My family recently rented a unique spot for our last vacation it wasn’t easy to find a home rental within our timeframe, so we peeked at AirBnB and got lucky someone gave us a chance. They rented their home to us and our dogs, without having any previous reviews.
I’m always grateful for people who give others a chance. When you experience that, it’s best that you make them proud of their choice to give you a chance by being the best person you can be. Thankfully, our dogs were decently behaved and we got our first AirBnB review in a long time, it had been many years since I even used AirBnB.
Alright, so how do you go about choosing the right AirBnb or VRBO for your needs?
The first step is to know what you are looking for, who is going with you, and what each person or furry friend needs.
Our dogs tend to need a fenced-in space, as we learned during our recent dry camping trip, they get a little antsy without room to roam. We did let them run on a long leash, but it’s not the same as a fenced in yard (something they’re used to having at home).
Next, we know what each son needs so that they can best experience the location. We always usually need to have WiFi, but we do have HomeFi now to get our internet on the road for schooling, work, and friend connections. Previously though, we needed wifi or internet of some sort.
While I don’t always work on “vacation”, sometimes I do. My work doesn’t feel like other people’s 9 to 5 type work, as it’s something I fully enjoy doing and can be super efficient. It tends to be work that I can wrap up before everyone wants to wander around on vacation or after everyone goes to their bed for slumber.
Another thing we tend to like is having a fire pit. Our previous home could only have a firepit for a campfire in one location, as it was house to house & the fire department had all these measurements of x fee taway from any building and x feet away from the nearest residence, and so forth. So we never got to have many campfires during the 4 years there, as it was out in the open view near the house-to-house neighbors (something we do not enjoy).
So, that’s what we try to consider when looking for a VRBO or AirBnB rental property like the dry camping we did recently in Warren, NH – while we didn’t have running water or bathrooms, we did have the GMC motorhome with a bathroom (shower) and internal water (sink) for use to wash dishes or get clean. We also have a solar power setup and generator to use for power.
Tips for Finding the Best AirBnB or VRBO for Your Family Trip
- Consider the location (state, country, etc)
- Consider your budget (insert that to filter out unreasonable options)
- Consider the dates (don’t put dates in, if you’re open to different dates)
- Consider your kids/teens needs and desires (it’s OK to say no, but at least hear them out)
- Consider if you need room for pets (search for pet-friendly areas)
- Consider anything that you feel you MUST HAVE (like for us it’s internet access to make moula)
We bought a big tent for a third room to give our youngest teenager his space that he wanted to have. That wasn’t too bad, as we saved a lot of cash renting this dry camping space in Warren, NH to begin with, so investing some cash in a tent we can use in the warmer seasons, too? Was worth it.
That’s all I can tell you, is to really know what you need and what your family needs so that you can filter down the search results in AirBnB or VRBO to match your best interests. Before you book a vacation with kids, remember that having some of their needs (or wishes) met, means that you all can enjoy more of this time together on vacation.
Because … I’ve found while raising kids (they are now 21, 17, and 15) that when they feel that their wishes are important (even if you have to say no) they are more respectful, as they feel heard and valued.
That’s all for today, friends. May you keep dreaming big and living outside of the box. xoxo