Santa Monica is a great place for your inexpensive summer vacation in California. Here are some vacation rentals you might enjoy. Click on any of the pictures or links for more information, more pictures and more vacation rentals.

Don’t miss your Dream Vacation in Santa Monica California- it could be yours. Wake up to stunning ocean views and the refreshing sound and smell of the surf and enjoy…

1br – SANTA MONICA THE BEST OCEAN VIEWS AND LOCATION

Our freshly decorated very private condo- like unit with luxury linens and fully equipped kitchen compares with the best suite hotels. From floor to ceiling picture windows gaze on ocean and mountain views, yet it’s a very short walk to acclaimed food…

1br – ROMANTIC HIDEAWAY WALK TO BEACH, STARBUCKS, DINING

Santa Monica Beach is a great destination for your California summer vacation not only is it a great seaside resort but a bustling busy city with great shops and lots of things to do. Santa Monica is also very close to Los Angeles so makes a great base to explore Southern California.

Santa Monica has great beach facilities which make it one of the best resorts in California. The 3.5 miles of clean and tidy beaches cater for all beach activities including Swimming, Surfing, Fishing, Volleyball and Cycling these activities are available all year round and with over 340 days of sun-shine per year, what more could you ask for. Safety is paramount and all the lifeguard stations are fully manned during daylight hours and the lifeguard headquarters also provides 24/7 assistance to anyone who needs it.

photo credit: sashapo

At over 100 years of age the Santa Monica Pier is a must see attraction. One the pier is an amusement park called Pacific Park which caters for the whole family with rides such as the West Coaster roller coaster and a nine storey Ferris wheel plus the only over the water miniature golf coarse. There is a Trapeze school which offers anyone of any age or experience a chance to learn to Trapeze, two hour lessons are available to thrill seekers. Under the pier is the Santa Monica Aquarium which offers hands on presentations and lots of interactive displays.

South of the pier are the Volleyball courts and nearby the Famous Muscle Beach which was popularized in the 1950’s and has been seen in lots of films based around the beaches. It has been made famous by lots of body builders and has been refurbished and includes a Gym, a jungle gym for kids, parallel bars, chinning bars and rings.

The ocean front walk is full of shops and restaurants which invites you in to sample great food and fashion. The children will love the concrete Viking ship and the Dragon looming out of the grass. The Chess park is also situated here which includes permanent chess boards and a human sized chess board, you can either play or just watch. The farmers market has a great range of fresh fruit, vegetables, bread, cheeses and much more including great music and food sampling which makes this a must visit attraction.

photo credit: nikijulian

One of the best things about Santa Monica Beach is there’s lots of free things to do as well. Such as  bike trails, twilight dance series at the pier, Santa Monica drive-in,  Camera Obscura,  Santa Monica civic auditorium and the city hall. All these places have shows and activities free of charge. All of this makes Santa Monica a great place for inexpensive summer vacations in California and with all the activities available you will not be bored.

Canada is a huge country, with plenty of things to do and see plus activities that all the family will enjoy but here are just a few suggestions for family fun vacations this summer.

First of all, in Langley, from July 16-18 there is the annual BC Renaissance Festival, also known as the Renfest. Here local people and visitors dressed up in costumes from the 16th century (this year’s Stellar’s Grove goes back in time to 1511) enjoy the entertainments and events, but watch out for pirates! On Friday the 16th there will be Knights and jousting. On Saturday the 17th more scenes will be acted out involving King James of Scotland and his Queen Margaret Tudor, when they are attacked by pirates aboard their ship the Jade Dragon. On Sunday the 18th, the last day of the festival, there will be more Knights, more jousting, more singing, and almost certainly more pirates. This festival will provide a fun family vacation weekend for young and old alike.

Kingston family fun world park in Ontario is another family friendly location in Canada. The theme park has a drive-in movie theatre, miniature golf, amusement rides, and including a Ferris wheel rollercoaster also has a host of rides for small children and go-karts for teens.

The largest and most popular theme park in Canada is Canada’s Wonderland. This park features numerous thrilling rollercoaster rides of every variety imaginable. For the younger children there are Nickelodeon characters such as Dora the Explorer and sponge Bob Square pants to play with in the park plus there are shows for all the family to enjoy, including spectacular stunt performances and musical shows. Included with admission to Canada’s Wonderland is commissioned to the 20 acre splash works waterpark with water slides, a wave pool and other water rides.

Marineland, near Niagara Falls is as you would expect a place that features attractions and shows with marine animals such as dolphins and whales, but also has a variety of amusement park rides to keep all ages of children amused. Marineland is set in a large amount of open space, and there’s plenty of room to have a picnic and relax while enjoying your family fun day out.

photo credit: Make Lemons

Just one hour west of Ottawa is Canada’s most popular rafting and kayaking river, where Wilderness Tours offer vacation packages that are packed with family fun. These could include exciting white water rafting for teens and adults or gentler, family friendly raft trips. This adventure resort also features a climbing wall, mountain bike riding trails, kayaking, together with a pool and hot tubs when you want to relax after an exciting day on these fun family vacations.

Here is a selection of superb Hawaii vacation rentals click on any of the photos or links to see more information, more photos and special offers.

This house was built in 2006 and makes for a great home away from home with brand- new, comfortable beds, a 40- inch LCD TV with surround sound, comfortable futon sofas that can double as beds for extra sleeping. A well- stocked kitchen, just bring…

3br – Volcano Hawaii Rental, House is near National Park

The Oahu vacation rental home is one of the largest vacation home rentals on the North Shore of Oahu , Hawaii. The home rests on a secluded stretch of pristine sand and features a wrap- around lanai with lovely sunset and ocean views with a pool between…

5br – Oahu North Shore Vacation Rental Pool

Book Directly with Owner. Newly renovated and available now. Stunning 1- Bedroom/2- Bath, Ground Floor, Beachfront, Furnished Condo Rental, on the magical Garden Isle of Kauai. Ideally located on the Royal Coconut Coast/Kapaa..just steps to the sand,…

1br – Oceanfront Condo Rental at Lae nani

Aloha!

The Dolphin House, or “Ka Naia” in Hawaiian, is a privately owned vacation rental home situated in the gated community of Kona Bay Estates and offers over 6000 Sq. Ft. of living space and oceanfront views. Three bedrooms in the house and one…

4br – Dolphin House, a Kona Bay Estate Vacation Rental!

Peter Island is an exclusive resort in the British Virgin Islands. Although only amounting to 1,800 acres the island provides stunning mountainous scenery and beautiful secluded beaches, which makes it an ideal vacation hideaway.

Peter Island resort consists of only 52 rooms and 3 villas, so you will never find it crowded – in fact there are more staff members than visitors. The fact that this picturesque island, which is lapped by the waters of both the Atlantic and the Caribbean, is accessible only by helicopter or boat, adds to its exclusive appeal.

The Peter Island resort spa features many unique beautifying or simply relaxing treatments, plus there is the ability to enjoy all types of water sports, tennis, cycling or use of the extensive gym facilities. All the sports and fitness equipment is available at no extra charge.

Rather than the more usual hotels, the accommodation on Peter Island is provided by the 52 luxurious guest rooms and suites, plus the 3 villas. The 20 beach-front suites are equipped with generously sized accommodation, luxury bathrooms including jacuzzis and enormous showers. Each has its own private balcony or terrace with superb views of one of the gorgeous beaches Peter Island resort is famous for. The 32 ocean-view rooms each have their own living space, separate bedroom and full bathroom. These rooms also benefit from a terrace or balcony with sea views.

The 3 villas are the Falcon’s Nest, Hawk’s Nest and Crow’s Nest.

Hawk’s Nest features:
• Caribbean style villa
• 3 spacious bedrooms
• 3,000 square feet accommodation
• Balconies with views of the Bay and Harbor
• Sundeck with plunge pool

Falcon’s Nest features:
• Villa for up to 12 people
• 6 spacious bedrooms with balconies
• Outdoor terrace and dining area
• Pools
• Nanny accommodation
• Spa rooms and exercise facilities

Crow’s Nest features:
• British Colonial style villa
• 4 bedrooms
• 6,500 square feet accommodation
• Personal staff, private vehicle and driver
• Pools
• Secluded verandahs

Peter Island resort and spa offers a variety of dining experiences. You can feast on fresh seafood and delicious local produce whilst absorbing the enticing waterfront views. Alternatively you might like to opt for a more casual meal at the Peters Island Beach Bar & Grill.

You could even experience being a castaway on the stunning White Bay Beach for a day, accompanied by an excellent picnic lunch served to you in the style you would expect from this exclusive resort.

The 5 main private beaches on Peter Island are:
• White Bay Beach
• Deadman’s Bay
• Little Deadman’s Bay
• Big Reef Bay
• Honeymoon Beach

At these beaches and the other coves that surround the island you can enjoy snorkeling, yachting, scuba-diving, deep-sea fishing, exploring or simply relaxing.

Overall Peter Island resort is a perfect location for an adult vacation, a honeymoon vacation or even a small family vacation with all the facilities and activities you could possible wish for on this paradise island.