The search for a Minnesota vacation rental

Oh the joys of vacation! Jessi and I were the benefactors of a free week stay in Puerto Vallarta Mexico a few weeks ago. It was an amazingly relaxing trip where Jessi and I were able to enjoy a week away without the kids. Our vacation provided us with time to reflect and examine our lives. We were able to enjoy some quality time with each other, we missed the kids of course (but not until day 5 or 6!) , and it also made me realize how much I like to take vacations!

Coming back to work usually means surviving the first week and catching up during the second week. This year the third week after vacation was reserved for implementing the plan I concocted while in Mexico for our next vacation! Being away from the kids made me want to plan a fun-filled family vacation. This time I wanted to stay a little closer to home and take the kids "Up North" to one of our crystal clear Minnesota lakes where they can fish from the dock and frolic in the water. We have vacationed with our good friends Gary and Kelley Pankake in the past and our families seem to mesh very well while we are away so we decided to try our third trip together.

I have had some very good success in the past renting private vacation homes for our week long accommodations. We have had so much success in fact that I would be bold enough to say renting a home is the only way to go. Forget hotels and resorts, getting away with all the comforts of home is where a vacation truly becomes a relaxing getaway. My only suggestion is that you don't want to just jump into the vacation rental market without doing a little research.

So where to start? There are so many avenues you could take in your vacation home search but thankfully the internet and your email account provide you with everything you need. I believe the best place to start is craigslist.org. There are numerous lake home owners that are not able to utilize their lake place to the fullest so they offer it up for weekly rentals when they can't be there. My second favorite outlet are local chamber of commerce websites. For instance, the Alexandria, MN chamber website provides an entire section dedicated to accomodations and lodging including private vacation rentals. You can also check out sites like http://www.vrbo.com/ (vacation rental by owner) or http://www.lakeplace.com/.

Don't forget about the power of networking. You can email or call people you know that live on lakes or coworkers who have cabins and ask if they know of anyone that rents a lake home or if they would ever consider renting their lake place for a week.

No matter how you find the home that fits your families needs you need to dot your i's and cross your t's. The first thing I do is visit the Minnesota DNR website. I use the lake finder to locate and research the lake our potential lake home rental is on. I look at lake maps, depths, water quality and clarity, and if you are a fisher person don't forget to check out the comprehensive data on the fish in the lake.

You should also tell the owner what you are specifically looking for and ask them pertinent questions in regards to those needs. For instance, our families first priority is a sandy beach with a fairly weed free swimming area so our kids can lounge in the water. I always ask for photos of the beach area and the water clarity as well as photos of the inside of the cabin and outside areas as well. Make sure to find out if the home is fully equipped with cooking utensils, linens, etc. and ask what you are expected to provide. If you require a DVD player or TV with cable, don't assume they are included.

No matter how much research you do, always plan for the unexpected or if you don't plan for it, don't let it ruin your vacation. Always know something might not be perfect and chalk it up as part of the vacation experience.

Once you find the joys of renting a lake place you just might decide to start looking to buy a lake place of your own to rent out to other families. That is another post for another day but if you are thinking about purchasing a lake place now or in the future, shoot me an email or give me a call and I would love to help you with the entire process.

Enjoy your vacation and don't forget to not only plan for the unexpected but to expect the unexpected. It will make your vacation a whole lot more fun!