream of a gull as he dives for a minnow, the laughter and splashing of the children in the surf.”

If that doesn’t say family vacation, I don’t know what does.

Recognize that skyline?

It’s none other than balmy San Diego, home to miles of coastline, days of sun and a zoo that Kung Fu Panda would envy.

Speaking of the zoo, it’s a bastion for gorillas, polar bears, flamingos, exotic birds and Cuban rock iguanas (which suddenly occurred to me would make for a great band name). Hundreds of creatures roam freely thanks to the numerous cageless exhibits. Lush botanical gardens filled with rare and endangered plants (flytraps, neato) underscore the venue’s commitment to to conservation.

On May 23, the zoo will usher in its Elephant Odyssey habitat that will walk visitors through the Pleistocene period complete with fossils and life-sized statues of American lions that inhabited Southern California 12,000 years ago. Seven elephants will be on hand to offer that real-life lesson in zoology that no Disney flick can capture, even if yes, Jack Black’s animated alter ego is pretty cool.

Get back to Mother Nature. Reserve your San Diego vacation home and go to the zoo.

Much to the detriment of this blogger’s aching fingertips, Check-In, Check-Out has given in to Twitter. Follow me at checkincheckout, and I’ll follow you, too. (Yes, I did use first and third person in the same sentence.)

If it means getting the word out about your dream California vacation home or that Florida vacation rental you thought you couldn’t afford, I’m up for the tweet.

With this invitation comes one request, however.

Do not tweet while on vacation. It isn’t cool nor does it make you look better to all your friends. Secretly, they hate you–and especially if you’re writing about sunsets like the one above.

Leave the gloating for your Facebook page.

I definitely risk bodily harm by making the following statement: Last baseball season, one set of fans showed just as much heart as those in my adopted hometown of Chicago: The Tampa Bay Rays’. But I’ll have to give it to ‘em, the Rays made a go in 2008, and it was refreshing to see the youngins reach the playoffs–despite the fact that some of the food at Tropicana Field leaves much to be desired. (Bloomin’ Onions, really?)

Because baseball is so personal and to reduce my exposure to any more fallout, I limited these picks to three. That, and because I’m not all that into sports. Now the people watching and hot dogs and beer I love.

Here are my pitches in no particular order.

1. Tampa Bay
It is spring in Florida, which means some of the best weather in Tampa Bay. 80s during the day, 60s at night. Who could argue with that? Plus, from a St. Petersburg vacation home, you can watch the sun set into the purply pink horizon. Baseball in true warm weather is great, but being able to dip your toes into the pool afterward is heaven.

2. San Francisco
Boston may have its Green Monster, but AT&T Park won the 2008 Sports Facility of the Year by Sports Business Journal and Sports Business Daily. Makes sense. The home of the Giants spoils fans with views of the Bay Bridge. Just lovely.

3. New York
It’s easy and cliche to hate on the Yankees, but this year marks the momentous opening of a new stadium on April 16. (Not to leave you Mets’ fans out either. I know you’re also getting a fantastic park on April 17.) Either way, a trip to New York is not time wasted, especially if you have spring wardrobe shopping to do. Park yourself in a Manhattan vacation rental, then drop dad off at the game so you can focus on your favorite pasttime: scooping up new labels. Think of it as your own fantasy league, trading old labels for newer, more expensive ones for a look that wins.

Let’s play ball!