Month: September 2022

Are You Trying to Determine Which Lake Havasu Vacation Rentals Are Best For You?

Consider Arts And Culture Activities When Selecting The Best Lake Havasu Rentals. Did you know that Lake Havasu has more to offer its visitors than just beautiful beaches and water activities? Many people do not realize that the area also has many opportunities for soaking in arts and culture as well. Therefore, when looking through available vacation rentals, you may want to consider renting a place that also provides you with easy access to the many amazing sites and sounds that Lake Havasu City has to offer.

When searching through available rentals, some of the destinations you might want to keep in mind include…

Blue Water Art

Located on McCulloch Boulevard; offers fused glass, jewelry, collage, fine art and photographic prints.

Boardwalk Galleria

Located on McCulloch Boulevard; offers home decorative accessories, fine art and unique gifts. Appraisals and auctions also take place here.

Christine’s Accessories, LLC

Located on West Acoma Boulevard; offers a fine art gallery as well as distinctive accessories. The jewelry and fine art of local artists are displayed here.

Four Seasons Art Gallery and Frame Shoppe

Located on Lake Havasu Avenue; offers unique designs, custom framing, posters, limited edition prints, gifts and plate holders. Many works of local artists are also displayed here.

Judy’s Frameworks, Gallery & Gifts

Located on McCulloch Boulevard; offers ready-made frames, photos, art prints, unique gifts and posters.

Picture This Custom Framing & Art Gallery

Located on McCulloch Boulevard; offers custom framing, posters and art prints.

Lake Havasu City also has active arts organizations, including the Havasu Art Guild and the Allied Arts Council of Lake Havasu.

The Allied Arts Council of Lake Havasu is a non-profit organization that is funded through local donations, memberships and grants. The organization puts together numerous area arts and cultural events throughout the year.

Before deciding upon which of the available rentals you should book for your vacation, be certain to consider these special arts and cultural opportunities, as well as current events that may be taking place at the time of your visit. By checking the calendar of events, you can select the vacation rentals that put you right in the middle of all the fun. Or, if you prefer, select those rentals that keep you close enough to easily access the arts and cultural opportunities while still enjoying a quiet stay in your rental. Either way, consulting with a current calendar of events and familiarizing yourself with the area will help you select the Lake Havasu vacation rentals that best meet your needs.…

Tropical Vacation Homes – Investment or Destination?

Buying a vacation home for investment may be a great idea in these troubled economic times. Be certain to give location thoughtful consideration. You may pay more initially for a great location, but think things through and you could recover those extra dollars spent for a tropical location. You needed venture beyond the United States to acquire tropical vacations homes. The real property laws of countries outside the United States can be complex and issues of clear title can be overwhelming. As a practical matter, in many countries, foreigners cannot own real property. So keep your investment in the United States.

Owning a vacation home in a desirable tourist spot has the potential to make the property pay for itself by listing it on the vacation rental market. When you aren’t using it, rental income can offset those mortgage payments, maintenance costs, and property taxes!

Due to the current recession/depression, there are some real bargains awaiting you in the market.

There are also financial risks so stay within your means. I urge you to consult an experienced financial advisor to help you assess the risk/benefit of purchasing a vacation home. Arrange an appointment with your banker to get your mortgage pre-approved. This will posture you to act swiftly when you locate the right property.

Now if you are planning to rent a vacation home in your tropical destination, you don’t have the same concerns that we have discussed earlier. Your main goal is to locate a property in the destination of choice that meets your budget and your needs. I’ve mentioned in other articles that I’ve written to broaden your search by using the following terms: holiday rentals, self-catering rentals, holiday cottages, tourist rentals, agriturism (in Italy), ferienwohnungen (in Germany) and gites (in France). These terms will give you more hits than vacation rental or vacation home.

Bali is always an excellent choice for a tropical vacation. The Balinese are well versed in providing the accommodations most Westerners expect and then some. Bali is the the poster child for tropical destinations. Thailand is great as well. Both destinations offer Western friendly accommodations, gorgeous beaches, friendly people and incredible scenery. There are countless leisure pursuits such as golf, tennis, swimming, diving, snorkeling, sailing and shopping to name but a few.

Don’t overlook Florida and the Keys. These are domestic destinations to be sure, but as tropical as any Caribbean or Southeast Asian destination. Domestic fares are significantly lower than international fares and the economic crisis has blunted tourism in the region. You can be assured of lower costs for accommodations as a result. There are real travel bargains all along the Gulf Coast. Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are great tropical spots in addition to Florida, which we’ve already mentioned. Wherever you decide to travel, do your homework. Thorough research can spare you a lot of unnecessary grief when you arrive at your destination.

If you are buying or renting a tropical vacation home, I hope this article has helped you in some small way.…

Orlando Florida: Something for Everybody, A Vacation Home for Every Budget

Orlando holds a unique place in annals of tourism. It’s a city that does theme parks like Paris does fashion. There’s just nothing else like it anywhere in the world – Disney World, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, twenty golf courses, two of North America’s largest malls, and a palm-studded, sun-drenched subtropical climate enjoyable throughout the year. There’s even an alligator theme park in Orlando (with real, live, extremely ill-tempered alligators).

Certainly, there’s a lot to do in Orlando/Central Florida. And it’s not just theme parks, either-Orlando rarely gets credit for the other things it offers, like nature/eco-tours, first-class dining, and even a winery. So how do you make the most of your Orlando vacation? How can you experience everything Central Florida has to offer? With plenty of space for family, friends, in a centrally-located, easily-accessible area? All at an extremely affordable price?

A vacation rental home.

The truth is, renting a home in the Orlando area usually costs less than a resort hotel room – and you get a whole house, with multiple bedrooms, a full kitchen, and a private pool. In a house, you won’t be bound to on-site hotel restaurants – which cost a fortune – and you’ll have total freedom to come and go as you please. You’ll also have privacy. No late night parties in the room next door. No doors slamming in the middle of the night. Just you, your family, friends, plenty of Florida sunshine, and the world’s greatest attractions, minutes away.

You’ll find a huge selection of vacation homes available in Orlando’s attraction area (officially in the towns of Kissimmee and Davenport, southwest of Orlando proper), anywhere from five to fifteen minutes from Disney World, with three to seven bedrooms. Some homes come totally “decked-out,” with game rooms, PlayStations, high-end appliances and furniture. Some are more modest. But rest assured, there’s a vacation home out there to suit your needs. And no one offers a larger selection of homes than Starmark Vacation Homes: over 2000 homes within 15 minutes of Disney World. Give us a call, and we’ll help you find exactly what you’re looking for. Check out our site (link below), and follow us on Facebook (link also below). We hope to see you soon, down here in sunny Orlando Florida!…

Mammoth Rentals – Vacation Homes Are Better Than Hotels

Mammoth Lakes is filled with hotel options — The Village Lodge, Crystal Crag Lodge, and White Horse Inn just to name a few. But why choose a hotel when you could stay in your own vacation home? Instead of clamoring back to your hotel room each night, picture coming back from the Mammoth Luxury Outlets with bags of shopping and a big smile on your face as you get ready to sip hot cocoa by the fire and plan your next day out at Trails End Park or taking a cruise down Minaret Road.

When you take a vacation, you have many different things to think about. Choosing the right Mammoth rentals will be a part of your planning that you need to take seriously. There are plenty of lodges, ski resorts, and hotels in the area that are teeming with tourists who are visiting to hit the slopes or have some summer fun in the sun, but you don’t have to be one of them. You can choose to stay at one of the many cabin rentals, beach rentals, condo rentals, or other Mammoth rentals that are available and have your own private accommodation so that you are able to really enjoy your time here.

Finding Mammoth rentals isn’t difficult, and you’ll easily find plenty of reasons to love them, as well. You can have your choice of Mammoth lakes vacation rentals including condo and cabin rentals, and get the perfect vacation that you’ve always dreamed of. Whether it’s a cabin on the mountainside for a romantic getaway for two or a family cabin to vacation with everyone for a week or more, there’s something for just about everyone. Vacation homes give you more privacy, more peace and quiet, and a much more relaxing and personal stay than typical hotels and resort lodges.

Mammoth rentals allow you to have more space, as well. You can find properties with 3, 4, and even 5 bedrooms or more, with room for up to 12 or more people in many places. Of course, you’re probably not going to be traveling with that many all the time, so there are smaller accommodations to choose from, as well. You can find all the amenities, including flat screen TVs, video games, pool tables, hot tubs on the deck, and so much more to enjoy about your stay in a Mammoth Lakes rental home.

Condos can be great, as well. If you don’t need a secluded home but want the enjoyment of privacy and the ability to come and go as you please, rent an apartment in Mammoth Lakes for your holiday travels. You can stay as long as you like, and enjoy many of the same amenities that you’ll find in vacation houses, but in apartment style living. Regardless of which type of Mammoth rentals you choose, you can guarantee that you’ll have a great experience and a much better time than you would in any hotel, resort, or lodge in the area.…

Budgeting for Vacation Rentals

Let’s face it-budgeting for vacation rentals can be a bit of a problem, if you don’t know what you’re doing. So how exactly do you do in order to make it to your goal of renting a vacation home this summer?

First of all, you need to start budgeting. There are several ways that you can do this. Your best way is to see just how much disposable income that you have. What this means is that if you have, for example, fifty dollars per week that you don’t do anything productive with, you can use that. Now, you don’t have to use ALL of it-half is a really good place to start. But the point is that the disposable income is the first thing that you will want to save. It doesn’t hurt nor take away from anything-making it perfect!

Secondly, start cutting back just a little bit. Look at what you don’t HAVE TO use each month, aside from the disposable income. This means that pretty much anything that you normally buy that you don’t need may need to go. For example, if you get a large latte each morning before work, then you probably don’t need to go to that exact store/do anything of that nature. You also can probably buy a whole can of coffee for four days worth of shop coffee and spend quite a bit less. The point is-stuff like that can go and it opens up a lot more money for you and your vacations rentals.

Lastly, keep an eye on what you are saving. Make sure that you are saving reasonable amounts. If you aren’t, you may want to postpone any vacation rentals that you had in mind for a much later date.

Before you start budgeting however, you need to get an idea of your location. Where do you want to rent your vacation house at? Also keep in mind that you can sometimes get a discount if you book early-make sure to ask.

After you know where you are going to stay, you need to get a rough estimate of how much you CAN save. Keep in mind that you will probably save a lot less than you anticipate, unless you are extremely strict when saving.

Don’t give up any stress relievers when saving. Saving can be stressful-thus requiring the ability to be able to get release said stress. In short, give up what you can, but not what you are extremely attached to.

Make sure to also look online so that you can find a few good companies with vacation rentals. You never know what kinds of deals you will find online.

If you aren’t sure if you can make it to vacation without having to spend loads on said vacation and your friend is looking to take a vacation too, then you may want to consider sharing. This not only makes it a lot easier on you, but also on them.

The point is, it isn’t hard to budget for vacation rentals. Normally, they’re only a few months of hard saving away.…

Traveling Overseas For A Destination Wedding

If you are planning a wedding you know first-hand how stressful the entire process can be. Some people, however, choose to forgo the normal routes and opt for a destination wedding. For people who are getting married for the second or third time this is especially popular. There are many international resorts that cater to such events and can be a great choice for couples looking to tie the knot overseas. If you are planning on internationally you will need to make sure you have a valid United States passport. If you need to, you can go online for all your passport needs including US passport name changes. If you are looking for a unique wedding experience you should think about a destination wedding.

Passport Requirements

If you do not have a valid passport you will not be able to enter any other country that you want to travel to. If you want to go overseas to have a wedding both parties will need to possess valid, up to date United States passports before they are allowed into another country. Make sure all the information on your passport is current and valid and that your passport does not show any signs of damages. If it does you may need to get a replacement passport before you depart for your destination wedding. Fortunately, there are many passport services available that offer expedited services that you can find online. That way you will ensure that you get your passport back before you leave for your trip.

Stresses Of Normal Weddings

As anyone who has ever been to a wedding before knows, they can be quite the production. Some people find traditional weddings to be far too stressful for them to handle. Dresses, venues, food, guests, it is a lot of work to have a large wedding here. Also, many people are simply not interested in that type of fairy tale wedding scenario. Especially in today’s economy it is important for people to be frugal when they plan for their big day. Not many people may realize that a destination wedding can end up being cheaper than throwing a traditional wedding here at home.

Destination Weddings

A great place to have a destination wedding that people may not be familiar with is Rarotonga. This location is part of the French Polynesian Cook Islands and is a beautiful place to have a wedding ceremony. There are many great cultural aspects that you will enjoy if you travel there. They also have many great hotels and resorts that cater specifically to couples who go there to have a destination wedding. They have great locations where people can gather to celebrate getting married.

Beautiful Rarotonga

People might not be open to the idea of a destination wedding in a beautiful, tropical location because they think it will be way too expensive. In fact, a destination wedding, including everything you will need, costs about $1,300. That includes airfare, a marriage license, and the site costs where you will actually be getting married. Once people realize how feasible it is to have a destination wedding they may reconsider their original plans. This type of wedding is a great way to have a memorable and cost effective wedding that you will look back on fondly.…

10 Reasons Vacation Homes Are Better Than Hotels

There are many reasons why vacation homes are better than hotels. Here are my 10.

More space – Why stay in a 228 sq ft hotel room when you can stay at a 1700 sq ft 3 bedroom house with a private pool for nearly the same price. Hotel rooms are designed to be a place to put your bags, sleep, and get out. Vacation homes are designed to be a home. You will feel more comfortable to hang out at the house or going to the next attraction at your leisure, not when housekeeping is coming. With vacation homes, there is less of a stir-crazy get-me-out-of-this-room feeling and more of a relaxed take it as it comes.

Cheaper per room (or head) – The hotels charge per head. The 228 sq ft hotel room costs $1003 for a week for two people. For three to four people it costs $1746 and $2619 for five to six people. The 1700 sq ft 3 bedroom vacation home stays at $1050 a week regardless of how many are staying. If you have three couples coming with you, dividing the cost per bedroom will give you $350 a couple or $175 a person for a week stay! That’s $25 a day, try finding a hotel for $25 a day!

More than one bathroom – If you have ever had to travel with a teenage daughter, then you will know the blessing of having more than one bathroom.

Pets permitted – Pets are family too! Why take them to an animal shelter or a friends house, when you can bring them along. Many vacation home owners allow pets, you just need ask about their restrictions.

Kitchens – You can spend $100 to feed a family of four for one night, or you can take that money to the grocery store and feed them for a week. The kitchen does not close either. Many vacation homes have BBQ grills which are perfect for grilling at a small impromptu pool party.

More privacy – Vacation homes do not have housekeeping crews that bother you every morning and there are no noisy nosey neighbors to gawk at your untanned legs at the pool.

Private pool – Vacations should not mean that you have to put up with a load of strange kids (of questionable hygiene) splashing you in the pool. The private pools of vacation homes insure that the only kids in the pool are the ones that you bring.

Laundry room – No need to “over” pack your suitcases when you can wash your clothes as needed. No more embarrassment with smelly laundry and the luggage checkers at the airport.

Room to stretch out – Watch TV while relaxing on the sitting room sofa not on the hard hotel queen bed. Float by yourself in a sparkling blue pool. This is what a vacation is supposed to be!

All the conveniences of home – Vacation homes are homes away from home. They often have internet access, board games and pool tables which can be a nice distraction should the weather turn bad.

Bottom line? Vacation homes are more spacious and comfortable than a cramped hotel room with limited amenities. Vacations do not come around very often so it only makes sense to try and make the most out of them.…