San Diego is an all-season tourist destination, but vacationers who come during the spring can enjoy some seasonal events that are well worth a visit to southern California.  Between March and May, visitors can tour the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, where they will see dozens of acres of flowers in bloom.  This outdoor attraction is open seven days a week during the target months.

April is an ideal time to come.  Early in the month, rowing teams compete in Mission Bay in the Crew Classic, a two-day event that features more than 90 separate races.  Spectators can watch the races from shore or on the giant jumbotron, or even take a break in the nearby beer garden on the beach.  In mid-April, San Diego hosts its Annual Earth Fair in Balboa Park.  This event is one of the biggest environmental events in the world, drawing about 70,000 guests each year.  At the end of the month, the Mission Federal ArtWalk features over 300 artists as well as music and dance.

Special events are not the only reasons to visit, however.  San Diego boasts more than 30 museums, 15 of them in the city’s enormous Balboa Park.  The world-famous Torrey Pines golf course, host of the US Open in 2008, is one reason why Golf Digest ranked San Diego as one of the “top 50 golf destinations in the world.

Spring is one of the best times to visit this coastal city, but San Diego vacation rentals are available year-round.

Villa Dei Fiori D’oro San Diego Vacation Villa Residence Rental

5 Star AC Pool/Spa Horse/Hiking Trails United States » California » San Diego View This Listing at VacationRentalDirect.com San Diego Vacation Rental Villa USA Southern California San Diego North County Encinitas Olivenhain Rancho Santa Fe Family Vacation Rental, Rom Property Details Listing: 13488 Type: House Sleeps : 10-12 Bed(s): 4 Bed(s): 3 Children: Yes Pool :Yes Amenities Air Condition Washers & Dryer Stove Internet Fireplace Pool

Contact: Marian Phone: 619-851-0808 email: sdvacationrental@earthlink.net

Holiday Rentals | VacationRentalDirect.com | Vacation Rental Software

The Anaheim area in southern California is famous for its amusement parks, including Disneyland, Disney’s California Adventure, and Knott’s Berry Farm.  Disneyland is open every day of the year, including Christmas and New Year’s Day, and offer rides and attractions suitable for all ages.

Teenagers will enjoy roller coasters such as Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain, but for the young and old there are gentler rides, many of them based on Disney’s famous movies.  You can sail over London on the Peter Pan ride and take a trip through the world’s many regions in It’s a Small World.  The Pirates of the Caribbean ride has even been updated to feature a Johnny Depp animatronic figure.  Disneyland’s sister park, Disney’s California Adventure, is located right next door and features attractions based on the wonders of the “Golden State,” such as San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.

Knott’s Berry Farm is less famous than Disneyland, but just as worthy of a visit.  In addition to roller coasters and other rides, Knott’s features a full-scale replica of Independence Hall.  The original is located in Philadelphia and was where both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were approved; Knott’s Berry Farm’s replica attractions include daily shows that bring this history to life.  Since Knott’s is also a working farm, producing specialty jams and jellies, it is also the ideal place to buy unusual preserves such as California plum jam.

Vacation rentals in and around Anaheim are located close to all of these attractions.

A sample of a great vacation home near Disneyland is the Storybook Villa. Featuring a beautiful pool, convenient location and a great website (with online booking), the Storybook Villa is a must visit for families visiting Anaheim.

Featured Anaheim Vacation Home

Disneyland Sunset United States » California » Anaheim View This Listing at VacationRentalDirect.com You Can’t Get Any Closer to Disneyland Than This Place…Welcome to your next perfect California Vacation at our “Anaheim Sunset” retreat. Property Details Listing: 14269 Type: Condo Sleeps : 4 to 6 Bed(s): 2 Bed(s): 2 Pets: No Children: Yes Pool :Yes Smoking: No Amenities Air Condition Phone Radio Washers & Dryer TV Cable DVD Player

Contact: Scott Phone: 626-608-6505

San Francisco is an ideal city to visit for those who prefer to stay in long-term vacation homes during their extended vacation.  With so many attractions and activities available, visitors may want to stay in the city for several weeks.

The city is a treasure trove of famous attractions, reflecting some of the most interesting moments in American history.  Tourists can climb to the top of “Hippie Hill” in Golden Gate Park and tour the Haight-Ashbury district, both key locations during 1967′s “Summer of Love.”  The bay features a World War II submarine that is open to the public, the island prison of Alcatraz, and a functioning fish market at Fisherman’s Wharf.

Visitors interested in science as well as history can see the San Andreas Fault and observe evidence of the famous 1906 San Francisco earthquake.  Another popular option is to tour the recently renovated California Academy of Sciences, which features not just skeletons and dioramas, but also an indoor rainforest, a planetarium, and a rooftop covered in plants to provide insulation.

Summer days in San Francisco are typically warm and sunny, making the many beaches dotting the coastline seem irresistible.  Popular activities other than swimming and sailing include flying kites or watching the seals and sea lions that inhabit this part of the coast.  A walk across the Golden Gate Bridge is another popular tourist activity.  Visitors are advised to bring a sweater, however, since the ocean fog can roll in at any time, often bringing with it some cool air.

Featured San Francisco Vacation Rental

Victorian vacation rental in San Francisco United States » California » San Francisco View This Listing at VacationRentalDirect.com ~Casa de Julia~ is a 1000 square foot lower flat in a victorian built in 1902. We are in one of the safest, most beautiful neighborhoods in San Francisco-Noe Valley. Property Details Listing: 14286 Type: Apartment Sleeps : 4 to 6 Bed(s): 2 Bed(s): 1 Pets: No Children: Yes Pool :No Smoking: No Amenities Phone Washers & Dryer TV Cable Stove Internet Queen bed

Contact: Wendy Spackman Phone: 1-510-761-4071 email: vacation.rental@live.com

My family and I arrived on Sunday, May 24th at the Grande Villas in Indian Beach, NC which is right in the center of Emerald Isle. Thus far everything has been perfect. The team at Emerald Isle Realty really does an incredible job of considering your every need. Our check in was smooth and our unit is beautiful.

We have two first floor units, 1-K and 1-L. These units each have stairs which leads right to the grass and then to the beach. It is so so convenient. We worried a little about if there would be a privacy or noise problem, but this would never be an issue due to where the units are located. It is just so nice to quick go to the pool or the beach or each others unit, without have to go into the building.

The units themselves are brand new and first class. Tile everywhere, 13 foot ceilings, granite countertops, walk in showers, walk in closets in each bedroom and three very nice flat screen TVs. There is high speed wireless Internet in each unit! I mean there is an actual wireless router in our unit! 2.5Mb/s according to speedtest.net, so very nice!

The exercise room overlooks the ocean and the equipment is brand new. There are two ellipticals, a couple of treadmills and a stairmaster, as well as some strength training equipment.. There is also a game room with a huge flatscreen, free pool table and free video games including Galaga!

The closest grocery store is on the east end of the island, a Food Lion, and it’s about 9 miles away. There is a convenience store about 100 yards from Grande Villas, just across the street, that has the basic staples and also also bait and tackle for fishing! The bait is frozen however. But if you take a right out of the resort and go a 1/4 mile or so, there is a place called Homer’s Point which sells fresh shrimp (among other fresh seafood). We stopped by there on our way out and picked up three very nice Mahi Mahi filets which we grilled up when we got home!

One night we drove about 10 miles to the west end of the island and ate at Rutger Johns. It doesn’t have an amazing view, and it’s in the back of a strip mall, but the food came recommended and it was very good and economical. Great place to take a 15 month old. Kid friendly, nice atmosphere and excellent food. A word to the wise, if you are in a hurry to eat, and want to eat on the water (or really eat period) don’t go west (turning left) out of the resort, there are no restaurants for 15-20 minutes. However, if you go east, there are quite a few restaurants in the first two miles. This is good to know if you have kids and need to eat. Carleton’s is just a 1/4 to 1/2 miles to the west (left out of Grande Villas) but we never ate there mostly because it seemed like it might be a bit too fancy to take a kid.

On Tuesday afternoon we had lunch at The Big Oak, where we all had our first shrimp burgers.   They were amazing, and we had a really nice time.   For most people, I would consider getting the large shrimp burger, I ordered the regular shrimp burger initially and ended up ordering two of them!

More Pics

More Pics

More Pics

More Pics

I’m jazzed! My wife and I have been looking for a vacation rental or timeshare rental (gasp!) to spend a week on the beach in either North Carolina or South Carolina. There are some amenities which are important to us, especially now that we have a one year old daughter. Requirements:

1) On the ocean with a deck overlooking the ocean
2) Kiddie splash pool for our daughter
3) Short walk to the beach
4) Very nice pool with umbrellas
5) 2 bedroom + / 2 bath with king bed and high speed wireless Internet
6) Dining on site or very close
7) updated rooms with nice beds
exercise facility
9) within 6 hours of our home in North Carolina
10) Reasonable weekly rates

Then today, while reviewing the new listings for the day, I noticed that the development team at Grande Villas on Emerald Isle in Indian Beach, North Carolina had posted a couple of listings for their 2 bedroom and 3 bedroom vacation rental condos. That place looks amazing! Here is their vacation rental widget from their listing, click on the widget to view more details:

Oceanfront Villa with Fitness Center & Club Lounge United States » North Carolina » Atlantic Beach View This Listing at VacationRentalDirect.com 3 Bedrooms & 3 Full Baths on the Ocean! Imagine feeling the sand between your toes & hearing the waves crash against the shore as you refresh your soul at your new oceanfront retreat. Property Details Listing: 13950 Type: Condo Sleeps : 6 to 8 Bed(s): 3 Bed(s): 3 Pets: Yes Children: Yes Pool :Yes Smoking: No Amenities Air Condition Phone Washers & Dryer DVD Player Stove Internet

Contact: Nathan Wax Phone: (252) 354-3315

Vacation Rentals By Owner | VacationRentalDirect.com | Vacation Homes

I don’t like direct linking to the website of competitors, but the rental team at Emerald Isle Realty has done a nice job of promoting the units on their website, check it out.

Update 2/23/09: My wife and I got a great deal from Nathan at Emerald Isle on a 3 bedroom unit at Grande Villas in late May. Make sure to ask Nathan if they have any specials! I’ll take lots of pictures and videos and post them we we get back!

I had a nice conversation with the owner of a Blowing Rock North Carolina Vacation Rental the other day, so I thought I’d feature his rental on my blog as well as tell my readers a little more about Blowing Rock North Carolina.

Waterfall Tree House United States » North Carolina » Blowing Rock   View This Listing at VacationRentalDirect.com   Beautiful Tree House like cabin near waterfall in private gated development.   Property Details Type :Cabin Pets :Yes Listing :13708 Children :No Sleeps :1 to 2 Pool :No Bed(s) :1 Bath(s) :1 Amenities Air Condition Radio Hunting near by Washers & Dryer TV Cable DVD Player

Contact: michael Kirkland        Phone: 828-719-5761

Holiday Rentals | VacationRentalDirect.com | Vacation Homes

Blowing Rock is a small town just outside of Boone in North Carolina. The town has a wonderful variety of shops, small hotels, resorts, golf courses, state parks and local activities. Most weekends it is very busy with tourists. Parking can be difficult on the weekends, especially in the summer because it’s always about 10 degrees cooler in Blowing Rock.

Expect to wait when having lunch. My wife and I prefer to visit on a weekday if possible, simply because of the crowds.

We’ve never stayed in Blowing Rock over night, however there are some super nice hotels just a few hundred yards from the downtown. You can view all of the Blowing Rock Vacation Rentals by clicking here.

There are some decent boutique clothing shops for women, and even a nice one for babies. I don’t recall a lot of options for men. There are a few touristy shops, but many are more artsy in nature. There is a Tanger Outlet Mall in Blowing Rock as well.

Overall, Blowing Rock a great place to spend an afternoon. There is a ton more to do in the area, that I have not explored. One of the things I aim to do this spring is a little bit of hiking in the area. I found this article about hiking around Bass Lake, which seems like a wonderful trek:

Trail Map for the Moses H. Come Memorial Park (includes Bass Lake Trek)

Lake Tahoe Lodging, Inc. welcomes the new year by offering 40% off on its luxury Lake Tahoe vacation rentals.

Lake Tahoe, CA / NV (PRWEB) January 6, 2005 — Lake Tahoe Lodging, Inc. offers 40 percent off on mid-week Lake Tahoe vacation rentals with a 2 night minimum stay.

{InsertImage}

Lake Tahoe Lodging, Inc. (LTL) – A provider of Luxury Lake Tahoe accommodations announces their “Get into winter” special offering 40% off on mid-week vacation rentals.

Known for its vacation rental bonuses and immaculately kept quality properties, LTL is providing this special mid-week savings to guests who book a minimum two-night stay at any of LTL’s properties.

“This is a great opportunity for guests to visit us for a mid-week stay or quick, last minute vacation get-away and really save money while enjoying a south Lake Tahoe vacation rental. ” says Chad Smittkamp, CEO of Lake Tahoe Lodging.

VacationsAtTahoe.com and LakeTahoeLodging.com are vacation rental and lodging sites created by Lake Tahoe Lodging, Inc. providing hassle-free year-round Lake Tahoe Vacation Rentals packed with amenities for less than the cost of many hotels. Visitors to the Lake Tahoe Area can get a fully equipped vacation-ready “home-away-from-home” and enjoy luxury accommodations, a romantic getaway or just bring their entire family to enjoy this world famous area.

Lake Tahoe Lodging has vacation rental properties located on both the Nevada and California sides of Lake Tahoe’s South and East Shores. Visitors enjoy concierge services including: Personal Shopping, Babysitting, Dog Sitting and Walking, Hot Tubs, Wood for Fireplaces, Personal Massages & Facials, Children’s Activities, Boat Cruises, Boat Rentals, Boat Buoy Rentals, Guided Hiking, Biking, Horse Back Riding Tours, Event Tickets and more.

Terms: Subject to availability with a two-night minimum stay. No holiday periods. Good for any reservation arriving on a Monday thru Wednesday and departing Wednesday thru Friday. Offer expires March 15, 2006.

For more information, reservations and last minute specials call toll free 1-800-654-5253 or visit on the web:

http://www.VacationsAtTahoe.com

http://www.LakeTahoeLodging.com

By GWEN MICKELSON
Sentinel staff writer

SANTA CRUZ — Sandra Lovelace hopes to learn some new software tricks at an upcoming vacation rental conference Monday and Tuesday at the Coast Santa Cruz Hotel.

The conference, sponsored by Seattle-based Escapia Inc., which makes vacation rental management software and marketing products, aims to bring together Northern California coast vacation rental management, staff and vacation industry leaders to discuss new trends and technologies that will determine the future profitability of vacation rentals in the area.

Lovelace, vacation manager with Kendall & Potter Property Management Co. in Aptos, said her company was looking for an updated program for its database, seeking something more Web-based, and it chose Escapia’s software.

“We’ll learn things we don’t know already because we’re just starting to use their software,” she said.

The conference is one of a series held at various U.S. vacation locations. Escapia and co-sponsor Buehner-Fry Inc., a Bend, Ore., vacation rental management services company, will present seminars, roundtable discussions and a technology showcase.

The vacation rental market here merits it, according to Chris C. Kemp, president and chief executive officer of Escapia.

“Vacation rentals is a market that’s evolving in Santa Cruz,” he said. “It’s a huge industry that’s growing at a pretty rapid rate. When baby boomers retire, about 60 percent of them want to own a second home or vacation home somewhere.”

Over the past six years, according to the Vacation Rental Managers Association of Santa Cruz, the vacation rental industry has been growing at a rate of 10 to 15 percent per year.

The industry consists mainly of real estate companies that sell homes to investors who plan to use them part-time, said Kemp.

Kemp said he expects between 12 and 24 attendees at the conference.

The featured speaker will be George Volsky, veteran industry analyst, speaker at vacation rental events across the country, former vacation rental manager, attorney and expert on issues facing vacation rental managers.

Topics discussed will include how to draw people to a seasonally affected area, legislative resistance to vacation rentals, Internet marketing and how the Web is affecting the industry and how to make vacation rental companies more competitive with rent-by-owner offerings and pricing.

The two-day conference, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, costs $195 per person, which can be paid at the door and includes breakfast and lunch. For information, visit conference.escapia.com/-northerncalifornia/ or call (877) 871-5156.