A drive through the New England countryside may be your fall ritual, but this year, why not shake things up a bit? After all, how many times have you seen brown leaves? (Every time you have to rake them, no doubt.)

Wander through Taos, N.M. and you’ll feel as if you walked into an Ansel Adams image.  The Sangre de Christo Mountains, Spanish for blood of Christ, stand majestically above this gorgeous city, where travelers plan getaways around hiking, biking and collecting art. In fact, the city reportedly tempts with more than 100 galleries just in case you’re looking for that perfect landscape painting to hang in your living room or turquoise pendant to wear with next summer’s peasant dress.

New Mexico vacation rentals are every bit as enchanting with their adobe-style construction. The one pictured, which rents for $1,200 a week through the end of the year, is a beauty with high ceilings, sizeable windows for mountain viewing and a kiva fireplace. Some homes bear the vigas(beams) common in many Indian villages.

So while this may not be Martha Stewart’s idea of a fall vacation, it could be yours.

Don’t forget the camera.

VacationHomeRentals.com is wealthy in choices for Seattle vacation rentals, but the contemporary cabin above had me at the deck.

The two-bedroom, two-bathroom chalet (just $1,000 a week through Dec. 31, 2010) isn’t too large or too small, and easily blends rustic charm (look at that woodwork and wall of windows in the living room) with modern trappings. Read: It’s the perfect vacation home for those who appreciate Mother Nature, but don’t care to pitch a tent for two weeks.

For travelers like me, that could mean taking a boat out on Lake Kachess, where we’d spend the day angling for trout, but returning to the lovely confines of a stainless steel kitchen to grill it.

A rougher I’m not.

You feel me?

For this Jamaica vacation home, I’ll let the user reviews do the talking.

Mike: “I can not think of a better way to spend time in ocho rios than in your home with millestte and lindo. Everything was great,including the food and service.”

Debby: “Once we got the hang of the buying the food to cook (wished we had done that from the start ) we couldn’t get enough of Millie’s cooking.”

Marsha: “For the price of the villa compared to what you pay at the all inclusives, you can’t miss. The villa has an amazing view of the glorious sea, with loads of space … ”

I’m a die-hard fan of the all-inclusive package, regardless of whether it’s a Caribbean vacation rental or Mexico vacation home. If you’re like me, sure, a kitchen at your property is a bonus, but it’s also the last place I want to be unless it’s for firing up the blender for mixed drinks.

Incidentally, the home above includes breakfast and dinner in the price, so you’ll have to fend for yourself for at least one meal.

Who cares, though? You’ll be happy to give Millicent a break while you’re splashing around Dunns River Falls and swimming with Flipper’s cousin at Dolphins Cove.

Like it or not, we live in a world driven by user reviews, a place where everyone’s a critic. From toys to cookware to vacation homes, consumers always have something to say.

Under those star ratings are nuggets of information that will help users determine where to spend their money. Sometimes the reviews are informative and positive, others humorous and brewing with revenge. As vacation home owners, you have the power to position your listing in a great light by encouraging past renters to share their experiences online. On the other side, former renters are doing future customers a service by providing insider tidbits to arm folks with more knowledge make an informed decision.

Look closely and you’ll be glad for previous customers who had the courtesy to make their reviews public:

1. Kissimmee vacation townhouse
“Just be sure to buy toilet paper and paper towels, we had to make a quick run to the store for those handy-dandy items. Overall, we enjoyed our stay at the home, it was very comfortable and felt like a home away from home.” A vacation without those essential paper products is no time to relax at all.

2. Puerto Rico vacation villa
“These units provided a safe, perfect setting location for my 15 kids and grandkids to celebrate my wife and I’s 50th wedding anniversary.” Props to this man for bringing 15 kids and grandkids on vacation in the first place … and all the way to Puerto Rico.

3. Park City vacation chalet
“But the best part for me was the fact that the master bedroom was far enough away from the family room that the noise of four boys never bothered us once!” A parent’s wish granted: Peace and quiet.

4. Big Island vacation rental
“One last note: the grounds of the complex were so quiet and peaceful. The pool was always relaxing. The exercise room was always available. No crowds to fight here. In contrast, on the day we went to the Hilton Waikoloa Village for our little girl to swim with the dolphins, we couldn’t believe how hectic and noisy and crowded it was. We were so happy to get back to our peaceful paradise. So many of those resorts are like zoos (We referred to the Hilton as the ‘Hell-ton’).” Hell-ton, that’s a good one.

5. Manhattan vacation rental
“It was pleasure to stay in Jonathan’s apartment! Very good location, near the center of Manhattan, about only 15 minutes by bus. The apartment was very clean and nice and there was a clean shower available. We enjoyed staying with Jonathan who is a great and handsome (ladies!!) host and very friendly! ” Nope, it certainly doesn’t hurt when your host is hot.

To all you Notre Dame fans whose blood runs gold and blue, here’s an Indiana vacation rental as big as your heart for the Fighting Irish.

The five-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath home was designed for generations of Notre Dame devotees, with space for up to 18 neighbors, in-laws, parents, grandparents, co-eds and anyone else who seeking a fall pigskin weekend.

The house is very collegiate and athletic in feel–just check out the sprawling indoor basketball court and pool, plus another outdoor tennis court. The home also sports an outdoor pool, which may or may not get any use unless you like freezing your patooty off in mid-October. (Hey, if there’s a case of Old Style to be won on a dare, why not?)

The sports-centered family or groupies who rent this Mishawaka vacation home will be grateful that it’s only 15 minutes away from Notre Dame Stadium. And when you’re done cheering for the team, you can go home and relax in the sauna or hot tub.

Or simply watch more football on the tube.

Whatever you choose, the home looks like a perfect way to spend the season.

We’ve all heard of babymoons, the getaway couples take as expecting parents. What’s the name of the vacation for couples wanting to get pregnant?

For me, all it took was a little Don Julio and an all-inclusive Mexican resort called Moon Palace. I can definitely vouch for the pure bliss of this Cancun vacation spot because I stayed here for five nights.

What makes me miss this place:

The swim-up bars: There are two, with seats planted into lagoon-style pools for you to take shots directly from servers who pour the liquid into your mouths. (Suddenly, you feel like you’re on Spring Break again.)

The food: 10 on-site restaurants with yummy Mexican buffets, Italian, burgers and more.

The club: If you wanted to, you could drink here all night. The music is a groovable mix of familiar hip-hop, pop and Spanish dance. When we were there two years ago, the hot track was Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina.” Lemme tell you: Tequila and “Gasolina” go down well.

For this particular Mexican vacation, a VIP membership secures access to all the Palace Resorts’ Five-Star properties, including Aventura Spa Palace Resort, Cancun Palace Resort, Sun Palace Resort, Playacar Palace Resort, Cozumel Palace Resort and others. The studio sleeps four – complete with a hot tub in the room.

And for you golfers, check out the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course or try the 72 par Playacar Palace Resort Golf Club. I was too hungover to go myself, but adventurers would enjoy the scuba lessons arranged by the hotel staff.

Honestly, though, if you never left the property, you would still have an amazing trip, and perhaps even a token to remember it by.

Her name is Eliana, and I blame the Don Julio.