Vacation Home Rentals Blog

New England and fall go together like a fuzzy sweater and a cup of warm apple cider. And for this picturesque season rich in auburn, golds and browns, wouldn’t it a blast to pack up the SUV for a long weekend in a Maine vacation rental?

Bing Travel named the state as one of its 14 Best Destinations for Fall 2009, and it’s easy to see why. The forests are thick, the towns are as quaint as an Irish accent, what with their antique shops, lakes and wood cabins. And along with its insanely affordable vacation homes, Maine is so serious about its autumn tourism that it tracks color changes on a website called MaineFoliage.com.

Most of the state is in “low mode” right now, meaning that the leaves haven’t hit their gorgeous peak yet.

But don’t wait forever. Before you know it, it’ll be time to pick out a Christmas tree.

While the $8,000 tax credit won’t apply to those of you looking to snag vacation homes (unless of course, this is your first purchase and you intend to use it as your primary residence), the glut of properties available means that there’s still lots of time to close on that cabin of your dreams.

This Tribune Media Services article points to the Midwest–Northern Wisconsin vacation homes in particular–as boasting a hearty supply for potential buyers. Homes aren’t moving fast enough, but if that area interests you, your reserves are strong and you have at least a 25 percent down payment, you can score everything from lake houses to done-up chalets, the story said.

If your vacation style calls for fishing, picnicking and campfires in the remote woods, then there’s no better state than Wisconsin, a year-round escape that prides itself on its lodge lifestyle. Many homes sit on acres of land, sport docks and are fitted inside with pine beams and fireplaces.

It’s time to hear from you. Has your Wisconsin vacation home rental been a sound investment? And to house hunters: What are you looking for in a family getaway? Talk to me on Twitter @checkincheckout.

Just as you would be remiss in not trying a bowl of clam chowder in Boston, a plate of sloppy, hunky barbecue is an obligatory meal during your trip to a Texas vacation rental.

I have it on good local authority that some of the best is at Salt Lick BBQ in Austin, thanks to indoor smokers that tenderize brisket to moist, fall-off-the-bone lusciousness. It’s the kind of TLC that you’re better off leaving to someone else while you stay out of the kitchen.

If you prefer to make your own ‘cue, there’s a gas grill at this Austin vacation home, whose solo photo on the listing makes it all that more intriguing. “The feel is very much a place that Frida and Diego would feel right at home!” and  “a one of a kind place that does its best to ‘Keep Austin Weird’” are vague hints, but there’s nothing to really else to depict what’s in store inside this funky shack.

And yet, something’s telling me that meat grilled or smoked here would taste better than anything at Chili’s.

What do you think? Good enough for a visit?

With two weeks left of summer, is it too early to be pushing for fall bookings?

Of course not.

While no one wants to be reminded that the season of sandcastles is slipping away, it’s the savvy marketer who understands the necessity to pounce weeks ahead. Case in point: The owner of the Vermont vacation home above knows his/her customer–a nature buff–and is offering 15 percent off for a weekly rental between Aug. 30 and Oct. 15.

The five-bedroom home sprawls on 50 acres and connects to the Kingdom Trails network in the Northeastern part of the state. Visitors can bike, hike and watch for the random deer or moose. (Yes, moose.) And if the words fall foliage excite you like a cup of warm cider, you’ll most certainly have to make the most of your camera to capture Mother Nature in all her amber, gold and brown splendor.

Winter rates jump to $1,800 a week from Dec. 15 to April 15–so it does in fact pay to be the early bird.

Just don’t market Christmas in July. Now that’s a real turn-off.

Dear owner of the Connecticut vacation home who wrote The Wall Street Journal to get advice on how to market her property for sale,

List your cabin on vacationhomerentals.com.

It’s an option that will allow you to ride out the stormy housing conditions and build equity in your home–with other peoples’ money. Why sell when you don’t have to? If you do receive a offer, it’s a safe bet you won’t get asking price. (Sorry, but you can’t take it personally given the state of the union.)

The site currently boasts just three Stonington vacation rentals, which would be a boon to your home if the price is right, the photos sparkle and you distinguish why your home is better than the rest. The vacation rental pictured, for example, trumpets its nearness to two private beaches and a ball park, huge selling points for families.

I also second the pointers from the WSJ columnist: Enhance your green areas by planting shrubs and trimming them to adequately showcase the lake, blitz the social media sites and offer incentives to entice renters in the forms of canoes or a free night’s stay.

Most important, if your property isn’t moving on the MLS, it’s time to get it on vacationhomerentals.com.

If your vacation style is somewhere between rural and city, then a Nashville vacation rental may be your best bet for a getaway.

Take the romance of the country and the raw talent of America’s country music capital and you have this city that combines, um, the best of both worlds. (Yes, Miley Cyrus was born in Tennessee.)

The owners of Blue Moon Farm, the vacation home featured, describe their haven like this: “Surrounded by nothing but views of pastoral bliss, rolling hills, gentle hillsides, and antique barns in the vista, all enjoyed from the convenience of your private wrap-around porches, balconies, and pond-side shade patio.”

The house–which has a full kitchen, spa shower and extended movie collection–sits three miles from the highway on a private country lane in Franklin, Tenn. And when you’ve had your fill of serenity, you’re only 30 minutes from Nashville.

Because a stop at the Grand Ole Opry is a foregone conclusion.

The Obamas–Bo included–will be vacationing in a Martha’s Vineyard rental at the end of August. The 28-acre farm rents for $50,000 a week and sports a pool, beach, underground movie theater, golf practice tee and–good thing for Barack–a basketball court.

Am just a wee bit jealous, but aren’t we all?

The president made a good point, though. Just because these are trying times for Americans doesn’t mean he shouldn’t take out quality time to spend with his daughters. In fact, we should all be doing that if we can–slowing down, getting back to each other–and it doesn’t have to involve a $20-million estate.

My vote goes to New York vacation rentals in the Adirondacks. A dip in the database surfaced this  Chateaugay Lake vacation home, which sits right on the water and spoils guests with glimpses of eagles, heron, osprey and moose, lists for a manageable $650 a week through the end of September.

In quiet moments, you’ll sizzle steaks on the grill, drink beer on the deck or fish. Hate sitting down? Get your heart rate going while kayaking or hiking one of the many trails nearby. Another plus: For an additional fee, you’ll be able to take your own pooch on vacation, too.

Just like the Obamas.

See, you’re more like them after all.

No disrepect to my Indiana neighbors, but this Chicagoan, if she had the choice, would be a native Wisconsinite.

Maybe that’s because every since I met my Door County colleague, I’ve secretly wanted to shoot skeet, eat cheese curds, dance polka and down Wisconsin-brewed beers while watching a Badgers game. It’s the kind of pride that refuses to be hidden–just like her accent.

For now, I’d settle for a Wisconsin vacation rental like this Lake Geneva vacation home. It’s a one-tank trip from Chicago (there and back), and easy on the bank account. The Red Cottage rents for $1,200 a week, and is close to Lake Geneva proper, a town brimming with charm, from antique shops to lakefront mansions.

Naturally, the town revolves around the lake so if you like water skiing, boating or fishing, you’ll feel right at home. And if you don’t, well, wander along the 20.6-mile lakeshore trail or catch a ragtime band by the shore (which happens to be this weekend) or sail above the waters on a chartered balloon.

You won’t want to come back down.

Tell us @ checkincheckout on Twitter: What’s the best vacation destination from your hometown for a one-tank trip?

Perched in a cloak of trees away from eavesdropping, judgmental strangers, this Washington vacation rental is exactly the kind of place Edward Cullen and Bella might call their love nest.

It has that Twilight feel, doesn’t it? An air of seclusion.

The one-bedroom cottage is priced a mere $99 a night, one of many last minute vacation rentals on our site. And while it’s not the modern chalet that the Cullen family has decked out with expensive art and designer furniture, it’s not shabby either. Check out the cathedral windows and deck.

You could have your morning coffee out there, grill steaks or read the latest installment of the popular Stephenie Meyer’s series.

Or you could do what two humans do while alone in the woods. Hint: It has nothing to do with singing campfire songs.

Let me qualify: All vacation home owners are hot for renters, but apparently the owners of Wisconsin vacation home rentals and Michigan vacation rentals are having an especially challenging time selling those homes, according to Crain’s Chicago Business. What that could mean for you: Great deals on getaways.

And in a twist of irony, folks are turning to the bustling Midwest metropolis–Chicago–to purchase their second homes, The New York Times reports.

A vast supply of condos priced just right plus a cultural explosion in the Windy City equals buyers.

Makes sense. But personally–and take this with a grain of sand because I’m a Chicagoan–I’d rather be spending my vacation in a log cabin or on a crescent-shaped beach in Hawaii.

But heck, I’d take Wisconsin any day.