A Dream Vacation Home

Every summer, for the week of 4th of July our clan heads out to the east end of Long Island – a tradition for as long as I can remember, and something we all look so forward to, with the beginning of each summer! Ton of friends typically flock east during the same time period, so it’s like one big party all week long!

Because we are a family of five and traveling for over a week, a house is our only option. Searching for a house can often be arduous, because you don’t know the homeowners from which you rent. We’ve used many rental services over the years, but HomeAway has easily been our website of choice for when booking rental homes. With more than 2 million unique properties to choose from, HomeAway is committed to helping families like mine, find the perfect vacation rental to create unforgettable travel memories. Year after year, I have to say we’ve found the perfect home for the entire family, including our two little dogs.

I just love the ease and space of a house, rather than hotel rooms. When considering daily costs combined with amenities and perks of a house, HomeAway is cost effective compared to a hotel room, and there’s definitely way more space! Coming from a snug NYC apartment, the kids love sleeping in their own bedrooms, playing in a backyard, and splashing around in a pool. Jason is obsessed with grilling, so a BBQ is a huge bonus, and I love having the ability to take the pups along for the adventure.

Typically, Southampton is our first choice for a Hamptons vacation, but this year we ventured further east on Shelter Island. Our home was located in Shelter’s Shorewood section, only 4 minutes from the South Ferry, so getting back and forth was a breeze. There were four bedrooms, two of which were masters, a salt water in-ground pool, a massive backyard and patio, and open kitchen! To top it all off, we were one house away from the beach! At the end of each day we set out for a stroll on the beach, watching the sunset, and searching for the perfect sea shells to add to our collection! It couldn’t have been more peaceful, and honestly if this house went on the market, I think Jason and I would buy it in a heart beat!

HomeAway makes it easy to list and find your favorite places to stay organize while browsing through properties. As creatures of habit, we often choose Long Island for our vacation home, but I’ve been culling through their listings, and we may need to broaden our horizons. Some of HomeAway’s hottest beach destinations include Panama City Beach Florida, Orange Beach and Gulf Shores Alabama, Walton County Florida, San Diego California, Four Corners (Disney area) Florida, and Hilton Head Island South Carolina! I included some of my favorite in this round up here.

Our almost 2 week vacation in this Home Away rental was so much fun that we plan to re-rent for Labor Day weekend too! If you want to experience too, here is the link!