Florida is famous for its beaches. Some, like Miami Beach, are bustling places where you’ll find plenty of people for a game of volleyball. Others are quiet and secluded. So the first thing to decide when planning your vacation to a Florida beach is whether you desire a beach with a Margarita Hut every 300 yards or one with long open, lonely stretches of sand.

The weather in most of south Florida is always warm. There’s not much of a winter there. The summers can be brutal though, with temps upwards of 100+ degrees. If you aren’t into extreme heat, then avoid the months of June, July and August.

New Smyrna Beach

New Smyrna Beach is a big hit with surfers because of the incredible waves in Smyrna Inlet. This sunny beach is located on the eastern coast of Florida just north of Orlando. The famous Daytona Beach is right down the way from it where you’ll find the Daytona International Speedway.

At New Smyrna Beach, you’ll find excellent water sports activities like paddle boarding and hang gliding, plus some amazing inland activities like golf and shopping. There’s always a celebration going on such as the Pirate Festival. The weather here isn’t near as hot since it is located in the northern portion of Florida. 

West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach is a favorite destination among the rich and famous. It offers 47 miles of white sandy beach and amazing night life. There are over 100 miles of freshwater canals, rivers and lakes where tourists can dive, swim, surf, snorkel, fish, go boating…the list of water activities is endless here. The Palm Beaches area offers the best restaurants, hotels and shopping in the whole state.

If you get tired of lying on the beach enjoying the warm Florida sunshine, then inland you will find the Flagler Museum, an old-world castle built by Henry Flagler in 1902 and given to his new bride as a wedding present. The Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens feature many unique and elegant sculptures by the artist, surrounded by lush tropical plants and quaint ponds. West Palm Beach offers a little something for everyone.

Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are a snorkeler’s or diver’s paradise. From the north to south (or the east to the west), the Keys are as follows Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Lower Keys and Key West. The Keys are most famous for deep sea fishing and for diving because of the crystal blue ocean waters, as well as their underwater plant life and reefs.

Each of the keys has spectacular attractions such as the Long Key State Park and the Diving Museum. Be sure to visit the Theater of the Sea Mammal Park where you can swim with dolphins and other creatures. The Florida Keys offer so many exciting ocean and inland activities that you’ll want to stay a whole month just to take it all in. But don’t forget the sunscreen.

You may not think of Canada as a place for a romantic getaway, but the truth is that some of the most gorgeous terrain in the world can be found there. Montreal is consistently voted one of the most livable cities in the world and is home to at least a dozen exquisite museums and galleries where you can view art and artifacts from all over the world. 

Vancouver, British Columbia has so many amazing attractions that it’s hard to name them all. One of the most memorable would be the Treetop Adventures Tour which is a tour of the 7 incredible suspension bridges in Vancouver. The Capilano Suspension Bridge is one of Vancouver’s top tourist attractions. Imagine walking 450 feet above a lush rain forest with your sweetheart.

Below, we highlight a few other unforgettable Canadian romantic getaways:

Victoria, British Columbia

Victoria is the capital city and is located on the tip of Vancouver Island.  This picturesque place has a mild climate so that you can enjoy strolling along its pristine beaches or the Inner Harbor. Victoria is well known for its flower gardens, especially Butchart Gardens, which bloom profusely year round. You will also enjoy their many diverse museums, galleries and art exhibits. 

You can explore the city in a number of unusual ways. In Victoria you’ll find the double-decker bus, water taxi and horse-drawn carriage just to name a few. Or perhaps you’ll want to visit the “Graveyard of the Pacific”, Fisgard Lighthouse. End your romantic vacation in Victoria with a day-long boat tour of the Orca whales. Whale watching is an exhilarating and memorable way to spend a day with the love of your life.

Toronto, Ontario

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario giving it some of the best and most beautiful waterways in North America.

You’ll spend an entire day visiting the Toronto Islands, a small island chain just off the coast that offers a multitude of fun outdoor activities. Rent a canoe or bicycles and embrace the natural beauty of Toronto. You will also enjoy a day of shopping and eating in Old Downtown Toronto. This area is filled with quaint shops and unique eateries. Toronto is well known for its live theater, festivals and cultural events. Don’t forget to visit “The Kissing Bridge” in Waterloo County.

Prince Edward Island

Though Prince Edward Island is Canada’s smallest province, it offers so much for those looking for a romantic vacation. It is well known for its gently rolling landscape and pristine beaches. The white sand beaches are picture postcard perfect and offer visitors activities such as swimming, boating and fishing.

Prince Edward Island is most known as being the setting for the book Anne of Green Gables. The book describes the island so beautifully that millions of tourists have made their way there since 1908 when the book was first published. Each year, the musical version of “Anne of Green Gables” is performed at the Charlottetown Confederation Centre of the Arts. Your romantic vacation on Prince Edward Island will be magical.

Find Romance in Canada this Year!

From British Columbia on the West coast to Prince Edward Island or Nova Scotia on the East coast, you’ll never run out of beautiful places to visit or exciting things to do in Canada. You’ll simply adore its lush greenery and exquisite ocean and mountain views. Pack your bags and head there this year with your “One and Only”. The two of you can make some lasting memories in gorgeous Canada.

MONTREAL is the largest city in the province of Quebec and the second largest in all of Canada. French is the official language spoken there. Over the years, Montreal has been consistently rated as one of the “World’s Most Livable Cities” and it was named “Canada’s Cultural Capital” by Monocle Magazine. As such, it has many amazing museums and galleries and tourists from all over the world come to visit them.

Musée d’Art Contemporain

The Museum of Contemporary Art is the only establishment in Canada dedicated exclusively to modern art. It was founded in 1964 by the government of Quebec and is located in downtown Montreal.

The Musée d’Art Contemporain is part of the Place des Arts, which is Canada’s only cultural complex devoted to both visual and performing arts. Over half of the permanent collection there was created by Quebec artists and it comprises over 7,000 works including a large collection of art by Paul-Emile Borduas.

The exhibition space is built around a rotunda, which runs up through the core of the building. The beautiful, often breathtaking exhibits are displayed in elegant, spacious galleries. The Musée has been awarded a Grand Prix from the Montreal Council.

Musée Marc-Aurèle Fortin

This lovely museum is housed in an old stone warehouse, which once belonged to an ancient order of nuns. It contains the most extensive collection of Fortin’s work ever amassed. Fortin was well known for his dramatic depictions of lush trees and greenery and was said to be a self-taught genius. He painted thousands of works during his lifetime.

Fortin painted mainly with watercolors. His many unusual techniques transformed landscape art in Canada. He was a prolific painter who painted right up until his death in 1970. An electoral district in Montreal is named in his honor.

McCord Museum of Canadian History

David Ross McCord was an attorney and an avid collector of virtually everything that had to do with life in Canada. During his lifetime, he collected thousands of Canadian books, papers, photographs, and documents. He also collected other items as well such as paintings, jewelry, furniture, and porcelain.

Before his death in 1930, he donated most of his collection to McGill University so that they could establish a museum of Canadian social history.

The McCord Museum of Canadian History is housed in a stately limestone building located near McGill University. It features a wide range of fascinating artifacts and costumes that beautifully portray the history of Montreal. The museum is now a public research and teaching museum that is dedicated to the preservation and study of Canadian history.

The Museum of Fine Arts

The Musée des Beaux Arts began in 1860 as the Art Association of Montreal. Though Montreal was the most important city in British North America, it had no museum of any kind. In 1877, a merchant bequeathed the Art Association a plot of land and the Museum of Fine Art was born.

Today the museum houses an extensive collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures and decorative art. Their mission is to acquire and preserve new works that enrich its collection. The massive collection of over 36,000 pieces includes amazing and priceless pieces of art from Ancient Cultures including Inuit Art, Amerindian Art and European Art.

With the economy continuing to be an issue for all large and small businesses, vacation rental owners are feeling the economic crunch as well. The rising gas prices are also a factor in whether or not tourists will book your rental cottage this summer or just stay at home and clean out the garage.

Adjust Your Perspective

So how do you ensure that your vacation rental stays booked? For the answer to that question, you have to begin by recognizing that your vacation rental property is more like running a small business. Though it may have started out as an investment and does fit that criterion, your vacation rental property is much like owning your own small business.

When you think of it as a small business, all sorts of ideas for promoting it will come to mind; ideas that you might have otherwise overlooked. For instance, most small businesses have some sort of an advertising budget so that they can draw customers to their door.

Do You Have an Advertising Budget?

It doesn’t have to be large but you should still set aside a certain amount of funds each year for advertising your vacation rental property. Remember that this money will be tax deductible, so that takes away a little of the sting.

Next, do your research. Find out where your advertising dollars can best be spent. A good place to start is forums and chat rooms for vacation rental owners. These are also excellent places to get tips on other aspects of owning a vacation property. Depending upon how much you are able to charge for yours, it may behoove you to hire an internet marketing specialist to help out. These can often be hired for pretty economical rates from free-lancing sites.

Offer Vacationers Amenities They Can’t get Anywhere Else

This is also a concept often used by small businesses. Offer your customers (renters) something they can’t get at the business down the street. This could consist of anything from discounts during certain seasons to free coupons for popular nearby attractions. Let’s say your vacation property is in the Orlando area. You could offer tickets to Disney World.

Everyone loves to get something for free, so offering discounts and valuable coupons is an excellent method of ensuring that your vacation property is always full. In the end it could even be much cheaper than most forms of advertising.

Don’t Forget the Biggest Secret of All!

This is a simple tip and one that you may have heard but it bears repeating and reinforcing. Be sure to offer your tourists a luxurious place to enjoy their vacation. Make sure the cabin, cottage or condo is fresh and clean. Don’t cut corners on the bed linens and towels. Your vacationers deserve the best!

You might leave a nice bottle of wine or a fruit basket on the counter for them. Even a lovely greeting card on the door that welcomes your weary travelers has been shown to greatly impress tourists. You can be sure that your renters will remember these little extras and thoughtful details when they are considering where to spend future vacations.

An Old Fashioned Business Practice

As with all small businesses, if you offer an excellent product at a great price and add extra value by throwing in some freebies, then your vacation rental will stay in high demand. Because everyone enjoys getting a superb deal on products and services and they especially love when you exceed their expectations.

This is really not so much a secret as it is just good ol’ common sense and old fashioned business know-how.

The Distillery District of Toronto is one of the must-see hot spots in the city. It transports you back in time with its Victorian style industrial buildings that housed many distilleries during the 19th century. Today, it is home to innumerable cafes, restaurants, pubs and shops that entertain millions of people everyday. With more than 40 heritage buildings spread across ten streets, the Distillery District is the largest one of its kind in North America.

As you enter this hip neighborhood, the first thing you will notice is the former Gooderham and Worts Distillery building that was once the largest distillery in the world. As you wander through the streets, one prominent aspect that will strike is the few cars that pass through this place. Most people like to walk or bike through these streets to admire its architectural elegance and history. A quick place to stop for a drink is the Mill Street Brewery Pub. It is an interesting place and the home-brewed beer made from its microbrewery is smooth and light. If you ever want to taste fine traditional British breads and pastries, the Brick Street Bakery is the place for you. The rich aroma and taste is a sensory treat that should not be missed when you visit the Distillery District. You can also find some of the best upscale restaurants here like Boiler House and Stirling room that offer fine cuisine in an elegant and chic ambiance.

Other than restaurants and cafes, this district is also the center of the art and cultural scene of Toronto. Almost everyday, you can find a live performance that is sure to leave you spell-bound. You can also find unique shops and boutiques that sell a wide range of things from fireplaces to jewelry and everything in between. Each boutique is unique in its own way and is a visual treat to the eyes to see some of the most beautiful items on display. Overall, the Distillery District provides an experience like no other and a trip to Toronto is never complete without visiting this place.

Vancouver is a beautiful city on the western coast of Canada in British Columbia. The population is slightly over half a million people. It is the home of the BC Place Stadium where the BC Lions play football. Vancouver is often referred to as “Hollywood North” and is known as a major film and television production city.

There are a great many fun activities in Vancouver. Below, we share a few favorites for families with children:

A Day at the Beach – Vancouver is known for its lovely beaches and has 11 miles of beach front coastal property. Most of the beaches have washrooms, lifeguards and well lit parking. Spanish Bank East Beach has 8 sand volleyball courts where you and your family can enjoy a game of volleyball. Unless a beach is designated as a “Quiet Beach” it has amplified music. Some of the beaches, such as Kitsilano, have an Olympic sized swimming pool and a huge kid’s playground.

Kids Market on Granville Island – This is one of those places your kids will beg you over and over to take them, so you might as well get it out of the way early on during your vacation. Kids Market has plenty of arcade-type games, shopping and food. It is housed mostly inside an old renovated factory but has some outdoor play area with a lovely pond next door.

The Aquabus on Granville Island – This is sure to be a kid-pleaser. The Aquabus offers 25-minute and 40-minute cruises around False Creek. During your cruise you will visit interesting places like Science World and the Vancouver Aquatic Center. Your kids will not only love this but it is pretty economical as well just in case you’re on a budget.

Visit Stanley Park – This is one of Vancouver’s best known and loved parks because it encompasses the seawall, the Aquarium and even has a water park. The kids will love exploring Stanley Park. It has plenty of thrilling activities such as a miniature train, a swimming pool, and plenty of picnic sites. Stanley Park is well known for its arts events and fine dining. You’ll never run out of exciting activities for the whole family at Stanley Park.

Capilano Suspension Bridge – the Capilano Suspension Bridge is one of the most famous in the world. Millions of people have walked across this bridge and it is one of British Columbia’s most popular tourist attractions. This amazing bridge stretches 450 feet across and high above the Capilano River. From this spectacular suspension bridge you can view the beauty of the rainforest all around you. This would be a fun, exciting way to spend several hours with your kids and could also be used as an opportunity to teach them about rainforests.

Vancouver offers many other stimulating, remarkable and truly fun things to do. It’s a beautiful city that most tourists would enjoy even if they simply spent their entire vacation strolling its lovely beaches. Vancouver has loads of public transportation including the Sky Train and the SeaBus. It has some of the best restaurants and hotels in the world, not to mention shopping.

Whether you’re taking the kids this year or not, Vancouver is well-worth your time and money and should be on every serious travelers list of must-see places.

As an owner of a vacation rental, you are probably accustomed to asking your renters to leave the place exactly as they found it. Over the years, this has been the accepted norm for many owners of vacation rental property. However, some owners are finding that tourists are not at all interested in cleaning at the end of their stay.

Embrace New Ideas!

That has spawned a new and unique way of handling the aspect of cleaning your cottage or cabin. Many of today’s vacationers have the money to pay extra for someone else to it. These are the kind of people who probably don’t even do the cleaning in their own homes.

Well-to-do travelers like these would prefer to simply pay more for the privilege of leaving the cabin or condo in a mess. After all, how much does it really cost to have a housekeeper come in and do dishes, make beds and vacuum?

The Luxury of Not Having to Clean

Offering your renters the option NOT to clean gives you just one more item that many renters would consider an amenity. It could even become a reason why they might prefer staying in your vacation rental over the one right down the road.

This is probably one of those “ideas whose time has come” and in the future, we will see a great many more vacation rental owners offering this amenity to their renters.

Making the Idea Work

This concept can actually work very well for both you and your tourists. The trick to making it work is in establishing an excellent relationship with a local house cleaning company or even a couple of reliable individuals in your community who do house cleaning.

Simply call them when someone checks in and let your housekeeping service know that you will probably need their services within a week or so. When vacationers clean their own cottage or cabin, you must always go behind them and tidy up anyway. Let’s face it! Most vacationers aren’t really interested in doing a superb job of cleaning your cabin or cottage.

Impress your Renters with a Few Niceties

With a professional cleaning service, you will have the peace of mind knowing that everything is done correctly and that your vacation property is nice and clean for the next tenants. You might even pay them a little extra to come down just before new tourists arrive to freshen the cottage up a bit and place fresh cut flowers on a table to welcome your new guests.

Tourists appreciate these kinds of “thoughtful little extras” that you can’t get in a large chain hotel. They remember these kind gestures and even tell their friends once they get back home. As all business people know, word-of-mouth is your best advertisement.

Give the Idea a Test Drive!

If you have been thinking about trying this but are still unsure, than you might try it out for one season and see what kind of response you get. It may add a lot more value to your vacation rental property than you think.

After basking in the heat of the summer season, the leaves soon fall and the crisp cool wind approaches. This signals the coming of the cold winter season, a perfect time to enjoy a hot cup of chocolate drink in front of a warm and cozy fireplace. There is no better way to experience such comfort than staying in a cottage in the winter.

Many vacationers are now looking into renting cottages for the winter season for a one-of-a-kind experience. Most cottage owners take advantage of this by creating a warm and comfortable ambiance vacationers are sure to remember and will look forward to every year. Opening your cottage for rent for the winter season will also generate extra income needed for your cottage maintenance.

Don’t let the winter blues get the most of your winter cottage experience. Perk up the mood and create a relaxed environment with the use of these simple steps.

Heating

A priority in keeping a warm cottage in winter is adequate heating. Make sure that the walls, floors and ceilings are insulated and that there is a sufficient source of heat like a heater, furnace or a fireplace. Adequate heating will keep your guests warm and prevent them from feeling cold in the freezing winter snow. A generator should also be made available in cases of power outages.

Lighting

The winter season naturally brings less light from the outside which sets a sad and lonely feel inside a cottage. Play around with the lights inside the cottage by purchasing sun lamps that emit UV rays. Provide adequate lighting in every room accentuating it with lively colors to lift up the mood. At night, set the mood with low-wattage yellow light bulbs to give a romantic and relaxing atmosphere.

Furniture and Beddings

Bright colored pillows and blankets available in front of the fireplace suggest warmth and comfort for your guests. Vibrant colors for decorative pieces such as rugs, carpets and cushioned sofas inside your cottage will create a happy vibe. Vacationers can snug near the fireplace and engage in a good conversation while sipping a hot beverage. For a good night sleep, provide your guests with sufficient bedding such as comforters, colored blankets and a duvet to keep them warm while they relax and rest for the night.

Activities

Being indoors should not hinder your guests from engaging in fun activities. Having an entertainment system to watch movies is a great feature for your cottage. Provide a wide selection of movies in DVDs to choose from. Board games can also be a fun activity especially for larger families with children. Providing a variety of reading materials such as books, magazines and portfolios is also a good way of eradicating boredom.

Maintaining your cottage and making the necessary changes for the winter season will reap countless benefits not only for your business but for your vacationers as well. Providing them the comfort and warmth of your cottage will make their stay a memorable experience.

With so many vacation rentals available all over North America and Canada, how do you make your cottage, villa or cabin stand out from all the others? There are a few things you can do that will make your vacation rental stand out from the crowd. Today we’ll give you a few great tips on keeping your condo, cabin, or cottage constantly full of happy campers.

Tip #1: A picture is worth a thousand words. Consider spending a little bit extra to hire a professional photographer to take the photos of your vacation rental. Remember that you can continue using these photos for years to come so this will most likely be a one-time investment. You can count on getting 30 to 40% better response from your ads with professional photographs.

Tip #2: One word: amenities. Vacationers are looking for amenities. They want to get the most for their vacation dollar. Does your cabin or cottage have a hot tub? Does it have a beautiful high-end kitchen? What about Internet access? Everyone wants Internet access these days. You might even think about installing a home theater system or a gazebo. Anything you can do to make your vacation rental more attractive to tourists is well worth the expense.

Tip #3: Big SALE! Everyone loves a bargain. Think about running a sale from time to time or some sort of promotion. This works for all the Big Box Stores and it will work for you too. If a holiday such as Memorial Day is coming up, then advertise that your rates will be 15% cheaper during the holiday season. Run a promotion where you give tourists a 10% discount for booking with their credit card. There are many ways to make the BIG SALE idea work for you.

Tip #4: Use your social media accounts to advertise. This is a no-brainer and a proven method of increasing traffic to your website. You can also list your promotions and sales here as well. If you aren’t good at writing interesting blurbs for your Facebook and Twitter accounts, then hire a professional writer to do this.

Tip #5: Exceed the expectations of tourists and travelers. There’s no better advertisement than word-of-mouth. Be sure to have your vacation rental clean and well-equipped with fresh linens. If possible have someone place fresh cut flowers and a gift basket in the cabin, villa or condo before guests arrive. These thoughtful gestures will impress your guests and cause them to tell all their friends about this fabulous place where they stayed on vacation.

Anytime your vacation rental sits empty, it costs your money. So think of these ideas as investments in a future where your cottage, cabin or condo is always in high demand. Your vacation property can be a great source of income and enjoyment for vacationers as well as your own family.

Vacation rentals are increasingly becoming a popular option for travelers because of the flexibility, comfort and convenience they offer. Whether you are enjoying a view from your deck or spending quality time with friends and family, vacation rentals provide a spacious and comfortable environment. You can spend your holiday in style and luxury at any of the rental condos, villas, houses or apartments instead of a crammed hotel room. Located at convenient destinations, vacation rentals help you to enjoy the fun and activities without being a part of the crowd. Most rentals are just minutes away from shopping centers, beaches and other hot spots of the region.

The amenities available in a vacation rental are unmatched by any top-quality hotel. Most of them come with gadgets, books, DVDs and other entertainment options that can provide wholesome fun for you, your family and friends. Also, privacy is guaranteed for each individual when you choose a vacation rental. Another reason for its popularity is the flexibility factor. You can stop thinking about the check-in and check-out times and the policies of the hotel when you choose a vacation rental. Whether you want to soak in a hot tub or have a dance party, vacation rentals give you the flexibility to enjoy your vacation as you want.

It also provides a local flavor and experience and this makes your vacation extra special. When you spend time in a vacation rental, you get to understand the culture and way of life of the region better because you will live in a real neighborhood filled with local people. You can even cook the local cuisine with fresh produce and spices from the farmer's markets in the fully-equipped kitchens that come with all rental properties. In other words, it helps you to sample local life and culture from the comfort of your rental. All this comes at an affordable price that is sure to leave you and your guests with a lot of memories.