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Home Away from Home (Really!)
9 Reasons to Go the Vacation Rental Route the Next Time You Travel
5. You can get inside information from the homeowner. One big reason vacation home renters get to "live like locals" is that most homeowners love to provide their guests with helpful hints. They'll point you to the best restaurants in town, the best hiking trails and the best bike rental places. They'll tell you who has the cheapest gas, which roads to take to avoid traffic and which attractions are overpriced "tourist traps." "If you're staying in New England, a homeowner might tell you things like 'Never buy lobster from the grocery store; go to the docks and get it fresh,'" Karpinski says. "You really are a guest in her home, and she wants you to have a fabulous time."
6. You can cook and do laundry. If you're on a budget, both of these factors can be huge benefits. Obviously, eating every meal in a restaurant gets pricey. The ability to prepare meals "at home" not only saves money, there's just something nice about savoring a home-cooked meal while on vacation. (And for parents of small children, it's far less stressful than choking down meals while praying that the next table doesn't have to endure a toddler tantrum!) As for the washer and drier factor – well, being able to bring fewer clothes is not only a sanity saver during packing, it's a space saver for those long car rides.
7. If the weather's bad, there's more to do indoors. Most vacation rental homeowners proide DVDs (along with the electronic equipment to view them on), board games, playing cards and other family-friendly diversions. Also, more than half of all rental properties now have Internet access. "If it pours down rain during your vacation, you'll appreciate these kinds of thoughtful extras," Karpinski says. "In fact, even if the weather is beautiful, you'll appreciate them. Anyone who has kids knows they don't have the attention span to do vacation stuff all day. Sometimes they just want to unwind with a movie – which also gives you a chance to relax, too."