RISMEDIA, October 15, 2010—While summer is considered the ideal vacation time, fall is also a fabulous time to put on your traveling shoes. Christine Karpinski, director of Owner Community for HomeAway, one of the world’s most trusted vacation rental sites and author of How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner, 2nd Edition, says you should consider a quick weekend getaway to enjoy the fall weather, and if you haven’t thought of renting a vacation home for your next weekend trip, you should.
More spacious and comfortable than a cramped hotel, vacation homes offer a degree of privacy that hotels simply can’t match. In addition to comfort and privacy, you’d be surprised by how affordable they are.
Karpinski offers the following weekend getaway ideas to help you get your creative juices flowing.
Gear up for football. Are you planning to visit your alma mater for a couple games this season? Instead of booking a room at the nearest hotel, get a few of your college buddies together and rent out a large home in your college town for all of you. Think of all the fun you can have reminiscing about your college days with old friends.
Leaf peepers love weekend trips. As you get away from the city and start winding down those open roads, you’re sure to find some beautiful fall foliage. One great thing about vacation rentals is that you can find a cozy cabin tucked into the woods to put you right in the middle of the red and yellow leaves. Sure, hotels might have a tree or two in their parking lots, but the beauty pales in comparison to those vacation rentals out there.
Hit the golf course. Don’t miss out on one last golf trip before winter. Golf courses are beautiful in the fall as they’re surrounded by changing leaves and crisp air. Find a weekend getaway near your favorite golf course and set up that tee time.
Think turkey time. Having everyone gathered around the Thanksgiving table will please the whole family. And since Thanksgiving weekend is typically 4-days for most folks, you’ll enjoy an extended weekend together. Find a home that provides enough space for the entire family or book a couple neighboring homes if you need a little more space. The treat of having everyone around for Turkey Day will surely please relatives who haven’t seen each other in quite a while.
Plan a romantic retreat. Honeymooners can find the perfect getaway in a vacation rental. You may even consider a fall wedding there. A large vacation home is great for special events like weddings or retreats.
Special-event travel. You may not be planning a trip to the Olympics or the Super Bowl, but there could be plenty of other festivals and concerts that you could visit. A quick Internet search can show you some fun happenings that you may not want to miss and may even draw you to a particular area.
Do a little beach combing. While goose bumps and bikinis don’t really go well together, don’t write off that beach trip just yet. Fall is a wonderful time to visit the coast. The tides will still roll in and out as they always do and you can still take in the relaxing sea air as you would during the summer (minus the humidity).