I was chatting with a neighbor today about an upcoming mini vacation the kids will have in October over a long weekend that also happens to be my birthday weekend. After debating Great Wolf Lodge in TX and maybe the St. Louis Zoo and even Cancun for ultimate kid-fun I dialed it back in and decided – this is MY birthday weekend and by God we’re going to do something I want to do with those four days.

We do Disney and their cruises quite a bit. My family has a house in the Destin area. But there are TWO places in Florida I used to go as a kid all the time that I haven’t seen in years – Navarre Beach and Sarasota. Only one of those is conducive drive-wise for a 4, ok 5, day trip. NAVARRE!

I want no crowds, relaxation, seashell hunting, beach (GULF) front, family time, seafood, feet up, sea air, sound of waves – THE END. This means I want a home not a hotel. And I found and rented one in under a day, total effort 10 minutes max once I checked out probably two dozen options. Checked out the homes online, read the reviews, asked a couple questions, deposit made.

The neighbor I talked with earlier had never heard of VRBO. I won’t lie, I like to be resort-pampered, but when it comes to straight beach vacation, if I’m craving beach front I’m craving a house all my own. And it’s SO EASY.

1. Visit VRBO.com
2. Surf the homes
3. Pick one
4. Negotiate (optional)
5. Deposit

It’s such fun! The reviews are legit. It’s like you have your own vacation home and most times it’s more economical than paying for a resort.

End of October I’ll review the actual vacation home experience, but the rental portion — FAB! And just imagining enjoying the coffee sitting (see below) every morning? FABBER!