Oct 29, 2009
Maybe you’re a fan of us on Facebook, or maybe you follow us on Twitter. Or maybe you have know idea what we're talking about. If you have little clue about how to really take advantage of great vacation rental deals on the site, this blog's for you. Beyond getting inspiration over in our travel ideas section, there are many concrete, easy ways to search through deals on the site and ultimately nab the best one for your vacation.
Here are five easy ways to find the best deals on Vacation Rentals.com
1. Deals Search Tool
We aggregate all of our deals (and freebies) in one place on the site. You can see all of the current specials, or you can search for deals in a specific city. To do this, simply type the city name into the search box.
2. Email Alerts
Vacation Rentals.com now has traveler profiles! By setting up yours, you can sign up for weekly customized deals alerts. You can get updates on last minute deals, deals in a particular destination/region, and/or deals based on your interests (golf, for instance).
3. Blog
We tune you into our favorite deals of the day on this here blog. Sometimes we highlight a cool event that’s going on or a trendy but cheap destination that’s worth a visit. But nearly every single week day, you can find hot vacation rental deals right here.
4. Twitter
Over on our Twitter account, it’s all about the deals as well! Follow @VRDeals if you want to know what our “deal of the day” is, and keep tabs on the latest happenings on the site and in the travel biz.
5. Facebook
Along with Twitter, we also feature a “deal of the day” on our Facebook fan page. As well, you can browse our photo album “Ridiculously Cheap Wednesdays” to find uber-affordable rentals – you can look at their photos in one spot. We update this album every Wednesday!
There’s really no excuse for overspending on your next vacation, is there?
Oct 28, 2009
If you haven’t noticed yet, Vacation Rentals.com has a whole stock pile of great information available for your next vacation. We’re here to help every step of the way, from planning to execution! But we understand that you don’t have all the time in the world to sort through heaps of content. That’s why we picked out 10 of our favorite Top 10 lists. Read and enjoy.
For more great travel reads, click here.
Oct 26, 2009
Halloween’s right around the corner – seriously, the Lady Gaga and Swine Flu costumes are almost totally sold out! This weekend, leave a tub of candy out on your porch with a sign that reads “Take One,” and leave home for an exciting Halloween adventure. You can spot just as many cute costumed kids at Disney as you can in your own neighborhood, so don’t worry about missing out.
Here are some great last-minute Halloween deals!
Theme Park Thrills
Anaheim
San Diego
Disney Area
Big City, Big Chills
Las Vegas
Manhattan
Washington DC
Dia de los Muertos
Puerto Aventuras, Mexico
Read on for more Halloween vacation inspiration.
Oct 23, 2009
Hi there, deal-seekers. We're changing the routine up a bit today, because we've got an exciting photo contest to announce! We're giving away a $100 gift card to one lucky Facebook fan!
How to enter:
If you're not a fan of our Facebook page yet, become one. Then upload your favorite summer vacation photo to our WALL. Include "summer vacation photo" and the location where the photo was taken in the caption!
The contest ends Sunday, October 25th, at 11:59 PM eastern time. We'll select and announce a winner the day after (Monday, October 26th). You must be a fan of VacationRentals.com on Facebook - at the time of the "drawing" - to win!
For more details, click here.
Ready, set... say "cheese!"
Oct 22, 2009
Do you have a place to stay on Turkey Day? If not, get one! Don’t turn your home inside out for Thanksgiving dinner – let someone else cook and clean! That’s right; we’ve got cheap Thanksgiving vacation rentals that have private chefs, loads of amenities, gorgeous views, and plenty of room for your immediate and extended family. Whether you’re planning a quiet beach escape or a 5-year family reunion, we’ve got the rental for you.
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Costa Rica
South Lake Tahoe, California
Sarasota, Florida
Jupiter, Florida
Bear Lake, Utah
Rocky Point, Mexico
Lake Placid, Florida
Discover ideas for cheap Thanksgiving vacation rentals by reading our article, 20 Thanksgiving Destinations.
Oct 22, 2009
The big game is taking over Miami on February 7th! Will you be there? The very first deals for the championship game are starting to make themselves known on the site, so we picked out several cheap Miami area rentals that are available for the important weekend.
More and more lodging deals will be popping up over the next few weeks and months, so keep checking back for updates!
Oct 20, 2009
If you’re like most folks, you’ve experienced “Vacation Paradox,” wherein you feel unquenchably restless and desperate for R&R after returning home from vacation. Whether you got away for a weekend or week, it just wasn’t long enough. You want more!
…more sunsets on the beach, more piña coladas in the hot tub, more luxurious dinners, more snorkeling, more snowboarding, more sleeping in until noon, more losing track of time…
Face it. You work too much, and sometimes for too little. Instead of booking a 3-day beach getaway with your family, or a 7-day honeymoon with your new spouse, book a month-long escape.
Studies have shown that it takes at least 28 days to fully recuperate from life’s stresses and return back to them with energy and focus. This isn’t actually true, but that's beside the point - after all, I also made up the “Vacation Paradox."
If you can’t manage to get away for a whole month, you can still take advantage of cheap monthly rentals. Just split the cost with friends and family who can pick up where you left off! Make sure to run this strategy by the vacation rental owner, of course.
Cheap Monthly Rentals (broken down to an estimated nightly rate)...
Daytona Beach, Florida
Venice, Florida
North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Tucson, Arizona
Bradenton, Florida
Catskills, New York
Kissimmee, Florida
Vero Beach, Florida
You can find plenty more cheap monthly rentals by browsing the site!
Oct 16, 2009
Vacation Rentals.com has too many cabin rental deals to count, so we rounded up some of our very favorites for your convenience. Here are seven cheap cabin getaways that will get you closer to nature – whether that’s the beach or the mountains – and your budget.
Lake Lure, North Carolina
Osage Beach, Missouri
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Flagstaff, Arizona
Branson, Missouri
Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Blue Ridge, Georgia
Browse many more cabin rental deals by clicking here.
Oct 15, 2009
We’re about halfway through October and time doesn’t appear to be slowing down, so it's probably a good idea to start planning your winter vacation. The sooner you book, the more you’ll save – so don’t wait until the last minute! Though, of course we deliver up lots of last minute deals every single day, so we’re always be here to steer procrastinators in the right direction.
Here are nine great winter vacation deals for December, January, and February travel. You can run away from Old Man Winter to sunny Florida, or give him a big hug at the Telluride Ski Resort.
Where: Navarre Beach, Florida
What: 2-bedroom beach condo with pool and hot tub access
Why: $675 a week
When: 10/25/09 to 1/23/10
Where: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
What: 3-bedroom oceanfront condo with pool and hot tub access
Why: $1,162 a week
When: 10/17/09 to 1/16/10
Where: Key Largo, Florida
What: 2-bedroom oceanfront condo with pool and hot tub access
Why: $750 a week
When: 1/2/10 to 2/6/10
Where: North Wildwood, New Jersey
What: 3-bedroom beach condo
Why: $500 a week or $1000 a month
When: 10/1/09 to 3/30/10
Where: Destin, Florida
What: 1-bedroom beach condo with pool and hot tub access
Why: $62 a night
When: 9/18/09 to 12/31/09
Where: St Augustine Beach, Florida
What: 3-bedroom oceanfront condo with pool access
Why: $600 a week
When: 12/5/09 to 1/30/10
Where: Disney Area, Florida
What: 3-bedroom home with pool and hot tub access
Why: $382 a week
When: 1/1/10 to 4/30/10
Where: Manhattan, New York
What: Luxurious 2-bedroom condo
Why: $250 a night
When: 10/11/09 to 3/31/10
Where: Telluride, Colorado
What: 2-bedroom ski condo with mountain views and pool and hot tub access
Why: Every 4th night free (worth $205)
When: 9/29/09 to 3/28/10
If these winter vacation deals aren't enough to inspire a getaway, read Top 10 Winter Vacations for ideas.
Oct 14, 2009
Ah, New England. Let’s all give a nostalgic sigh together! Most of us have fond childhood memories of visiting the northeast, and we always look forward to returing. Fall is a great excuse to do just that – you don’t want to miss out on all the pretty foliage, after all!
Plus, we’ve got 10 fabulous New England vacation deals to enjoy.
1. Woodstock, Vermont
2. Moosehead Lake, Maine
3. Lincoln, New Hampshire
4. Mystic, Connecticut
5. Stowe, Vermont
6. White Mountains, New Hampshire
7. New London
8. Bar Harbor, Maine
9. Bar Harbor, Maine
10. Westport, Massachusetts
Oct 13, 2009
Trade in those beach-worthy sandals for some ski boots. With winter fast approaching, it’s time to plan your annual ski vacation, or your first one… Trust us, even if you fall flat on your fanny several times in a row, you’ll still have a blast. Plus, your buddies will get a good laugh out of it, so it’s a win/win situation!
Whether you go to Colorado every year to hit the slopes, or just want to spend the holidays in the mountains, these cheap ski condos are worth a look.
Breckenridge, Colorado
Keystone, Colorado
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Park City, Utah
Big Sky, Montana
Whistler, British Columbia
Seven Springs, Pennsylvania
We’ll continue to bring you cheap ski condos and other great winter lodging deals, so keep checking back!
Click here if you need a little inspiration for a ski vacation.
Oct 12, 2009
There’s a lot going on this weekend, so if you’re planning to stay home, you’re planning to miss out. We’ve got a handful of killer last-minute deals to destinations like Santa Barbara and Daytona Beach! Check it out…
Santa Barbara Beer Festival
October 17th
Santa Barbara, California
If you haven’t celebrated Oktoberfest yet, make up for lost time with unlimited beer tasting.
Clearwater Jazz Holiday
October 17-18
Clearwater, Florida
Enjoy two days of jazz from Tom Brantley, Boney James, and many others.
Sand Castle Days
October 15-18
South Padre Island, Texas
Watch artists construct stunning sand castle designs on the beach.
Biketoberfest
October 15-18
Daytona Beach, Florida
Bikers take over the famous beach town this weekend.
Oct 09, 2009
You’ve got to see these luxurious vacation rentals to believe them. Click each property to see the beautiful photos and possibly take advantage of the deals! Each and every Friday, we feature ultra-posh vacation homes from around the world on our Facebook fan page.
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Key Largo, Florida
Ojai, California
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Monica, California
So, if you like this kind of stuff, make sure to become a fan and check up on us at end of the work week!
Oct 08, 2009
We all love vicariously living through the vacations of the rich and famous...the paparazzi certainly helps us do that! But maybe it's time to stop dreaming of a luxurious getaway fit for a celeb or US president, and make it a reality for us, Average Joe and Jane. Best of all, even though you may not be rich or famous, no photog's gonna be snapping shots of you in your bathing suit on the beach. Here are some popular rich and famous vacation spots paired with some great vacation rental deals.
South Beach
Catch a tan and maybe a glimpse of a celebrity in this posh party destination.
Cabo San Lucas
When the wealthy get away for a weekend, they make a beeline for Cabo.
French Riviera
The South of France really is all it’s cracked out to be.
Aspen
Go for a ski down star-studded slopes.
Lake Como
The water… Italy…what more could one ask for than a Lake Como-inspired coma of sorts? (Besides an affordable lake home, of course!)
British Virgin Islands
This Caribbean hot spot is a favorite among the more, ahem, epicurean jet setters out there.
Fiji
It’s easy for the rich and famous to hide away here – they’ve got 300 something islands to pick from.
Hamptons
Every year, New York City’s elite enjoy summer sojourns to this surprising beach destination.
Dubai
It’s flashier than Vegas. Enough said.
Napa Valley
California’s wealthiest wine snobs come here for peace, quiet, and of course, bottles of vino from the country’s best vineyards.
Martha’s Vineyard
Thanks to its lucky New England locale and luxurious island vibes, “the Vineyard” is legendary for hosting ultra-powerful guests. High-ranking politicians – including many US presidents – flee DC for this sun-drenched retreat every year.
Hungry for more luxury? Check out the 10 Most Expensive Cities to Visit.
Oct 07, 2009
It's never too early to plan a vacation. 2010 is right around the corner, so we researched emerging destinations! There are some truly spectacular cities worth visiting in 2010, and because of our ubiquitous vacation rental deals and many other factors, they should be a lot more affordable than other more tourist-drenched cities.
Discover more with our article, 10 Cities to Visit in 2010.
And for now, check out these amazing deals.
Whistler, BC
Whistler's a second home to the 2010 Winter Olympics (Vancouver will get most the limelight). That makes it a great 2010 vacation spot, and compared to Vancouver, it'll be a lot less crowded and expensive!
Tulum, Mexico
While it's not too sleepy of a town to go unnoticed, it is a lot more enchanting and private than nearby Cancun. It also made our list of the top 10 beach destinations in the world!
Salt Lake City, Utah
This up and coming foodie destination is a must-taste!
Dominican Republic
One of your cheaper bets in the Caribbean.
Oct 06, 2009
If you’ve got a thing for cool architecture, skedaddle over to New York City this weekend (October 10th and 11th). Those with an eye for design are in for a really exciting time, as the upcoming openhousenewyork (OHNY) Weekend promises to be one of the biggest and baddest ever. Annually, stylish New York homes and buildings – old and new – open their doors to the public for free. That means you can pick the brains of the world’s top architects and designers, and pop in and out of impressive structures at your leisure, all the while oohing and ahhing at the magnificent visuals all around.
Enjoy Open House New York with these cheap rentals –
$209 a night
$200 a night
$295 a night
$74 a night
$199 a night
For more information on New York Open House, click here.
Oct 05, 2009
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is already underway, but there’s still plenty of time to check it out. It’s not uncommon to catch sight of a hot air balloon in Albuquerque’s clear blue sky; the city enjoys temperate weather throughout the year. So, it’s no wonder really that the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the largest of its kind, attracting balloonists from all over the world. Don’t leave your camera at home! This event is one of the most photographed of all-time, and for good reason. (The best time to take a snap shot is at dawn during the evening Balloon Glows.)
The last day of the fest is October 10th, so book your rental ASAP!
For more information on the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2009, click here.
