Group trips and family vacations can be pretty pricey. Staying in a traditional vacation hotel with a substantial family can often leave you renting multiple rooms. This can quickly increase your costs on a per night basis and possibly make your vacation never happen.

Let us suppose that the hotel runs about $100 a night and you need to rent three rooms for a group of 15 people. That would bring your bill to $300 a night just to cram 5 people in each hotel room. That doesn’t sound very pleasant. If you chose to be more comfortable and got 4 rooms for a 4 night stay that would bring your total up to $1600 just to sleep at night in a hotel room.

I have experienced this first hand. So this time when we made a trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee to enjoy some time with family and friends we decided to pick another option other than the traditional hotel and tested out a Gatlinburg cabin rental. We had 15 people on this trip – including 4 married couples and 7 young adult children. It was a very large group and to fit us all comfortably and appropriately into a hotel we would have had to rent 7 rooms.

Seven rooms would have cost us $2,800 for our stay. That runs to about $186 per person.

Instead we stayed at a at a cabin rental and only spent $100 per person. That is $25 per person per night including everything – cleaning fees, taxes, etc. The cabin was much cheaper than a hotel would have been.

Our cabin was a well equipped three story cabin that had three bedrooms and three bathrooms. The bedrooms had three king sized beds, four pull out couches, and we brought an additional air mattress to sleep our whole party. We were all very comfortable with it and had no complaints as a group.

The savings in terms of the price to sleep comfortably was not the only benefit on getting a cabin. It also had a kitchen. This allowed us to save money on food. By buying and cooking a few of our own meals we saved a good chunk of change and ate better than we probably would have at any of the local restaurants. While you might not want to do this for every meal (you are on vacation!) it does help keep costs low and could be nice for children seeking to have one of their favorite foods.

We also could be loud and take our time eating without fear of being obnoxious or distracting. We could site and eat where we liked, socialize to our hearts content, and even enjoy the outside air in between courses if we wanted. It was all a very pleasurable.

The main meal that I think we saved on was breakfast. Even though we had some pretty large breakfasts, it was still significantly cheap to buy the food ourselves and prepare it ourselves than it would have been to go out to eat at an IHOP and be charged $15 per person for a meal and a beverage. That means we would be spending $225 a meal just on breakfast alone. Right now my wife and I eat for a whole month on less than that. You can buy a lot of food for $225.

In all, going with a cabin rental was the right decision for our party. It provided us unparalleled comfort for a much smaller price tag than a hotel while also enabling us to save additional money on food. These savings were significant and did not diminish the quality of our vacation. In fact, I think that it improved its quality noticeably. What is can be better than saving money and making your vacation better?

Joe teaches people about Gatlinburg cabin rentals and auto insurance in Carlsbad.

Destin is a small city located on the Emerald Coast of Florida. It is known as “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village” and boasts the biggest fleet of fishing boats in the state. Whether this is true or not is up for discussion, but that won’t keep Destin from making the claim. It is well known for its gorgeous water and beaches, and attracts more than 75% of the 4.5 million Emerald Coast guests every year. It’s no wonder Destin vacation rentals are in such high demand right now.

Destin is located on a peninsula that separates the Gulf of Mexico from Choctawhatchee Bay and was at one time an island. Hurricanes and other weather patterns have gradually connected the island to the mainland of Florida and created the bay.

Archeologists propose that humans occupied the area that is now Destin more than 10,000 years ago. There are still signs of the early population who were apparently quite skillful at agriculture and farming. Around 1845, a fishing boat captain named Captain Leonard Destin settled in the area, and his family maintained their homestead there for many decades to follow. It has experienced a great swell in tourist activity for the last 25 years or so.

Due in part to the absolutely magnificent beaches and emerald-colored water, Destin vacation rentals are thriving right now, and the city is growing to provide accommodation for it. It has the Big Kahuna’s water park, Destin Commons open-air mall, a Hard Rock Cafe, and numerous other attractions.

The first condominiums were built in Destin in the 1970s, and once construction nstarted, it has never really taken a break. There are more Destin vacation rentals popping up every day. Reportedly, the city’s population grows from 12,000 to 40,000 during the tourist time of year.

Demographics:
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,119 people, 4,877 households, and 3,135 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,477.1/mi. There were 10,599 housing units at an average density of 1,408.0/mi.

There were 4,800 households out of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.72.

In the city the population was spread out with 19.4% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 101.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $53,042, and the median income for a family was $60,498. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 12,162.

Destin vacation rentals are an unbelievable way to spend some time away during the summer, and you shouldn’t pass up the chance if it presents itself.

Allen Wright is a freelance writer who follows whatever topics hold his interest. Look for more information on Destin vacation rentals and other vacation rentals here.

There is a fairly large market for Destin vacation rentals to choose from when looking for a place to spend some down time. Whether you’re looking for a tiny apartment for two, or a gigantic house that can sleep 12, if you do a little investigation before booking you should be able to find exactly what you need at a practical rate.

Part of your exploration should be familiarizing yourself with the city, and finding out what features your Destin vacation rental is close to. Depending on whether you have access to a car, attractions such as stores, malls, beaches, parks, and restaurants may or may not be accessible. Determine what a reasonable walking distance is for you, draw a circle on your maps, and see what falls within that circle. I’ve listed some of the local attractions in the following list:

There are twelve beach access areas open to the public within the city limits of Destin:
Silver Shells Beach Public Beach Accesses
Shirah Street Public Beach Access
Crystal Beach Drive Public Beach Access
Barracuda Street Public Beach Access
O’Steen Public Beach Access
June White Decker Public Beach Park
Henderson Beach State Park (Not Free)
Calhoun Public Beach Access
Shore at Crystal Beach Public Access & Park
Norriego Point Public Beach Access
Pompano Street Public Beach Access
James Lee Park Public Beach

Your Destin vacation rental may be close to some of the city’s parks as well:

Dalton Threadgill Park
Location: 711 Hickory Street
This is a 4 acre youth sports facility that includes one major league field, one girls softball field, one tee ball field, bleachers, bathrooms and a concession stand.

Destin Sports Fields
Location: 430 Kelly Street
Include a standard 400 meter rubberized track, regulation football field, soccer field, baseball diamond, and an all-purpose field. Some of the fields are lighted for evening use.

HarborView Park
Location: Beach Drive and US Highway 98
This area includes a waterfront deck area with benches and picnic tables, bike rack and handicap parking.

Joe’s Bayou Boat Launch
Location: 800 Beach Drive
This is a 1.5 acre facility with five boat launch ramps and a parking area. There is a $10 daily launch fee if you are not a Destin resident.

June White Decker Park and Beach Pedestrian Walkway
Location: Scenic Hwy 98
This park provides public beach access to the Gulf of Mexico from Highway 98 adjacent to the Silver Shells Condominiums.

Children’s Park at Morgan Sports Complex
Location: 4200 Two Trees Road

Kell-Aire Park & Nature Walk
Location: 874 Kell-Aire Drive
This is a 3 acre park that includes nature trails, benches, swing, and bicycle rack. This park provides the neighborhood a peaceful, open space to enjoy nature.

Main Street Park
Location: 605 Main Street
This is a waterfront park with a small ADA accessible area that includes a fishing pier and picnic facilities.

Mattie Kelly Park
Location: 825 Beach Drive
This is a bayou-access park that include a pier, beach, and picnic area. A majority of the land is considered wetlands.

Clement Taylor Park
Location: 131 Calhoun Avenue
This is a 3.5 acre park including a waterfront gazebo, pier, beach with swim area, playground, and picnic area. The pavilion is available for rental to private organizations.

Additionally, be sure to investigate how close your Destin vacation rental is to the downtown shopping area. This area is full of restaurants, shopping, and other features that may come in handy during bad weather or for a day away from the beach.

Allen Wright is a freelance writer who follows whatever topics hold his interest, with travel bei one of his favorites. Look here for more information on Destin vacation rentals, and vacation rentals in general.

If you have always wanted to go on an Australia vacation, but have never thought that you would be able to afford such an extravagance in a million years, well you are in luck. Thanks to the Internet, going on an Australia vacation can now be more affordable than ever, just as long as you know how to go about booking it in the cheapest way possible. Below are some tips and tricks that can slash hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars off of an Australia vacation for you and your whole family to enjoy.

First and foremost, you should only purchase Australia vacation plane tickets, hotel reservations and rental cars online. This is because the deals online are usually much, much better than you could ever hope to get from your local brick and mortar travel agency. Once you have decided that you definitely want to take an Australia vacation over any other place, you then should look around online for places that sell them at a discount. Then, subscribe to their email newsletters and deal alerts. That way, whenever there is a special on a last minute fare or something, you can take advantage of it right away. Never let a good deal on an Australia vacation Australia vacation pass you by again!

Next, you should check out your schedule. Is it fairly flexible? How much vacation time do you have built up at work? How long in advance do you have to notify your superiors before you are allowed to use your vacation time? By being flexible, you can take advantage of great deals on airfare for your Australia vacation. This is mainly because airlines would much rather fill empty seats on a plane with passengers who have paid half the price (or even less!) than allow the seats to go empty and not make any money at all.

Finally, never buy anything online without first checking for online coupon codes. Just about every online retailer has a place for you to enter in your coupon code or promo code before finishing up and confirming your payment. If you spend two minutes to do a quick Google (or any other search engine out there) search, you can usually find coupon codes for every single site that you make purchases through for your Australia vacation. If you do this for every site, you can save several hundreds of dollars.

To know more about Australia Vacation please visit our website.

Why should I get a Destin vacation rental? Let’s see, how about an average of 344 days of sunshine each year? How about emerald green water? According to readers of the magazine Southern Living, Destin beaches are the best beaches in the south and it ranked as one of the top three favorite family vacation destinations.

Destin vacation rentals offer almost unparalleled access to sport fishing, and has one of the largest fleets of fishing boats in Florida. They host numerous fishing tournaments during the year, so don’t be shy about grabbing a pole and heading to the water – you’ll be in good company. You can schedule a charter excursion with the Bounty Hunter, the Shamrock II, or Destin Fishing Charters.

Not a die-hard fisherman? Destin vacation rentals put you right next to several of the finest golf courses in the area. A short trip to Sandestin or Regatta Bay is all it takes to find two champion golf courses to spend a day on. At Sandestin you’ll find a golf resort that offers four award-winning golf courses, known by many as the best in Florida: Baytowne Golf Club, Burnt Pine Golf Club, Raven Golf Club and The Links Course. All four are championship courses designed by world-renowned architects. In Regatta Bay you’ll find courses designed by architect Robert Walker. This first-rate course is dominated by wetlands, and uses bunkering and water hazards and poses challenges for all levels of players.

If you like to be on the water, there’s plenty of personal watercraft, boating, sea doo rentals, sailing, and scuba diving to fill your time. You’ll have so many options with your Destin vacation rental that you might have to take a day or two and just soak it all in.

If you arrive in March, join the locals at the Wine Festival, or the Billy Bowlegs Festival in May, the Seafood Festival in October, or Holiday Reflections in December.

Your dining options are almost limitless, with seafood, a Bonefish Grill, Destin Chops, and the Blue Pointe to name a few. As an example of what you have to look forward to, the Lucky Snapper overlooks Destin Harbor, right where the charter boats bring in their fresh seafood.

If shopping is your gig, the Destin Commons offers over 50 shops to peruse in addition to the Silver Sands Factory Stores, Destin Harborwalk, the Harborwalk Mall, and Alvin’s Island Tropical Department Stores.

If it’s not obvious by now, Destin vacation rentals offer something for everyone in one of the most stunning coastlines in the world. Take advantage of it while you can, as the secret is getting out quickly.

Allen Wright is a freelance writer who follows whatever topics hold his interest. Look for more information on Destin vacation rentals and other vacation rentals here.

When the dust settles from the Beijing Olympic Games, the world will know more about this ancient capital city of China. Although the city modernized itself to welcome athletes, media and tourists, the city remains rich in historical landmarks. There’s more to Beijing than the Olympics so here are the city’s top tourist attractions to explore when the Games are over.

Beijing was the seat of power for various Chinese dynasties throughout history. During the Ming dynasty, the Yongle Emperor built the Forbidden City, a compound surrounded by a moat and walls to enclose some 980 buildings and the palace. It was the home for many emperors and some of their treasures survive to this day and can be seen in the Palace Museum. Due to its significance in Chinese architecture and culture, it was declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Beijing also boasts another World Heritage Site in the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace is an estate 294 hectares in size renowned for its landscape of gardens, lakes, pavilions and bridges. It was the refuge of peace for many Chinese royals throughout the years.

Another notable Beijing landmark that was the location of a modern day tragedy is Tiananmen Square. Situated just south of the Forbidden City, this immense square measuring 40.5 hectares, many notable events in Chinese history took place. Chief amongst them was the Tiananmen Square protest of 1989 where students and intellectuals made protests against the Chinese government. As a result, and depending on the propaganda source, 200 to 3000 protesters died between April 15 and June 4, 1989. To this day, the square remains a gathering place with other notable landmarks such as the Tiananmen Gate to the north, the national legislature known as the Great Hall of the People to the west, the National Museum of China to the east, the Monument to the People’s Heroes to the south, and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong in the middle.

But perhaps the most famous landmark of them all is the Great Wall of China. Yes, this too is a World Heritage Site. The Great Wall measures 6,700 km in length and construction first started in 220 BC. Throughout the centuries, it has been built and rebuilt and sections of the Wall are on the outskirts of the Beijing.

The Chinese capital of Beijing truly holds a wealth of history with many more tourist attractions of temples, tombs and gardens. As the Beijing Olympic Games rolls around it will certainly add more luster to its history as well as inheriting world class modern buildings built for the Olympics. What a great blend of the old and the new. This is what makes Beijing such a great place to visit.

Mariam Ma is a freelance writer for Olympic Blvd. Buy your Beijing Olympic souvenirs at discount prices including FUWA mascots plush dolls