Vacation Home Rentals

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Apr 19

Planning a vacation can get overwhelming at times. If you’re planning on taking your furry friend, it can be even more overwhelming. It is possible to travel with your pet, it just takes a bit of extra planning. Your vacation can be even more relaxing when you take the time to do that extra planning.

Planning on traveling by air?

When you are planning on flying, you’ll need to make extensive preparations. If your pet is a short-nosed breed, be sure to check with your airline – they may not be able to fly. Almost all commercial airlines will also require a certificate of veterinary inspection. If you can, you should try to plan a non-stop flight. You might be required to provide a travel crate for your pet. If this is the case, make sure the crate is large enough your pet can be comfortable. Very carefully and clearly label the crate so you can pick it up immediately after landing.

Planning a road trip?

If you’re planning a long drive, it is very important to prepare your pet. Take several short drives to get your dog or cat used to being in a vehicle. Secure your pet’s crate in a seat where there is no airbag or where the airbag can be deactivated. If you are putting your dog’s crate in the bed of a truck, make sure it is secure. Keep as close of a schedule as you can, including feeding and bedtimes. Stop driving and stretch with your pet every two hours.

Crashing in a hotel?

Not every hotel allows pets to stay in the rooms – so research is very important. More often than not, small boutique hotels and locally-owned establishments are much more pet-friendly. While you can search for hotels online, make sure to call ahead to verify their policies. Try to bring the pet’s favorite toy or blanket – something that helps them feel at home. Your pet will need extra time to explore and feel at home in the hotel room.

Planning on going camping?

Taking your pet into the great outdoors takes just a little extra planning. There are extra dangers in the wild that your pet may not normally encounter – so help your pet be careful. Make sure your pets have flea, tick, and heartworm protection. Keeping your pet on leash is important – it takes just one interesting scent for them to go running. Private and public campgrounds have very different policies, so read up before you visit.

Traveling with your pets can be fun – and having your best furry friends with you when you’re exploring the world can be rewarding. Just make sure your trip is as relaxing as you had hoped by doing some pre-planning.

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Mar 8

It can be very difficult to figure out what to buy for your outdoor vacationing, especially if you have never been on one before. You need to be sure that you have all the right things with you because, chances are, you won’t be very close to any shops or markets. If you are struggling to figure out what you should take and what you should leave behind, this guide might be able to aid you.

When going on an outdoor holiday, it is a better idea to pack your stuff in a large camping backpack instead of a rolling suitcase. This is because you might have to hike across rough terrain with all of your stuff, and it would not be easy to drag a suitcase across such land. When you are shopping for a backpack, make sure that it is very sturdy and that it is also waterproof. Make sure the straps are padded, too.

You should always wear a watch when you are on an outdoor holiday. Knowing the time will make it easier for you to stick to your itinerary and meet up with your friends. While you are shopping, you should look for a men’s sport watch that is water resistant and also includes a backlight feature.

Pack sleepwear with you, especially if you are traveling during a cold season. It’s a good idea to pack several pairs, just in case your pajamas get dirty or rained on.

Always invest in a strong pair of shoes for your holiday. A pair of leather brown boots, for instance, will be great for hiking and climbing. They will also be very comfy to walk around in and will protect your feet from harm. If you are traveling during wet or snowy weather, then you might want to also take a pair of rubber boots with you.

Make sure the sleeping bag you take will keep you warm or cool enough so that you can actually fall asleep. Different kinds of sleeping bags are actually made for different seasons. Also, try to find a sleeping bag that has a waterproof exterior shell or a hood attached if it is going to be particularly cold during your trip.

It isn’t always easy to decide what to take on an outdoor trip. Just be sure that you are taking the appropriate sleeping bag and clothing for the trip, and your holiday will be much more enjoyable.

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Mar 6

A self-catering holiday in South Africa is a lot of fun. When the Northern hemisphere is shivering under a blanket of snow, South African holidaymakers are busy tanning on white sandy beaches. South Africa is also an extremely affordable tourist destination and maybe the only one where you can get first world conveniences at prices more comparable to that of third world countries.

Self-catering holidays are excellent if you enjoy the great outdoors and they’re also much more affordable than hotel holidays – especially for the family man. South Africa has a large number of very good quality resorts with self-catering accommodation. All of them are fully equipped. We recently rented one near Hermanus where there even was a top of the range delonghi oven in the kitchen.

There’s a variety of car rental firms at Cape Town International Airport. You will need a credit card to rent a car from all of them, although in town there’s a couple that rents out older cars for cash. Always check out the car’s body in the presence of a company representative. Otherwise you will be liable to pay if they find scratches or dents on the car when you return it.

If you’re traveling with a baby, try to get a car that’s fitted with a britax car seat. This will not only ensure baby’s comfort, but also his safety. The additional cost of this is minimal compared to the advantages to be gained from having it.

Afterward head East along the N2 towards the beach towns of Strand and Gordon’s Bay. Just after Gordon’s Bay the road crawls up the scenic Sir Lowry’s Pass. At the top of the pass is a lookout point from where you’ll have a breathtaking view of Gordons Bay and the Stand right below you and False Bay and the mountains of the Peninsula in the distance. Once you go down the other side of the mountain, you move into apple and corn country. Near the town of Grabouw are several export apple farms.

A hundred kilometers from Cape Town you will enter the lovely seaside resort of Hermanus. Here you can find numerous self-catering resorts. Settle in and start to explore the beautiful surroundings. There are many restaurants overlooking the ocean near the town square. There’s also a flea market where you can buy clothing and artifacts made by local artists. You will also run into hawkers walking around offering watches for sale. I once bought a men’s sport watch from one of the that lasted exactly three days!

It’s easy to have fun in Hermanus. You can spend your days on the beach, or you can drive around visiting the interesting towns in the area. Or you can go on a boat trip and watch sharks or whales. Or you can just let the one meal flow into the other…..