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Top 10 Vacation Destinations
Plan the ultimate vacation at these top 10 vacation spots around the world.
Paris, France
Like all great cities, you can spend months in Paris and barely scratch the surface of the city’s cultural treasures. It has museums galore, stellar shopping and busy cafés perfect for people-watching.
New York, New York
New York is true to its roots and remains a city of immigrants with inspiring architecture and a thriving arts scene. Take in a show on Broadway, shop in SoHo, spend a lazy day in Central Park and explore the city’s diverse neighborhoods.
Rome, Italy
The Eternal City Rome celebrates its long history with monuments, churches and restored ruins that offer a glimpse into life during the days of the great Roman Empire. Celebrate the city’s roots and immerse yourself in the culture over a heaping bowl of pasta and a taste of gelato.
Cancun, Mexico
Miles of beaches, endless luxury accommodations and a nonstop party atmosphere in Cancun have transformed this once sleepy village on the Yucatan coast into one of Mexico's most popular tourist attractions, particularly during spring break.
London, England
London is a cosmopolitan city with a unique blend of historic traditions and a hip, modern culture. You can enjoy tea and crumpets and celebrate the city’s royal roots before heading out to a slick gastropub for gourmet dinner and drinks.
Miami, Florida
The American Riviera, Hollywood of the East, SoBe, or the Art Deco District -- whatever you call it, Miami South Beach is hot year-round. The embodiment of excess, South Beach is an international playground offering non-stop nightlife, sandy shores, unique architecture and plenty of eye candy.
Orlando, Florida
There’s fun around every corner in Orlando with wild roller coasters, twisting waterslides and theme-park fun. Mickey Mouse certainly plays a starring role in the festivities, but there’s plenty of magic beyond the realm of Disney.
San Francisco, California
Bring a hearty appetite and good walking shoes to the City by the Bay. For a quintessential San Francisco experience, climb aboard a cable car, peruse the farm-fresh goods at the Ferry Market, stroll through Golden Gate Park and board a ferry to the island of Alcatraz for a dose of history and great city views.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
As the largest resort along South Carolina's 60-mile Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach is the East Coast's ultimate vacation hub. The town teems with summertime action along the Strand with beaches, amusement and water parks, restaurants and live entertainment and a host of hotels ready to pamper guests young and old.
Branson, Missouri
Branson is an unassuming vacation destination with small-town charm and big-city entertainment in the heart of the Ozark Mountains. Millions of visitors come each year to see a show at any of the 50 theaters and enjoy outdoor fun on the lake.
Jan 21, 2011
How to Rent the Perfect Vacation Rental
By Sarah Pascarella, SmarterTravel.com
A water view—without having to request an upgrade. A full pot of fresh-brewed coffee each morning. The flexibility to cook your own meals or dine out if you wish. If these descriptions appeal to you, you might be one of a growing segment of travelers considering a vacation rental in 2011.
Each year, it seems the vacation rentals market gets a little bigger. There's growing awareness among readers and fellow media, and (dare I say it?) I think rental properties are finally on their way to going mainstream.
There are some new players on the scene, though. So even if you're familiar with vacation rentals, you'll want to read on to see what's in store in the year ahead.
New this year
"We're expecting the popularity of vacation rentals to continue to grow even more rapidly than it has in the past few years," says Brian Chesky, CEO and co-founder of Airbnb, one of the new sites that's generating a lot of buzz for its fresh approach to booking accommodations.
Imagine a mash-up between couch-surfing sites (such as CouchSurfing.org), traditional vacation rental market sites (such as the HomeAway portfolio of sites), and user-review sites (such as SmarterTravel's sister site TripAdvisor), and you've got Airbnb, a social-driven site where property owners list rooms in their homes, entire homes and/or apartments, and unique rental offerings (e.g., treehouses, castles, private islands, etc.).
Reviews take on an interesting twist—not only can renters leave feedback on the properties themselves, but both owners and renters can evaluate each other. Want to know if a property owner replies in a timely manner? Check the reviews on her profile. Not sure if this renter is legit? Read his profile to see what other owners have said.
"We don't just connect people to spaces, we connect people to people," says Chesky. "Authentic, two-sided reviews allow hosts and guests to build trusted reputations on Airbnb. Host and guest profiles and messaging allow people to share important information about themselves before booking.
Another trend among newcomers is the talking up of "curated" properties. Sites such as Inhabit Vacations (which currently focuses on the San Francisco Bay area) list vacation rentals that come with the stamp of staff approval. The human approval factor is the distinguishing feature: When you book, you know you're getting a vetted property, not just one from an aggregated list.
Hoteliers don't want to be left behind in this growing market, either. If you're interested in the perks of a rental, but don't want to give up all the amenities of a hotel, try researching hotel-branded properties, which may include some of the customer service perks you expect on a vacation.
Jan 21, 2011
