How to find beach vacation rentals

Finding a beach vacation rental is not hard, in fact anyone who knows how to use the computer can find a beach vacation rental, finding the right one to fit your needs, however, can be a trick, so do not just read what they have to say, ask specifics. For example, the ad might say "Sleeps eight" and you intend to bring ten people and have two sleep on the couches, but after you get there you find out the couches were part of the sleeps eight. So, avoid these kind of problems by asking lots of questions before ever booking.

Choose reputable sites that get good customer reviews, and that have a reputation to uphold. If you do not want to use a site, your best options for finding beach rentals is to call the local tourism board, or check the local classified listings for rentals. Sometimes it is also a good idea to actually drive the area and see what is available, but if you are going somewhere foreign this is not really an option.

Whenever possible look at photos, and reviews left by others that have stayed in your exact unit, house, or property to ensure that you are getting what you think you are getting when you pay.

There are beaches all over the world, and finding a beach vacation rental is not difficult if you know how to go about looking for one. The following are some questions you have to ask yourself if you want to find a beach vacation rental that works well for your needs.

What is your purpose?
Let's face it, there are different reasons for visiting the beach, most are to have fun, but the truth is, to find a beach vacation rental, you need to consider your purpose. Are you going to the beach in order to lay out? If so you are going to want a beach that gets plenty of sun and keeps average temperatures all year long so that you do not get too hot. Are you going to the beach to snorkel or scuba dive? If so you are going to want to visit a beach known for great snorkel spots, and plenty of places with easy entry when you have lots of gear on. Are you going to a beach in order to surf, boogie board, or body surf? Then you will want to find a beach that has good surf.

Where do you want to go?
This question is similar to the one about your purpose. Where you go will contribute to what activities you can do. However, there is more to it. If you want to go somewhere tropical, you want to look on sites or contact companies that specialize in tropical beach vacation rentals. If you want to stay within the continental US you will need to find somewhere that offers these types of rentals. If you want to go somewhere really exclusive, or with very few rentals, then you will need to find a broker that handles these types of beach vacation rentals. So, decide where you want to go before you try to book your beach vacation rental.

What kind of accommodations do you want?
Before you look for beach vacation rentals you should make a list of the kind of vacation rental amenities you want. For example, some vacation rental sites offer only condos and apartment type of rooms, which often include a "community" type pool, other sites offer houses, they do not have a pool, but all the property is rented just to you, and there is nothing to share. So, make a list of what accommodations you want. Pool? Washer? Dryer? Cable? Room Service? A full kitchen? The things you want will make a difference in how you find beach vacation rentals.

What length of stay?
How long you want to stay in the beach vacation rental will affect where you go to find it. For example, many places that rent out time shares, etc. only offer them for a full week at a time, other places rent day to day, or even for full months, etc. So, if you are not planning to stay for a full week, or if you want to stay starting mid-week or something, the places you can go to book a beach vacation rental will change. For the most choices, plan on going for a full week Monday to Sunday.

How many people are you booking for?
Determine the number of people that will be joining you on your trip to the beach. It's possible to find rental homes in many different sizes. However, if you need special circumstances, you will have to find a place that will accommodate them. Usually if you are booking for a large party you may need to find an agency with several units on the same property. Or, another option is to find a large house for rent.

What ages are you booking for?
Some places are really exclusive and will not rent to people who have kids, or to college kids. So, who are you, and who is going to be staying at your beach vacation rental? Can you rent anywhere, or do you need family friendly places? If you want to be able to rent regardless of who you are it is best to find your rental through an agency or online source, private owners are often more strict about who they will let rent their properties.

How much do you have to spend?
Let's face it, everyone has different budgets, so if you want to find a beach vacation rental, start by knowing how much you can spend on your accommodations. This will help you find the right vacation rental. Most online sites allow you to put in specifics about what you want, as well as your top price, and they find beach vacation rentals that fit within your specifications. Basically you have to know what your specifications are in order to find a beach vacation rental.

Do you want to rent through private owners or agencies?
You have to choose between renting a home from a private owner or renting through an agency. You may be able to negotiate a better deal by renting a home directly from the owner, though you'll have a greater selection of homes from which to choose if you go through a rental agency. So, the choice is up to you.


Now that you have your specifications outlined by answering the questions listed here, you can move on with actually choosing and find a beach vacation rental.

Step one: Contact the local visitors' center for any advice they may have regarding local beach house rentals. They may also have some money-saving advice to help you get the most out of your vacation. If they are not helpful, do not worry, you have other options, but finding out local knowledge first is always a good idea.

Step two: Take some time to familiarize yourself with the beaches, shopping, dining etc. in the area you are planning to visit, that way you can find a beach house in the areas you want to be in, and can be closest to the beaches you intend to visit.

Step three: Go online and type "beach vacation rentals" into Google. This will bring up a variety of sites offering rentals in specific areas. Find the sites that represent the types of rentals, in the types of areas you want. If you want to rent through an owner, check local listings, classified ads, etc. Then negotiate a price to rent the beach house you've selected. Even when you book online it is possible to negotiate prices. Prices fluctuate depending on the time of year and the number of guests. If you know specific beaches you want to rent in, you can even try doing a search on that, such as "North Shore, Hawaii beach rentals" you will be surprised at what you find.

Step four: Make a reservation. If you are intending to rent on the beach during a popular tourist season for the area, you will want to book your rental as early as possible, otherwise it might be difficult to find anything worth booking.

Step five: Pay any required deposits to reserve your beach vacation rental.

Step six: Familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations associated with renting the beach property. You may have restrictions with noise, fire, alcohol, smoking, number of people that can be in the house, etc.

Step seven: Ask for specifics to ensure you are getting what you think you are getting. Is it right on the beach? Do you have to clean it yourself? What about trash removal? How many beds are there? Are utilities included? There are many specifics you will want to know, most of these before you ever book, but clarifying after your reservation is made is a good idea as well.

Step eight: Enjoy!