If it's to stay local while still in the working phase, then the south end of Whidbey Island since it's just a short drive away and the sunsets over the Sound/Strait/Olympics are phenomenal. For longer weekends, the Oregon Coast (Cannon Beach is the first choice but there are others I'd be "satisfied" with as well, lol.) If I was east then possibly the Gulf coast of Florida (ditto on the sunsets). If I was retired, Hawaii or Aruba or Bora Bora or something equally tropically decadent.
If a second cabin is an option then I'd probably like something at Sunriver, OR since it's equally summer/winter oriented and has lots of fun activities at the resort and things to do off it as well.
If it's to stay local while still in the working phase, then the south end of Whidbey Island since it's just a short drive away and the sunsets over the Sound/Strait/Olympics are phenomenal. For longer weekends, the Oregon Coast (Cannon Beach is the first choice but there are others I'd be "satisfied" with as well, lol.) If I was east then possibly the Gulf coast of Florida (ditto on the sunsets). If I was retired, Hawaii or Aruba or Bora Bora or something equally tropically decadent.
If a second cabin is an option then I'd probably like something at Sunriver, OR since it's equally summer/winter oriented and has lots of fun activities at the resort and things to do off it as well.
I would buy in Sun River in a heartbeat if it wasn't so blasted far away. It's 5.5 hours for us with no traffic which is just too far to make it very practical, especially because I want to do Christmas and Thanksgiving in my actual home. Otherwise... I'd have one available for you to use!
I just got back from there yesterday...well at 2:30 this morning actually. It was about 7.5-8 hours with stops with the girls. My uncle (mom's brother) who we went to visit this weekend lives in LaPine and he did a lot of the heating/cooling in the homes there. My aunt (mom's sister) had a cabin there and has regretted selling it - it was the only one she had that ever made money. I found out my cousin works there now too; she got me an employee discount on a condo (and no cleaning fee!) when I decided to stay an extra day so the girls and I could play at the SHARC. Saved me a quick $100+ over a guest room at the lodge.
They're one of DH's clients so we visit there and Suncadia when we can and he goes there at least 1x/year for training - without me now that we have the girls, the jerk. I'd get a place at Sunriver over Suncadia right now, even though Cle Elum is a lot closer. Sunriver is just more settled and has more amenities. Maybe we can buy in Suncadia and it will eventually turn into a Sunriver.
They do have a private airstrip so there's that option; corporate jets and private aircraft land there frequently (one of each came in during the short time we were visiting the stables yesterday.) I called to see how much it would cost a charter to fly me and the girls down there. For a week it was $1500 - that was roundtrip pricing though so maybe separate one-ways would be less expensive. Hopper flights into Redmond aren't cheap, either. It was cheaper for my mom to fly into Redmond from Vegas than to fly into Seattle, and the Seattle to Redmond leg was more expensive than the Vegas/Redmond or the Vegas/Seattle tickets as well.
Juneau, AK. If we ever win the lottery I am SO getting one there. Also, it's ok that it's not driveable distance (from AZ, um, no), because if we are rolling in it, we'll just charter a private flight coming and going.
I am dying to go the the Florida Keys; we've never been. Where do you recommend to stay?
We've only been once and had two kids, 5 and 7, with us so take that for what it's worth.
We first stayed 4 nights at Hawk's Cay in Duck Key. It was great for kids. The complex is huge, they had 5 pools and a pirate ship splash area. It's also centrally located so we were able to easily get to Bahia Honda State Park for a snorkeling trip, and Marathon for the Dolphin Research Center and any other shopping we needed. They have town homes you can stay in which is great with kids.
All that said, if you don't have kids, I would not stay there. It's really family oriented and I would not like it as much if it were just DH and I. For just the two of us I likely would have looked into Tranquility Bay in Marathon or Cheeca Lodge in Islamorda.
We also spent 3 nights at Casa Marina in Key West. I loved, loved, loved Key West and wish we'd had at least another day there. The Casa Marina was great with kids but also would have been great as a couple. I picked them almost exclusively for their beach. DH thought it was a little too high end for us but I would stay there again in an instant.
I completely agree with your analysis of Hawks Cay. We stayed there in April to attend a friend's wedding at the resort. There were kids galore!
Post by imojoebunny on Jul 31, 2014 17:49:59 GMT -5
I am at our vacation house now. It is on a mountain river, the kind you can kayak, fish, and tube. It is in a community that has indoor and outdoor pools and other activities for the kids. It is 1.5 hours or less from our house, which is why we bought it. We like the town. It's not overrun with tourist, except in the fall, but has enough to have nice places to eat and some fun shopping and events. It is 20 minutes to the more swanky mountain town nearby, so we go there some for events some times.
It is not the ultimate vacation home, but it is perfect for our needs for the next 10-15 years while the kids are in school. We found better locations, but then the houses were small or close together. This house has a beautiful private river, the amenities we enjoy, two acres, and only one house we can see in winter, and plenty of room to have another family spend the weekend without being on top of us.
My dream vacation house is actually two of them. A mountain and a house in Charleston.
I actually spent way too much time surfing trulia for my vacation home in Key Largo or Tavernier. Islamorada is too far from FLL lol
Side note, I'm applying for a job that is full time telework anywhere in the continental US. I'm dreaming of becoming a snowbird at 40. Cause, you know, if you can telework, you could change it up every 6 months, right? Lol (my chances are slim to none. It's internal only, but I still think I don't have much chance).
The north woods of Wisconsin is my happy place, but it's too far to be realistic while we are working.
I want a lake house that is close enough that I can move in for the summer or at least go every weekend. One of our friends just bought one on the train line and it is so awesome.
Someday we'd like a beach house somewhere warm too, but not for a long time.
This purchase is part of our ten year plan. We are considering the Sebago Lake area of Maine, Washington, NH, Antrim, NH and Western MA. We'd like it to be driving distance as we would spend weekends there and I'd likely live there part of the summer since I'm a teacher and have the time off.
Our long-term plan also includes a place on the Gulf Coast of Florida, since that is my happy place.
I think we will end up buying some property in Maine. My stepfather is buying a house up there and would love for us to vacation there with him. We can slowly work on out land and then build there for our semi-retirement. My dream is to live permanently in a place others consider a vacation location.
In real life, our vacation home is about 45 minutes from there. Not waterfront, but close to the river between 2 of the larger inland lakes in Northern Lower Michigan. We will upgrade someday, when we can spend more time there, probably to one of the lakes so we can have a boat.
DH and I joke that when we win the Megamillions that we are going to buy one of the places on Lake Charlevoix with a guest house so my folks can have their own space when they are up there most of the summer and we can just come and go as we like (they like their separate space).
I feel like we now live in what we'd consider our vacation home It's our 3rd house we've bought since married and will be our last permanent residence (hallelujah)
we're on a lake and have ~150 feet of lake frontage on a flat lot, dock, and wonderful views. The sun rises at the front of the house and sets at the back on the water. We are wrapping up a major renovation that took our house from a 1970s traditional to exactly what we want for the future.
we realize we're pretty lucky to live where we do and honestly had awesome luck selling & buying during the recession. Other than that, I could go to Mt. Desert Island, Maine EVERY YEAR for a week or more
I've learned that any vacation home needs to be a close-ish drive. We used to have a family house in Boston, but it was 8 hours from my parents and 12 hours from us. It was sold last fall because no one was using it.
We're looking in the outer banks right now, with plans to buy sometime in 2015, depending on the market. While I would love to be oceanfront, I know better with hurricanes and noreasters.
We may have friends selling in Corolla in the next few years.....if that area of OBX interests you.
Am I the only one who has no desire for a vacation home? The weekend traffic going to any of the vacationy type spots drivable to me (the Cape, NH, Maine) is horrific. Also, I'd get bored going to the same place over and over. Plus, I can barely keep up with the house I already own.
<--- Debbie Downer
I was going to post something similar.
While I love the idea, I would also feel like I had to spend all my free weekends/vacation time at any vacation home we had. And don't think I am up for that. I don't want to feel like I am tied down to one place.
Plus, for the summers which is the best time for a vacation place here in MI, there is so much going on in the city we live in and our weekends are already full of commitments, we would only end up using it several times a summer.
If we had kids and I was a SAHM so could be there a during the week, maybe. But working FT, nope.
Given where I live now, and not really having the time/money to fly, I would want a mountain/ski home near Mt Baker.
Given all the monies and a 3 day/week job, I'd like one in Idaho or Western Montana. And a beach home in somewhere like Puerto Vallarta. And one of those villas attached to a posh resort spa (Miraval, Lake Austin, Rancho la Puerta, etc.). AND A PONY.
Growing up in Atlanta, my parents had a beach home in Savannah. It was about a 4.5 hour drive. We used it a fair bit, but for whatever reason I don't see myself ever doing something like that.
As much as I love the idea of a beach house, I think I would go with a county/mountain lake house because I think it is more usable year round. Sure you can go to the beach in the winter, but it isn't really awesome.
I feel ilke a mountain house is wonderful in all seasons. Plus, i feel like you have much less threat from weather (hurricanes and beach erosion).
Am I the only one who has no desire for a vacation home? The weekend traffic going to any of the vacationy type spots drivable to me (the Cape, NH, Maine) is horrific. Also, I'd get bored going to the same place over and over. Plus, I can barely keep up with the house I already own.
<--- Debbie Downer
I was going to post something similar.
While I love the idea, I would also feel like I had to spend all my free weekends/vacation time at any vacation home we had. And don't think I am up for that. I don't want to feel like I am tied down to one place.
Plus, for the summers which is the best time for a vacation place here in MI, there is so much going on in the city we live in and our weekends are already full of commitments, we would only end up using it several times a summer.
If we had kids and I was a SAHM so could be there a during the week, maybe. But working FT, nope.
Without kids I probably never would have pictured us buying a place. We were always off doing so many different things. But the idea of traveling on planes, as much as we would like to travel, with children, or even driving more than two hours at a whack is just not something we see ourselves doing while kids are young. Not to mention with children I pretty much refuse to stay in a hotel room so this guarantees us a vacation with a kitchen – And separate bedrooms which for my DH is required.
So our place is an hour away with very little traffic and it's perfect because I am Sahm now and it can get pretty old staring at the same four walls around the clock so it's nice to have a different place to escape to.
Am I the only one who has no desire for a vacation home? The weekend traffic going to any of the vacationy type spots drivable to me (the Cape, NH, Maine) is horrific. Also, I'd get bored going to the same place over and over. Plus, I can barely keep up with the house I already own.
<--- Debbie Downer
I totally agree. I can't imagine tying myself down to one regular vacation spot (especially within the US). And owning a vacation home sounds a lot more like work than vacation.
I am torn between a beach house in MA or RI and a lakehouse in NH/white mountains. In a dream world I would lime to live year round in beach house and have lake house as vacation home.
Without kids I probably never would have pictured us buying a place. We were always off doing so many different things. But the idea of traveling on planes, as much as we would like to travel, with children, or even driving more than two hours at a whack is just not something we see ourselves doing while kids are young. Not to mention with children I pretty much refuse to stay in a hotel room so this guarantees us a vacation with a kitchen – And separate bedrooms which for my DH is required.
So our place is an hour away with very little traffic and it's perfect because I am Sahm now and it can get pretty old staring at the same four walls around the clock so it's nice to have a different place to escape to.
On the morning show I listen to, one of the hosts has a vacation home at the beach a few hours away. For years now, his wife (SAHM) and their children leave a few weeks after school ends and go to beach house for the summer. He goes up on Fridays and stays the weekends. I think it's pretty awesome that their children will have those memories. It's only about 6 weeks or so, but I think it's worth it.
We do something similar in that when we are there my DH either is there full-time for vacation or on weekends he will come on say on Thursday night after work and then go to work from there on Monday. It makes his morning commute probably half an hour longer but not terrible. I haven't spent too much time truly alone there yet because our kids are very young and I would probably lose my mind but many other days I have my girlfriends come up with their kids or we are trying to meet other local families so that we will have something to do. But location was huge for us -there's actually even a train that would take my husband right to work but the train is pretty long as it makes a lot of stops coming from that distance.
TBH, my latest key largo dreams have shifted from a vacation property that would only get used by us once a year, to an investment property rented long-term. Then we have annual, tax deductible maintenance trips to the investment property location.
Am I the only one who has no desire for a vacation home? The weekend traffic going to any of the vacationy type spots drivable to me (the Cape, NH, Maine) is horrific. Also, I'd get bored going to the same place over and over. Plus, I can barely keep up with the house I already own.
<--- Debbie Downer
No, I don't really have any desire. The summers here are too cold to really enjoy a beach house. A mountain home would be nice, but we have six ski areas within a five hour drive, and I wouldn't want to pick one spot. The islands are nice, but you have to either fly or take the ferry.