"Vacation Homes" do you consider them?

Many family's consist of two parents and two children, with all the money coming from one budget.
A vacation home rental may cost as low as $75 night for a small bungalow without a view and a hefty walk to  town.  Or as much as $500 night for a huge , sleeps 20+ view palace with its own game room.  Lets divide that big place by our four person family and we get 5 family's, that's only $100  for each family.  Now some more math, the local Sate Park costs $30 to $50 a night for a maximum family of six. Multiply our five family's and we may be up to $250 and our vacation spot still has no roof and you share a pit toilet with the world.  Too Graphic?  The point is that a vacation home rental may be a lot better deal than you have suspected.  Let see some more plus points, electricity (big one), refrigerator (another big one), beds, bathrooms, parking, TV/internet, play yard, game room, oh yeah, a roof, furniture, view?, reservations, pictures on line.

Vacation home rentals are available all over the world in the most popular vacation areas, and some in some pretty obscure locations.  Do a online search, simply search for "vacation rental" in your selected area, "Oregon Coast" "Hawaii" "Tahiti" etc.

Destination "Timothy Lake" on Mt Hood (OK south a little from Hood)

We aren't sure how many years we have been coming to our favorite mountain lake, but our first time was before we had any children when Linda and I were dating. I feel pretty confident to state we have camped at Timothy for 35 years and not missed a single year.  So much for old people thoughts.  We have reservations for six days starting next Monday. The kids well make they way up on their own at different times of the week with most of the crowd around on Friday and Saturday.  Over the years we have brought an assortment of camping gear and toys reflecting our resources and interest from tents, bicycles, school buses, and a huge assortment of watercraft. This year we travel with our Self contained trailer, 3 small car topper Snark sailboats, Livingston dinghy with 7.5 hp Honda, bicycles of course, food for an army, chainsaw, generator, you get the picture I'm sure.

Dinghy Sailing on Timothy Lake, Mt Hood National Forest

 We wont win any ecogreen awards and certainly don't expect  any minimalist hikers/campers to approve of our portable compound.  In our defense though, we will not be using plastic bottled water by the case, we will be cooking over campfires, and not using much propane, the sailboats don't pollute, I'm bringing the generator, but may not use it, Our adult children (about 10 are expected) will be tent camping.  We practice no trace camping, or as much as can be done at least in a National Forest Campground.
To reserve a campsite at Timothy Lake you must

Destination "Lake Chelan"

Our Aborted Lake Chelan  SailingTrip                                                                       

This was a much looked forward to but minimally planned sailing trip, We struck out from Portland in the mid morning hours with a six hour drive ahead of us. Faithfully following us was our 25 foot Sailboat safely perched on its trailer.   I wasn't in a hurry, all we planned for the first day was to arrive and we would spend the night at the dock, Spending the night at the dock was not an assumption, I actually read online that there was a dock for this purpose. Since being back I have reread the web site, and determined I made a mistake.

Jaiden and Sunshine at 25 mile State Park (as far uplake as we motored)

Before we left for Lake Chelan

Destination Lake Chelan, Washington

Here I go getting ahead of myself again, we haven't actually left yet, but I think we will leave next Sunday.  My lack of formal planning is running the show, at least the next trip, but I do have a method to my madness. First off the reason we are leaving next week is my son Jaiden just got back from Boy Scout summer camp and his mother thought he should have a week at home.  (not my idea at all) We're leaving on a Sunday because I think  Lake Chelan State Park will be less busy Sunday afternoon. I'm hopeful lots of people will be heading home.  We don't need a camp site but we do need to park our car and trailer at the boat ramp parking lot. My plan (ok I got a plan) is to drive for six hours rig the sailboat and plunk her in the water on Sunday. Hopefully there will be room at the dock if they allow dock parking, if not, a buoy, if no buoy's, we have anchors and a dinghy.  read more >>>