
Welcome back! I sure needed a break, but I'm very excited to start up again. We just completed a two week vacation in the Russian River, where we lounged, read, ate, became one with the river, and played a lot of legos. My philosophy on vacationing with young children is to recreate home away from home, and for this reason I always rent a house rather than staying at a hotel. July is National Vacation Rental month, and today's post is sponsored by Wyndham Vacation Rentals. Today I'll be sharing my strategy for setting up camp in a vacation house...what I look for in a rental and how to prep and pack.
What I look for in a rental:
The Visuals. My number one criteria is that the house is in good condition, and the rooms are well appointed and tastefully decorated. I'm willing to drive 5 miles off the beaten path to get the right place, because when we go on vacation, we really move in. I will look at dozens of homes before deciding on one, and my decision is always based on reviews and images. Pictures really do say 1000 words.
The Bedrooms. I like houses with at least 2 bedrooms and a pull-out couch in the living room. I don't care how big these rooms are, just that they have doors. My kids room together at home, but I love to be able separate them if being away from home is interrupting sleep. Staying at a hotel in one room is a bummer, because you have to shut it down when they do, and I'm not always ready to go to bed at 8:30pm.
The Layout. Just like with my own home, I value a lot of indoor/outdoor common space so that there are lots of places to curl up and read a book, or spread out and play with toys. I look for homes with big decks and access to the outdoors for the early morning run around before we start our day.
The Kitchen. I always seek out a house that has a well-appointed kitchen. I like the ease of making the majority of meals at the house. I love going local produce stands, checking out farmer's markets and cobbling together meals using local flavors, and baking homemade brownies on an unexpected rainy afternoon makes being hold up in a cabin pretty fun.
The Extras: When the boys were a little younger the added bonus of staying at a place with pack n' plays, high chairs, childproofing, baby toys and books was huge, because this meant that we didn't have to pack our own. On this vacation we found a place with bunk beds and a swing beneath the deck, which made our boys pretty happy. I always book a house with a bathtub, and onsite laundry.
What I pack:
Less is more. I used to bring it all. I'd haul in bins of toys, art supplies, clothing for every possible scenario, most of which would go unused. Now each person brings a small bag of basics/layers and we do laundry. I vet the weather report and pack accordingly. I bring a bin with small games like UNO, paper and a small case with markers and pencils, and a bin of legos. Most vacation rentals have beach towels, sand toys and a closet full of games and books.
The medicine cabinet. I have one kid who is so allergic to poison oak that he gets it from looking at it. The other one gets a cold as soon as we pack him in the car. We always bring a fully stocked medicine cabinet with us. Pain killer/fever reducer, cold medicine, Benedryl, cough drops, a thermometer, first aid, anti-itch and medicated scrubs, bug spray and sunscreen. I don't want to re-purchase any of this stuff at a roadside market in the middle of nowhere for a million dollars when I have it stocked at home.
Kitchen faves: If we're driving, I bring my must have ingredients with me. Olive oil, sea salt, and our favorite coffee usually come along, because if there's one thing I need when traveling with young children it's a good cup of coffee.
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Wyndham Vacation Rental in Breckenridge, CO |
For peace of mind, book with a professionally managed vacation rental provider such as Wyndham Vacation Rentals® that has a "Vacation Rental Bill of Rights®" service pledge ensuring quality standards (vetted rentals with accurate images), comprehensive customer service and real-time payment and bookings.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
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