Top Five National Park Vacations

Sometimes, it’s best to get outdoors and do some exploring of our National Parks, knowing that at the end of the day, you can relax in the luxury of your vacation home rental. Nearly all of our nations parks have numerous vacation home rental options you can find at places like TripAdvisor.com within a few short miles of the park entrance. Below are five of our favorite that all have many home rental options available.

National parks are not only beautiful places to visit, but beautiful places to vacation as well. The top five National Park Vacations include Yellowstone National Park, Acadia National Park, Yosemite National Park, Mount Rainier National Park, and Glacier National Park.

Yellowstone National Park, located in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, is characterized by towering geysers, prismatic springs, mountain ranges, and alpine lakes. There is a wide array of natural wildlife in this area, including bison, wolves, elk, and grizzly bears. Yellowstone was one of the first areas in the United States to be given the protection status of a national park. On a vacation here, you can visit the hot springs and spectacular geysers and then venture into the wilderness to view some of the majestic and endangered creatures.

Acadia National Park offers its visitors pine forests, granite peaks, the breathtaking lakes of Maine, and is the home of the mountain lion. Vacationing on this national park is typically for people who are looking to hike or bike through the rugged and jagged landscape of the national park. The hike to Cadillac Mountain to see the unforgettable view of the sunset is completely worth the trip. After hiking to your heart’s content, you can head on over to the beach to soak up the sun.

Yosemite National Park is one of the most popular parks and is known for its valleys filled with spectacular glaciers. Yosemite offers vacationers views such as granite domes, hanging valleys, and deep U-shaped valleys. There are over 300 lakes and Yosemite is home to five of the highest waterfalls in the United States. Yosemite is known as the best vacation spot for national parks.

Mount Rainier National Park is characterized by the tallest mountain peak known as the Cascade Range. This peak features 14,410 feet of glacier covered slopes begging for experience climbers to attempt to scale its face. It is also possible to hike the bottom of the mountain range where you will find thousand year old trees, waterfalls, and beautiful meadows.

Finally, Glacier National Park, located in Montana, is known as the hiker’s paradise. This park features over 700 miles of trails that lead hikers through the wilderness where they will see glorious lakes, pristine forests, and alpine meadows. You can also explore the hemlock rainforest using the boardwalk that is located there.

National Park Vacations are an excellent way to relax, unwind, and recharge. A vacation at any one of the five parks listed above will ensure that you will have a great time.

Affordable Tips on Buying Vacation Home Furniture

Vacations are always exciting, but they do come at a cost. Personally, I don’t like to spend an armload on high-end furniture, especially on a short trip. On an obvious level, you will notice that most furnishings are consistent will your rental rates. If you pay high-end prices for a rental home, you will most likely end up with supreme furnishings and other entertainment options. Now, that doesn’t mean that those who go for medium to low priced rental vacation home won’t be able to get a luxurious look on vacation home furniture. After all, you would hate to spend your vacation around mediocre furnishings that look like they came from a storm affected area. Below are some affordable tips on getting a luxurious look on your next vacation rental trip.

Buy Used

To get started, I suggest shopping online on craigslist, eBay and similar classified sites for slightly used home furniture. There are loads of homeowners out there who accept whatever they can get when they are moving out, or when they do not have enough room in their house for the existing furniture. In the past, I have been able to secure some good deals on pricey high-end home furniture simply because these things generally have a low resale value.

Negotiate

If you buying vacation home furniture from some other place, make it a point to negotiate. From personal experience, I can vouch for the fact that most sellers will generously negotiate. Remember, most of them want to get rid of the old stuff so they will accept low numbers that you throw at them. So, don’t be afraid of making a low-ball offer.

Bandaid Approach

If I am low on budget, I get a new sofa cover instead of replacing the whole sofa. There are lots of incredibly stylish sofa covers out there that can transform your old sofa into a new one in just about no time. If you can spend a little bit of money, you can consider a fresh coat of white paint on the floors to get a new look. If your budget does allow paint work, you can cover the flooring with rugs. I usually get some stylish and trending rugs, and that takes care of the entire flooring. If you are buying second hand rugs, steam clean them to get a new look.

Get Creative

Further, I spend some money on classic lamps that really light up the whole house like nothing else. Another key thing over here is organization. Organize everything in the kitchen and all other rooms to maximize the space that you have. So, with little bit of clever work, you can make your vacation rental home look great and inviting without spending a lot of money.

Affordable Tips On Vacation Home Furniture

How To Easily Get The Best Furniture Shipped To Your Vacation Rental Home

Location is one of the foremost factors to consider when purchasing an investment property. When it comes to generating substantial revenue from a vacation home, however, how you furnish your space is also a key consideration. Prospective renters who view images of your property online will pay careful attention to the different items that are placed throughout the abode. They know that these things will have a significant impact on the overall ambiance of the space and on the level of comfort that they enjoy. Following are several important considerations that you should make when choosing items to furnish your rental unit.

Comfort And Style

The items that you choose should represent an optimal balance of both comfort and style. You want people to feel good when they relax on your sofas, lounge chairs and beds, but you also need these things to have an impressive look in all of your selected marketing materials. Take some time to read the reviews for different furnishings before investing in them. If possible, see if you can’t test some of these items out in-person as well, in order to gauge their cushion, support and overall comfort.

Durability And Ease Of Maintenance

Durability and ease of maintenance are two additional features to look for. Microfiber furnishings can have a luxury look and a comfortable feel. More importantly, these are very easy to clean. When spills or smudges occur, these can often be wiped away with a damp cloth. This will limit your need to pay for costly upholstery cleaning services and will extend the aesthetic appeal and overall lifetime of the items that you invest in. Given that lots of people will be passing through your home, it is important to choose options that will wear well. Leather, wicker and other selections are also valued among vacation home owners given that these materials are easy to preserve and clean.

Universal Appeal

Avoid patterns and colors that are garish or that create a very specific type of ambiance. You want your home interior to have a universal appeal so that you’re never hard put to find renters. If you cater to a specific set of preferences with your decor, you will limit the market of prospective renters that you have access to. It is far better to shop for basic, muted colors and traditional looks that will endure. High-quality pieces can be refurbished and restored at a much lower price than typical replacement costs. Modern design trends might be appealing now, but they will likely create the need to redecorate within just a few short months or years.

shipping furniture Transporting Your Items

Most people who own vacation properties do not live within driving distance of their rental units. Thus, shipping furniture and the costs of these endeavors are also a vital consideration during the decorating process. You can opt to work with online furniture suppliers that offer free shipping to clients who spend beyond a specific amount of money or you can work with retailers in your own area and then have your goods shipped through a local shipping company. This option will give you the chance to make an in-person assessment of furnishings before you actually invest in them. Always take the time to compare the prices of each option so that the costs of transporting your furnishings do not have a tremendous impact on your overall decorating budget.

New To Vacation Home Rentals: What You Should Look For?

Vacation rentals are a wonderful way to enjoy your vacation. Unlike booking a hotel, a vacation rental means living in an individual’s house while on vacation. This means dealing with several issues and questions that may seem mystifying for a first-time traveler. So before you set out on your very first holiday with a vacation rental, here are a few things you should know.

Use a reputable website to find your vacation rentals — There are several websites offering vacation rentals. You may have specific requirements like pet housing, proximity to hospitals, etc. and you should keep these in mind while booking holiday homes. Choose a website that has several homes listed and sorted according to specific needs, budget, etc.

Read the reviews — Try to pick a home that has been visited previously. Read the reviews listed on the website and contact the owner through emails or direct phone calls before you book the holiday home.

Ask a lot of questions — Homes are individual and they may have several quirks that are specific to the owner. Its not unusual to find owners asking visitors to space our baths to ensure hot water availability. Some owners may also be specific about house cleaning, parking availability, food and grocery shopping, etc. Make sure you ask as many questions as possible to ensure a smooth visit.

Clarify all costs upfront — If you are booking through the website, the main cost is the vacation booking. However, incidental costs may pop up and this may cut into your holiday budget. For example, some owners may charge a cleaning fee in the house is cleaned prior to your arrival and after you leave. Usually, the fee covers the house cleaning but it may also include/ not include laundry charges, breakage, and other incidentals. Make sure you clarify all charges and deals before you go ahead with the rental.

Security deposits — All owners require a security deposit before you will be allowed to rent the home. However, the deposit will be cut in case the house is damaged during the stay. It’s a good idea to evaluate the home as soon as you enter the house. Let the owner know any visible damage and clarify that you did not do it. This protects your security deposit and ensures that the owner is aware of the issue.

Part of the attraction of vacation home rentals is spending your vacation on your terms in lesser-known locales. This offers a great way to explore a new city by living in a small home. If you do your research correctly, you may even find that your vacation home rentals are far cheaper than a hotel booking and all its incidental expenses.

Where Are The Best Cabins For Rent

I love cabins, and you probably do too. If you have never rented a cabin or you are looking for some great places to stay in a cabin, then I have some recommendations that you may be interested in. In my opinion, below are where the best cabins for rent are.

Big Bear Region
Big Bear Region in California is home to a gorgeous lake, beautiful hillsides and awesome cabins that you can rent. There are even rentals that offers you views of Big Bear Lake. Plus, if you’re like me and like boating, hiking and fishing, then you will definitely want to check out Big Bear Region in CA.

Make sure you take the time to browse the different cabins that are available to rent in the region because there are various ones to choose from. This is good news because it means that you have a good chance at finding the one you like the best.

Wisconsin Dells
Another hot spot for renting a cabin is Wisconsin Dells. The cabins here are gorgeous, elegant and unique. Not only that, but there is no shortage of excitement, as you can check out magic shows, visit some theme parks or even water parks. However, I highly recommend doing a nature hike as soon as you arrive in Wisconsin Dells.

Branson
Branson, Missouri, is where there is a lot of entertainment and best of all the cabins here are insane. You will love this Ozark getaway because it offers you a lot of scenery, as well as hiking, fishing and you can even enjoy doing a zip line. I highly recommend taking a train ride, as it offers you the best chance to take in the surrounding scenery.

Estes Park
Estes Park is located in the Rocky Mountains and some of the most scenic landscapes in America, as well as the world, can be found here. Of course you can do the normal activities while here, such as fishing and hiking, but one of the best things you can do here is horseback riding. You will love spending the day outdoors and then heading back at night to relax in your cabin rental.

There are many other great places to rent a cabin. However, the best places to find cabins for rent are the ones mentioned above. If you are looking to get away for the weekend or week, then rent a cabin in one of the above places.

How To Find Inexpensive Rental Homes

If you are looking for a vacation home to rent on your next trip, there are a lot of choices available to you. The good news, with services like AirBNB and VRBO you are only a few steps away from finding the best vacation get-a-way at an affordable price.

On a recent trip to Zion National Park, my family, along with 2 other families found a beautiful 7 bedroom cabin located on the East Side of Zion that comfortably accommodated all 12 of us including private bedrooms and bathrooms for each family along with plenty of living room, kitchen, backyard and loft space to enjoy. At the end of the day, it only cost each family $200 for the 3 days and 2 nights we stayed at the cabin which was way less expensive and more enjoyable than staying at a local hotel. We even enjoyed making a few BBQ and other meals on our own which also saved us a bit of out of pocket cash for our vacation.

A few tips when using services like AirBNB and VRBO:

Read the fine print. Many of the property owners have specifics such as maximum number of people, pets allowed, children allowed, etc… that may be important to you.
When you put in your request for the properly, be specific about your group so that the properly owner can make a quick decision to approve your reservation.
Bring some simple cleaning supplies (i.e. disinfectant wipes, paper towels, etc…) so that you can easily wipe things down and get a full refund on any deposit you may have on file.
Follow all of the house rules and instructions. Some property owners will leave you with a binder that details how to lock up the properly, use the electronics and even how high/low to set the thermostat for best results.
Treat the rental home like your own — with care and leave a positive review for the property owner if you enjoyed your stay.

Happy vacationing!!!