December 19, 2009
Time, again, for a mini-vacation…
I hope every issue of Life’s A Beach House will give you the inspiration (and excuse) you need to plan your next vacation in vacation rental beach house, cottage or condo.
And if you’re not ready to make plans, it’s also fun to live vicariously. Read about my latest “finds,” get personal recommendations from vacation rental owners and tap the expertise of local, “boutique” rental managers who do a fabulous job.
Ready to get some sand between your toes?
Issue #02 December 2009
Gulf Gold: Off-the-Beaten Path Family Vacations on Florida’s Gulf Coast
In this issue …• This Year, Let’s Do Florida Without the Mouse!
• Should You Purchase Vacation Rental Insurance?
• Next Month: How to Extend Your Vacation in a Monthly Rental
- Charles Kuralt
It’s easy to think you “know” Florida. It’s Disney and Miami and Spring Break, right?
But, when it comes to this state’s most abundant asset—700 miles of beaches — Florida will bowl you over with its diversity.
I spent a week in early November traveling the west coast (facing the Gulf of Mexico). Beginning in Fort Myers, where the beaches are framed in sea oats, I traveled all the way to the Panhandle, where the emerald water is so clear you’d swear you were in the Caribbean.
For me, the trip wouldn’t have been a success if I hadn’t also stepped off the beaten path to explore a place I’d never heard of—the tiny town of Cedar Key.
An hour west of Gainesville, it’s not listed in the major guidebooks. If you love peace and quiet, nature outside of a theme park, unique shops and good food, let me show you what you’ve been missing.
A PLACE CALLED ‘TRANQUILITY’
It’s not “the beach” (although there are lovely white-sand beaches here!). It’s a place where natural majesty of the bayous and Gulf of Mexico are the show.
There is no place better to soak it all in than from the balcony of Tranquility “It’s fascinating to watch the world float or fly by on the channel—a parade of fishermen, clammers, crabbers, kayakers, pleasure boats, and other ‘travelers’ including dolphins, pelicans and large wading birds,” says owner Cindy Svec.
Cindy and her husband, John Lock, blended the rich organic colors and textures of the surroundings with traditional Japanese design elements to create a Zen retreat.
These owners don’t want you to miss a thing during your visit. Once you’re settled in, try out their own recipe for fresh clams and some of their favorite movies and music. It’s nice to feel like you’re in the care of good friends.
John and Cindy’s personal recommendations:
Sunday Brunch at The Island Room at Cedar Cove
Try the crab benedict or the smoked trout plate for a real treat -- right next door to the condo!
Island Hopper
at the harbor offers two-hour eco-tours with captains who are knowledgeable about Cedar Key’s history and ecology.
Highlights include visiting where the town was initially settled on Atsena Otie Key and viewing of the lighthouse on Seahorse Key.
Wildlife tour at Manatee Springs State Park
A half-hour drive north and east of Cedar Key on the Suwannee River, the park has an excellent boardwalk through a cypress swamp out to the Suwannee where the dock offers excellent views.
You can often see manatees swimming in the river. The incredibly blue springs make this a favorite local dive spot. This is a terrific day-trip!
Click here for the detailed review and photo slide show…
MAKING IT TO EASY STREET
Living in an overbuilt suburb, I get a rash at the hint of commercial sprawl. And Destin -- an upscale enclave on Florida’s Emerald Coast, between the Panhandle cities of Pensacola and Panama City -- has, indeed, mushroomed over the past decade. The main east-west highway is an all-too-familiar jumble of chain restaurants and stores, as well as an upscale mall with high end designer shops.
But get into the neighborhoods along Scenic Highway 98, running along the sand and you’ll find charming beach cottages with Victorian trim with island charm. Destin’s talcum powder-soft white sand and Caribbean clear waves stretch for miles and miles. The climate is cooler than in Fort Myers. There are few bugs. It doesn’t have the funky charm of Key West, but it’s definitely no “Redneck Rivieria”.
It’s so different than the Florida I "know,” it’s appropriately in another time zone.
I understand why fellow-Californians Rick and Debbie Scali fell in love with Destin while scouting for a retirement home. They loved it so much they bought a vacation rental—a sweet, three-bedroom cabana in a quiet cul-de-sac a short stroll from a private beach -- and established Easy Street Vacation Rentals. “Easy Street is where I always said I wanted to live when I retired,” Rick jokes.
In the beginning, people told Rick he was crazy for accepting pets—and not just one, but any number, any size and any breed. But seven years later Easy Street Vacation Rentals is crazy successful. The guest books are brimming with heartfelt stories of multi-generational family vacations including Rex, Gizmo, Brutus and Honey and many more four-legged family members.
Although Rick and Debbie were new to the vacation rental management business, “We know what people are looking for, because it’s what we were looking for,” Rick says.
Their “formula” is simple:
• Squeaky clean” homes; every surface gleams.
• Most rentals have a private, heated pool and separate, fenced yard, perfect for pets and kids.
• Cool tropical style with all the up-to-date amenities
• Sharp attention to detail. Everything matches—from the linens to the silverware.
• White picket fences and porch swings give these homes an idyllic charm that’s anything but cookie-cutter.
Click here for the detailed review and photo slide show…
Should You Purchase Vacation Rental Insurance?
~ Yiddish proverb
My husband and I have gotten sick while on vacation, but we always managed to keep going after a little rest. So, who needs travel insurance, I thought? Our experience this past Thanksgiving changed my mind.
My husband was hospitalized with chest pains. The next day, my back went out, nearly immobilizing me. It was the weekend after Thanksgiving and we were a 14-hour drive from home.
This time we were lucky to be staying with my parents who knew the best local emergency room and allowed us to stay on until we were able to limp home. I realized that we could just as easily have been staying in a vacation rental in an unfamiliar town on the opposite coast.
“When you’re vacationing in Florida, there’s always the risk of a hurricane,” says Rick Scali (picture here with his wife Debbie and two dogs). After guests requested it, Easy Street Vacation Rentals added optional travel insurance covering medical emergencies like ours.
It also covers a host of other “life happens” scenarios—from lost luggage to arranging last-minute travel airfare home to be with a critically ill relative.
The cost? Just 7% of the rental fee. (About $50 to $350, depending on the rental).
More and more vacation rental management companies are offering vacation rental insurance. If you’re renting directly from an owner, check out reputable companies like
CSA Travel Protection.
Next Month: Monthly Rentals
Enjoy the holiday festivities. If you work remotely (all you need in phone, a laptop and high speed Internet connection), stay the party doesn’t have to end.
Next month, I’ll show you how monthly rentals can extend your vacation (with a little work on the side).
Renting by the month is also a great opportunity to live like a local if you’re searching for a new place to retire.
Comments? Feedback? Rental recommendations? I’m all ears! Just reply to this e-mail.