Vacation Home Rentals Blog

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I couldn’t make this one up: Free companion airfare when you book a flight to Canada on United between now and July 5.

For real.

You’ll have to travel between July 5 and Sept. 30 of this year, but for one gratis seat, why wouldn’t you seize the opportunity for a romantic getaway?

Next up on your spontaneous agenda–if that’s even possible–is finding a Canada vacation rental. The rose-covered property above calls Niagra-on-the-Lake home, an oasis near–where else, but the Falls–for couples who share a love of wine, horses and watching sunsets over Lake Ontario.

Tour local wineries by day, then retire to your patio by the water’s edge.

It’s the stuff of growing old together.

If you’re traveling for Independence Day, hopefully you’ll see more than the inside of this Boston vacation rental.

The city kicks off a week of festivities during Boston Harborfest, an annual celebration catering to all ages, including tall-ship sailing adventures, Beacon Hill walking tours, Boston Chowderfest, whale-watching excursions, the reading of the Declaration of Independence and fireworks cruises. While some towns are lucky to have a parade, Boston hosts more than 200 events during this extravaganza.

If your schedule can fit it in, stroll the narrow streets of Little Italy, a neighborhood rich in history that is the base for the b&b pictured above and just happens to be the old stomping grounds of one silversmith called Paul Revere.

It doesn’t get any more patriotic than that.

If you’re the type of executive whose work week involves multiple days away from your family, then the last place you want to retire after a tough meeting with clients is a lonely, generic hotel room. If you’re single, well then that’s another story.

If I was in my 20s, I’d be loving duties that would take me to cosmopolitan places like New York, Los Angeles and the king of nightlife: Miami.

You’ll spend the first part of the week wheeling and dealing in your BCBG suit, then extend your weekend sampling the spicy scenes South Beach has to offer. (Or do what I love: Shopping the stores along Lincoln Road.)

The Miami Beach vacation rental above sits prettily in the Sanctuary, a quiet boutique hotel that suits singletons and married professionals and is just two walking blocks from the Atlantic and Lincoln Road. You’ll be in awe of all its high-end amenities, from the steam shower with a rainfall head to the sleek kitchenette fitted with a wine cooler and espresso machine. So even if you are lonesome for your kids, a dip in the rooftop pool will help. And if it doesn’t, let the chefs at the on-site Ola restaurant seduce your taste buds with luscious Latin ceviche, garlicky crab and saffron-crab potato puree. There’s also a spa–What hotel name Sanctuary wouldn’t have one?–for freshening up that dehydrated skin.

Need a place closer to the action? Check out more South Beach condo rentals on our site.

This strip of beach landed in my vacation scrapbook–if only for one night.

My brother-in-law and his girlfriend planned a stay there for the whole fam: me, my husband and two girls. The adults sipped Coronas (Public drinking is allowed on the beach, but not in parking lots, per city ordinance.), sunbathed, ate fresh Florida grouper at Scully’s at John’s Pass and enjoyed fresh frozen custard on the “boardwalk.” The little ones swam for the first time in the Gulf and spotted a few dolphins.

On Friday morning, we hit the strip of souvenir shops across the street, where I picked up a teal maxi dress and bikini, along with an acrylic “Madeira Beach” magnet emblazoned with a purple pink sunset, dolphins and palm trees. Hey, you have to go home with some Florida kitsch.

My only regret: That we didn’t have more time to book a Florida vacation rental for the week.

Next time.

It doesn’t surprise me one bit that this week the terms “Chicago vacation rentals” came up high in search results. The city pumped its collective fist since the mercury broke 80 degrees, which wasn’t that long ago. We have a lot of partying to catch up on.

Earlier this month, I saw folks in outerwear. (Trench coats and the like, but it was too chilly to bust out the sundresses.)

But the weather heated up just in time for Grant Park–home to that other ginormous celebration in August, Lollapalooza–to host the Taste of Chicago (June 26-July 5), an annual buffet of the city’s best eats, from giant turkey legs to Eli’s Cheesecake.

Tourists will be struck by how clean Chi-Town is, how friendly its people are and how good it feels here in the summertime. Chicago in June is like that first beer you crack open at a ballgame or the first time you fire up that grill. You can’t be help but smile. After surviving subzero temps, we “earn” the chance to lay out at Oak Street Beach, drink alfresco at numerous neighborhood festivals, have mimosas on the patio of the Kerryman and ride our bikes down to Promontory Point. We suggest you out-of-towners do, too, and quick.

Who knows how long these balmy days will last?

So hurry up and find your vacation home already.

What are you doing the week of Aug. 23-31? I don’t know either. But if I had $2,400 and 11 friends, relatives or nice neighbors, I’d take a trip to the Texas dream house above.

Galveston vacation rentals are behemoth homes equipped for the largest of broods. Multiple bedrooms, living areas, game rooms, several pull-out sofas, decks on several levels and roomy carports are commonplace to keep the peace, guests spread out and with access to the stunning sunsets along the Gulf Coast.

And while Galveston may be a popular cruise port, I like the idea of being docked in a spacious vacation home over cramped cruiseline quarters any day. What if you fell out with your neighbors? At least you can escape. As big as they are, ships can be confining.

While in Galveston, there’s lots to share with your family, from The Strand downtown to fishing to Schlitterbahn Water Park to Restaurant Row. Visit the Texas Seaport Museum, where you’ll ooh and aah at the 1877 tall ship Elissa and other historic ships.

The boats will make you marvel at the picturesque, waterfront setting, but I’ll bet at the end of the adventure you’ll be happy to be on dry land with thoughts of grilling steak and shrimp on the deck of your vacation home never far behind.

And if you’re really a boat lover, you’ll bring your own down to Galveston. There’s a private boat dock and fish cleaning station at your back door.

Sa-weet.

So I’m back from vacay four shades darker, my wallet a little emptier, my body a lot lighter from the 100 degree temps, but boy, I can’t wait to get back.

A week in Tampa Bay, Fort Myers Beach and Madeira Beach did the soul good. While I had the accommodation hookup with friends and relatives, next year we’re talking about renting a Fort Myers Beach vacation rental just to stay in one place. You know how it is. When people know you’re in town, the brewskies never stop flowing and the gas grill sizzles a lot of burgers. Couple that with a wedding, a kid’s birthday and Father’s Day and it was non-stop action.

I need a vacation from my vacation.

Among the highlights in Fort Myers Beach:

Pina coladas at my friend’s wedding reception.
Scallop scampi and grilled grouper sandwiches at the Yucatan.
Shopping for a tankini at San Carlos Boulevard.
Having the sense not to arrive early to join friends at SOB.

Four words: Double shots of Patron.

No thank you. I’m proud of my wimp status.

Note to Caribbean vacation home owners: When posting your property, go heavy on the blue.

Even if you’ve never actually been, the first image that comes to mind is those sparkling, tempting waters. Reinforcing that idea is never a bad thing.

And now, the dream could be closer to reality as occupancy rates have plummeted dramatically on some islands, where tourism has fallen by the double digits, reported Tribune Media Services.

I don’t know about you, but I’d always kept the Caribbean in the column of “wouldn’t-it-be-nice-to-visit-if-i-had-the-money” destinations, a place for honeymooners and wealthy families who did super fancy things like yachting, snorkeling and scuba diving. Of course, I’m just a kid from the suburbs of Virginia Beach. My idea of vacay is crabbing off Chick’s Beach.

This is certainly great news and fuels my fire to find the perfect Virgin Islands vacation rental for me and my family.

We just have to get through the Florida vacation first.

If there’s an upside to the recession, it’s the bargain pricing for Maine vacation homes.

Property owners normally slammed with bookings are slashing rates to snag travelers in search of that quintessential New England holiday spent eating lobster, combing private beaches or jumping into pristine lakes. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be doing that still, especially with prices for rentals like the one above set at an affordable $875 a week.

Divvy up the cost with two other couples or one other family with two kids, and you’ll likely have money left over from your trip.

Because where else will you spend your dollars?

People who frequent these parts tend to appreciate the simpler things in life anyway: barbecues under the stars, lounging on inner tubes, watching closely for local wildlife.

And I don’t mean your Uncle Jared’s hairy back.

It’s advice I’m always dishing out but never taking: Go on vacation.

So for once, I’m doing it. I’m checking out. For a week, I’ll be sunning on Clearwater Beach and scoping out the Florida vacation rentals of my dreams from the top down in a Chrysler Sebring convertible. Maybe I’ll coerce my friend to take me on her boat. Because that’s what folks do in the Sunshine State.

And while it may be tempting, I will not tweet or update my Facebook status while enjoying said activities.

Now that would just be rude.