Vacation Rentals Blog

September 29, 2007. When Forbes Traveler dished on the playgrounds of billionaires, we noticed something: VacationRental.org has places at those destinations. So if you're wanting to vacation like a billionaire, here are some places to check out:

Palm Beach – Celebrity rich people such as Donald Trump, Andre Agassi and Vera Wang continue a tradition that was begun in the 1920s. Palm Beach has fine sands, nice restaurants and chic shopping. And it's close to Miami. If you're regular folk, you can hire a charter boat and go deep-sea fishing. If you're a billionaire, you can hop in your yacht anytime and buzz down to the Caribbean.

Nantucket – Fidelity Investments billionair Abigail Johnson is among the social leaders of the rich on this quaint New England island. As one person put it, it's the kind of place where you can feel equally at home attending cocktail parties in an evening gown or a beachside barbecue in jeans.

Aspen – This Colorado mountain town is a second home for Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell, Inc. As Forbes put it, one can see "corporate moguls, movie stars, Internet titans and bona fide cowboys" mingle here. It's a great year-round spot, with epic skiing, fall colors, and great golf and outdoors recreation.

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September 27, 2007. When of the first things you may search for when staying in a luxury vacation rental is a local museum. These monuments to natural and cultural history feature not just exhibits, but escapes. We can imagine life in another era, ponder deep questions about our existence, or just find a place to think with some peace and quiet.

Forbes Traveler recently ranked the Top 25 Museums in the country. You won't find a local history society tucked into a schoolhouse; these are the big ones. But the diversity is a welcome sign – everything from art to nature to industry to history made the list.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Smithsonian Air and Space Museum – Washington, D.C.,might be the capital of museums, as well. In a city with so many great galleries, this is one of the most impressive. You'll walk away with a new respect for the wonder of flight and the ingenuity of mankind.

Metropolitan Museum – New York City is a multicultural mecca, and the Met features art from all over the world. It's also fitting that America's largest city is also home to the country's largest art museum. You'll need more than just one day to appreciate this behemoth.

Pacific Science Center – Located in Seattle, the Pacific Science Center gets credit for its broad appeal. It gets top grades for kid-friendly exhibits, too. Check out the Puget Sound Model and Saltwater Tide Pool for a very interesting lesson.

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September 26, 2007. If you haven't reserved a luxury vacation rental for the leaf peeping season, now is the time to do so. In recent weeks, we've highlighted some great spots on the East and West coasts. Of course, we haven't come close to covering them all, so here are some more suggestions:

The Ozarks – The plateaus and canyons of the Ozarks are chock full of scenic vistas from which to view the changing hues. Best of all, you can pair your trip with some fishing in the Buffalo or White rivers, or a catch some entertainment in Branson, Missouri.

The Poconos – With its more famous rivals in New England getting all of the attention, the Poconos are often overlooked. The hardwood forests in these Pennsylvania mountains have plenty of brilliant autumn colors of their own, however. The small towns along the scenic highways also offer plenty of dining and antiquing opportunities. Addition fun includes the Pocono Raceway, whitewater rafting on the Lehigh River, and several fantastic golf courses.

Georgia Mountains – Georgia's share of the Appalachian mountains are located in the northern part of the state, but as far south as these mountains are, you can be sure they are soon to approach peak season. The best place to soak in the fall colors is atop 4,784-foot Brasstown Bald, the state's highest peak. The Appalachian Trail, which begins at Springer Mountain, also has some great scenic overlooks.

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September 25, 2007. What are you going to do during your next stay at a luxury vacation rental? One family, on a recent trip, decided to do some bonding by hiking to the top of a mountain.

The Chicago Tribune published a thoughtful story by the mother, with photos by the father. They were driving their daughter to college, and worrying about the separation and the challenges their child might face. So, in a symbolic gesture of obstacles overcome, everyone stopped in the Adirondacks for a group summit of 3,524-foot Crane Mountain.

Along the way, they face brutally steep trails, dehydration, and poorly marked trails. But in the end, they make it, and the family bond grows tighter as a result.

Consider a challenge on your next trip. Maybe you want to shave a few points off your handicap with a week of golf in Palm Springs. Or perhaps learn to ski a black diamond on your next Colorado ski vacation. Whatever the test, you will be glad you at least tried.

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September 21, 2007. Sometimes, those destinations off the beaten path can be the most rewarding. We thought we'd compile a list of places you might have forgotten about, or perhaps never heard of…

Red River Gorge, Kentucky – Sandstone bluffs, arches, overhangs and other rock formations create a fantastic landscape in this little slice of the Bluegrass State. The Red River Gorge Geological Area has some of the best hiking in the state. A chair lift at Natural Bridge State Park whisks visitors to the top of one of the largest rock bridges in the country. Nearby outfitters also offer rock climbing lessons, canoeing and horseback rides.

Western Pennsylvania – A variety of surprises are hidden away in the hills of Western Pennsylvania. Hidden Valley Ski Area offers winter getaways, while the Golf Club at Hidden Valley draws summer patrons. Architect Andrew Lloyd Wright's most famous house, Fallingwater, welcomes visitors. And a tour of the Glades Pike Winery will almost certainly see you leave with a few souvenirs.

Bend, Oregon – Nestled at the base of the Central Cascades, this small college town has become a hip enclave for artists, California refugees and outdoorsy types. By day, choose from any outdoors pursuit you can imagine, from golf to hiking to fly fishing. In the evening, sample the local microbreweries and go shopping in the surprisingly large downtown district.

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September 20, 2007. Part of the fun of booking a luxury vacation rental is researching your destination online. The tasks of travel arrangements, check-in times, etc., can be a little more odious. A new online organizer could make your next trip a little more fun and a little more organized at the same time, according to the MSNBC travel writer Rob Lovitt .

TripIt is an online tool that replaces the manila folder full of printed confirmations. As you make reservations online, you email your confirmation to TripIt. The website then compiles that info into "a single master itinerary complete with pertinent destination information."

"For example, I recently booked a trip to San Francisco using frequent flier miles on United.com, a coupon on Dollar.com and the luck of the draw on Hotwire.com. When I forwarded my confirmation e-mails to TripIt, the Itinerator organized them in chronological order and added date-specific weather data, local maps and driving directions between the airport and my hotel."

Other Web tools Lovitt reviewed in his column include Mapplets, from Google Maps, a user-friendly features that makes it easier to create mashups; OrbitzTLC Travel Update, a real-time, user-generated resource for travel conditions; and a new feature on the social networking site Facebook that adds GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinates to you profile so your friends and family know where you're located.

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September 19, 2007. Flying has long been a common mode of travel, whether traveling on business or going to a luxury vacation rental. Recently, however, flying has been blamed as a culprit in global warming, because of the high amounts of pollution created during flight.

That has spawned a new program called "carbon offsets," a voluntary system in which participants pay a company to invest in projects that will offset their flight's carbon dioxide emissions. According to a Budget Travel Online article, however, not all carbon offset programs are created equal.

Take a trip from Massachusetts to Los Angeles, for example. Two different programs calculated two different costs to offset the carbon emissions of such a trip. One cost $10 while the other cost $65.

Budget Travel recommends asking a few questions:

How are donations used?

Are results guaranteed?

Is there a seal of approval?

Do you have a pet cause?

Critics charge that carbon offsets might create the illusion that consumers are buying a "pardon," but supporters say the programs support carbon-reducing projects, from tree-planting to renewable energy projects.

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September 17, 2007. As the steamy Las Vegas summer gives way to the perfect temperatures of fall, winter and spring, now is the perfect time to think about luxury vacation rentals. The Dallas Morning News has a good take on the city, with alternative ideas to the Strip.

Not that there's anything wrong with the Strip. The lights, the action, the frenzied pace, and, of course, the gambling. The restaurants, the shopping and the entertainment. But for many, a rental by the Strip offers just as many opportunities. If you like to golf, for example, you don't want to be stuck among the high-rise casino-hotels.

This glitzy town is also surrounded by incredible natural beauty, from the nearby Red Rock recreation area to the Las Vegas Springs Preserve, recommended by the Morning News.

Because of the massive amounts of visitors, flights in and out of Vegas are surprisingly cheap. That makes a vacation less expensive than you might have thought. Eat at some restaurants off the Strip, and you'll save even more money. The Morning News has some great ideas for restaurants , too. According to their article, Vegas is a multicultural town, with delicious Chinese, North African and Indian food.

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September 15, 2007. We recently highlighted some ideal locations for luxury vacation rentals in the major leaf-peeping regions of the Eastern U.S. Today, we'll point out a few great destinations in the West.

Yosemite – There are two reasons to love Yosemite in the fall. One, the grasses and oaks on the valley floor turn golden brown, while the aspen in the side canyons turn brilliant yellow (sometimes even orange). Two, the summer crowds are gone. Of course, the waterfalls may be dwindling as the last of the snowmelt expires, but there's plenty to look at in this national park.

Colorado Rockies – Go hiking in the Maroon Bells wilderness or ride the train from Durango to Silverton. Western fall colors in most wild areas depend almost entirely on the aspen, and Colorado has more than its share of these beautiful trees. In between summer vacation and ski season, visitors may even find reduced rates.

Cascades – The Cascades of the Pacific Northwest depend on the larch tree for their fall colors. Great places to see this wonderful tree include the Horseshoe Lake Hike, Ingalls Lake and Lake Ann. The North Cascades Highway and Methow Valley provide a wonderful scenic drive.

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September 13, 2007. When staying at a luxury vacation rental, shopping is always inevitable. USA Today ran a very informative article about shipping home the spoils of your shopping trips, in lieu of carrying them on the plane or in the car.

Tips include:

Choose a carrier – Official postal services are not always efficient or reliable, so consider going with private carriers such as FedEx and UPS.

Plan ahead – Research local carrier stations and customs laws regarding what can be shipped.

Pack it properly and insure it – Unless you just don't value the $500 vase you just bought.

The article inspired us to think about some of the great vacation destinations where visitors might find themselves shipping home some nice arts and crafts. We thought about:

Playa del Carmen, Mexico – Playa del Carmen's Fifth Avenue has become the hottest strip on the Yucatan Peninsula. Save some energy for the nightclubs.

Montego Bay, Jamaica – Can you say duty free? The girls back home won't just be jealous about the necklace, they'll envy the bargain you got.

San Pedro, Belize – The local artisans showcase their Mayan heritage at the tiny mercados in San Pedro and nearby villages. These are one-of-a-kind finds.

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September 11, 2007. One major trend we've noticed while researching luxury vacation rental news for our blog: online video feeds. MSNBC.com has been at the forefront of this technology, with videos that are easy to download even on slow Internet connections. This week, on "The Ultimate Getaway," an Internet video show, the website chronicles the offseason adventures at Nantucket.

The winds begin to blow this time of year, making sailing an great choice for this coastal Massachusetts getaway. Several local outfitters offer lessons. The host also visits Cisco Brewers, a local microbrewery, and some nice restaurants.

There are other great beach vacation spots in the area that no longer have the crowds of summer. Martha's Vineyard is a charming island with paved bicycle trails, golf courses and celebrity ambience. Cape Cod, home of Cape Cod National Seashore, is a great place for the family, with great beaches and opportunities to look for sea critters in the exposed tide pools at low tide.

All of these destinations, of course, have great seafood, whale watching and historic districts. The weather stays pleasant until November, when the winds begin to carry a bit more chill.

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September 7, 2007. While vacationers continued to enjoy luxury vacation rentals, this summer's travel news was full of stories-not all of them good- about passports, gas prices and air travel. National Geographic Travel ombudsman Christopher Elliot had a column on CNN.com about seven lessons he learned this summer.

His first lesson: Always apply for your passport early. In case you missed it, Americans returning from Canada , Mexico, and the Caribbean will soon be required to show their passports upon reentry to the country.

Elliot also hammers air travel. All things considered, he said, airfares are low and safety records are good. But delays, cancellations and customer service are only going to get worse, he said. The Transportation Security Administration isn't exactly in tip-top shape, either, he notes.

Of course, most Americans will drive, he notes, and gas prices didn't thwart many vacations, as much as we love to grumble about them. Gas prices also took a recent downturn he drops.

All the more reason to stay on this side of the pond, according to Elliot. With the Euro continuing to hammer the dollar, it's getting downright expensive to visit Europe. And their air travel woes are worse than ours!

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September 6, 2007. The travel media has turned its attention to fall events lately. USA Today reported on a couple of options, for example.

"The Martha's Vineyard Harvest will celebrate 'sea, farm and vine,' bringing together chefs from the island, Boston and New York, artisanal food purveyors and winemakers," according to a recent article.

Martha's Vineyard already has an incredible restaurant scene, no doubt enhanced by this festival. Local food has become a popular trend among consumers, growing in accord with the organic food movement. Culinary travel has also gained traction in several regions of the world. Thanks to the beaches and local bicycle trails, festivalgoers will have plenty of opportunities to walk off the calories.

Another article, "San Diego Heats up with Autumn Events," looks at what's happening on the other coast. With perfect weather all year long, San Diego is always an ideal place to visit.

Fleet Week, which actually occurs over six weeks from Sept. 17 to Oct. 27, highlights the region's close ties to the Navy and the ocean vessel culture. The 32nd annual Harvest Festival (Oct. 26-28) showcases 300 artists and craftsmen, making it one of the largest art and gift shows on the West Coast.

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September 5, 2007. The New York Times published a wistful farewell to summer vacation this weekend, interviewing seasonal inhabitants and workers on Cape May, on the Jersey shore. One young man who had spent the past 15 summers living and working on the Jersey shore described the annual trip home.

"It's probably the worst feeling, driving out on Avalon Boulevard across the bridge," he said. "Because you know your summer is gone."

One young man's misery may be another traveler's fortune, however.

As many resort areas move into the off-season, or hit the shoulder season between summer vacation and fall leaf-peeping or snowbird migrations, rates often dip a little. With the crowds down, visitors will also find the sights all to themselves.

Here are some ideas:

Florida – When a chill nips the air up north, the snowbirds take the cue and begin a mass movement. For many, winter is prime time in Florida. That means September and October are perfect for the rest of us.

Smoky Mountains – With school back in session, the traffic congestion has cleared on Newfound Road, the main artery through Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The going should stay good until October when the fall foliage comes in.

Colorado – The Rocky Mountain state sees a lull in visitors until the snow falls, at which point skiers are coming from around the world. Late summer and early fall are great times to go for hikes because the afternoon thunderstorms lessen their intensity.

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September 1, 2007. Babies change the whole vacation equation. There's a new responsibility injected into your leisure, and spontaneity gets a measure of consideration from the new party. But it's not impossible, and luxury vacation rentals make traveling easier.

We were reminded of the topic after reading travel etiquette writer Harriet Baskas' column, "Diaper Duties on Airplanes." The subtitle is straightforward: "Is changing on tray tables OK?" As one might imagine, the opinions fall predictably into two camps – those who have babies, and those who don't.

Baskas collected a nice set of alternatives. Two people can turn to face each other, knee-to-knee, and use their legs as a table. Use the floor. Use the seat. The bathroom may have ample room on the sink or the toilet lid, but germs are an obvious concern. One grandmother suggested sitting on the toilet seat, then placing the baby on your legs.

Ahh, the joy of babies!

We recommended staying in a luxury vacation rental with some extra room and some privacy. A crying baby isn't nearly as embarrassing in a beachside condo as in a crowded motel. At VacationRental.org, the ample photos of each rental will also give you an idea ahead of time where you might be able to change those diapers…

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