10 amazing waterfront vacations for under $1,000 per week
It’s getting to be summertime, and the living should be easy. But if you’ve ever priced out a week-long vacation, you already know what a shocking experience it can be. Even when you’re frugal, the costs that come with domestic and international travel are inescapable and really add up quickly.
Not only are you on the hook for lodging at a hotel or resort typically, but you may also have to pay for airfare, a rental car, resort fees and travel-related taxes. And if you want to have any fun or eat, your expenses won’t stop there. Add in the cost of park tickets, excursions, shows, and meals and you’re ponying up a great deal of cash for your relaxing getaway.
Combined, all of these costs can take a heavy toll on the average American family’s pocketbook. According to a recent study from American Express, an average vacation in 2013 cost approximately $1,145 per person, or $4,580 for a family of four. That’s a whole lot of money to spend for an annual trip, especially when you consider the fact that the median household income still sits at around $52,000 a year.
Choosing a Vacation Rental Instead
Of course, thanks to the Internet, it is now far easier to find an affordable option for your family vacation. In fact, disruptive technologies and new vacation rental websites like AirBNB.com, VRBO.com, and HomeAway.com have made it much easier to find a cheap vacation rental that you can actually afford.
Fortunately, this type of vacation has the potential to create other types of vacation savings as well. Here are some of the biggest benefits that come with renting a vacation home or condo:
- Vacation rentals typically have a full or partial kitchen — Renting a vacation home or condo usually means having access to a full or partial kitchen. If you are able to use that kitchen to make most of your meals at your home away from home, you could save a bundle compared to what you might spend at local eateries.
- Many vacation rentals offer on-site amenities and entertainment — If you rent a vacation rental that is part of a community association or condo complex, you might gain free access to on-site pools, spas, and amenities. Lakefront rentals may also have free-to-use grilling stations or public beaches.
- You can probably find a nice vacation rental within driving distance of your home — It really depends on where you live, but most people can find a vacation home or condo to rent within driving distance of their homes. If you don’t live near the ocean, consider rentals on a lake, in the mountains, or in the big city.
- Vacation rentals are usually roomier than traditional hotel rooms — Most typical hotel rooms have two full-size beds, a TV, and maybe a mini fridge. Vacation rentals, on the other hand, typically have multiple bedrooms, a living room, and plenty of extra room to spread out and relax.
10 Waterfront Rentals for Less Than $1,000 per Week
With all of those perks in mind, we created this list of waterfront rentals for less than $1,000 per week just to show how doable this is no matter where you live in the country. By choosing a waterfront rental, you can save not only on lodging but also on entertainment. Who doesn’t enjoy reading a book with the soft surf in the background while watching their kids play on the beach?
These vacation rentals can help you do just that for less than $1,000 per week:
Lake Superior, Michigan
(VRBO Listing #23069)
For just $136 per night ($952 per week), you can spend a week directly on the shores of Lake Superior in a two-bedroom cottage that sleeps five.
The gradual beach is great for children to play in, and the area is home to eagles, blue herons, and many birds. Kayaking and fishing seem to be the favored summer pastimes.
Make homemade meals in the full kitchen, enjoy spectacular sunrises and moonrises over the water, and have a bonfire by the water at night.
Panama City Beach, Florida
(VRBO Listing #38418)
For just $995 per week in fall and $699 per week during late fall, you can book the two-bedroom beachfront condo in this beautiful area of Florida.
In addition to a beachfront balcony, this condo also offers access to a powder-white sand beach, a beachfront pool, and a pool that is partially indoors.
The condo actually sleeps eight and is located on the quiet, west end of Panama City “known for its natural beauty and sunsets.” According to the owner, the stars at night are “to die for.”
Virginia Beach, Virginia
(VRBO Listing #576557)
Here is a good example of the amenities inside one of these condos. It has two bedrooms and sleeps seven people, but it’s just $840 per week or less from Labor Day throughout the end of the year.
A family could spend time enjoying the pool, swimming in the ocean, or grilling outdoors on one of the resort’s high-quality community grills. But the living room area also has a nice TV and a game table for some evening family entertainment on the cheap.
Douglas Lake, Tennessee
(Roberts Retreat from Lakefront Cabin Rentals)
Sitting directly on Douglas Lake, this one-bedroom cabin sleeps six and features a full kitchen with a loft — and, at only $125 per night for up to four guests, it’s a steal.
Apparently, there is a lot to do in this area of Tennessee, from whitewater rafting to visiting Dollywood. Of course, there’s fishing on the lake, and the screened-in porch on this unit has a queen-sized swinging bed that sounds perfect for curling up and reading a book or telling tall tales at sunset.
Lake Tahoe, California
(VRBO Listing #479512)
It could be hard to pass on the chance to experience the beauty that is Lake Tahoe. But this two-bedroom Lake Tahoe respite could be the reason you get to explore everything Tahoe has to offer.
This rental features a full kitchen, with plenty of room to sleep six, and has killer views, all for just $875 per week.
It is close to South Lake Tahoe and has plenty of sporting activities within reach — such as, hiking, jet-skiing, mountain climbing, biking, and golf for starters.
Crane Lake, Minnesota
(VRBO Listing #165014)
Four hours north of Minneapolis/St. Paul is a four-bedroom home that sleeps nine and features everything that lakefront living in Minnesota has to offer.
For just $800 per week, you can relax with a good book, swim in the crisp water, or fish off your private dock or small beach. There are boat rentals and a golf course nearby, and the fishing is close to legendary.
It might also be a good idea to pack your passports since it is so close to the Canadian border.
Donner Lake, California
(VRBO Listing #67310)
Just north of the Lake Tahoe area is Donner Lake where, for just $975 per week, you can enjoy beautiful views, plenty of space, and your own waterfront wilderness. It looks like meals on the deck would be amazing in this spot.
With two bedrooms, the house sleeps six people and is close to the public beach. You can also rent kayaks and paddleboats — or even bring your own boat! Donner Lake is pretty accessible from Highway 80. So you wouldn’t be far from a show in Reno if you just had to add some pizazz to your vacation.
Orange Beach, Alabama
(VRBO Listing #64360)
For around $1,000 during summer and only $805 this fall, you can book this ground-floor two-bedroom condo that sits directly on the Gulf of Mexico.
With the ocean and beachfront pool just outdoors, you might never run out of things to do because the area is also popular for all sorts of watersports and activities from boating to snorkeling. But it also seems like the perfect place to unwind with a good book and your toes in the sand.
Corea Harbor, Maine
(VRBO Listing #457699)
This one-bedroom cottage/boat house in Maine sleeps five and offers something for everyone.
This is one of the more economical rentals at just $730 per week. Enjoy the view of the harbor, relax on the sunny beach, go rockwalking at low tide, or pick wild blueberries.
Once here, you are close to famed Acadia National Park. And oh, by the way, you can buy lobster right off the boat in this quaint, little fishing village.
Little Bitterroot Lake, Montana
(VRBO Listing #489182)
This one-bedroom house sleeps four and features a wide stretch of lakefront footage, plenty of sunshine, and close proximity to Glacier National Park.
You can swim with the fish, grill out on your private patio, or just enjoy the mountain views for around $850 per week. But there is golf, sky diving, hiking, fishing, and rock climbing nearby as well.
Stretching Your Vacation Dollar
If you have been saving all year (or longer) for a vacation, a rental is often a more economical choice given how many other ways you can save. You may actually find that you are able to afford more activities than you would have otherwise, making your vacation memories even better.
Most of these rentals were found on VRBO.com, but vacation rentals can easily be found on the other sites mentioned. (The listing number is given in case you want to search for it in Google and read more about each unit.)
Have you ever rented a waterfront vacation rental? What are your best tips for saving on a week-long vacation?
Become A Money Boss And Join 15,000 Others
Subscribe to the GRS Insider (FREE) and we’ll give you a copy of the Money Boss Manifesto (also FREE)
There are 24 comments to "10 amazing waterfront vacations for under $1,000 per week".
And all pretense is dropped – finance takes a back seat to advertising. Gifts for dad under $100, vacations for $1000, and only 3 comments per article. How the mighty have fallen.
+1 to Old Guy and the others above.
This article really should have been about creative ways to avoid spending $1000 on lodging:
* Buy a tent, find a state park.
* Arrange a house swap with a friend or family member from another state.
* Rent an RV (ok, this one’s a bit more expensive, but still less than any of the options in the article)
* Acknowledge that “waterfront” costs an extra premium and may not even improve your vacation experience.
+ 1,000,000
Apparently so, Old Guy. Sad but true.
If this practice continues, I’m gone.
Thanks, guys – My sentiments exactly.
I agree to the above and $1,000 per week is no kind of “deal”.
Same here. Checked out other blogs for a few months and came back to find the GRS has just become another junky shill for overpriced consumerism.
Thanks for this piece Holly! When our kids were still at home we took them on vacation every year. We went to a lot of National Parks. They have a sense of adventure & a knowledge of what a great country this is.
They acquired problem solving skills & an ability to relate to all kinds of people. This has helped them in their adult lives.
I appreciate all perspectives. I am not much interested in ones about paying off credit card debt or student loans because they don’t pertain to me. It’s like a buffet! Take what you like & leave the rest.
I appreciate that you’re being supportive, Babs, but the fact that you took your family to National Parks tends to indicate that you did it with a budget in mind and not the way this ad, er, article advocates.
Sure it’s like a buffet, but as with anything, if there’s not enough nourishment to be had, or value for the dollar (so to speak), people stop supporting the buffet they used to love and go elsewhere. It’s hard to replace the zeal and passion of a single person with a corporation. The originator had passion and no overhead, the corporation has debts to service and hired writers.
There are a ton of other non-monetized blogs out there with great content. A few I like are MMM (especially the forums, particularly if you like stories), The Frugal Girl and The Non-Consumer Advocate.FZeel free to chime in with any others you’ve discovered.
Hotels near National Parks are often pricey. We usually stayed in cabins or KOAs (which can vary wildly so need to be checked out on an individual basis)
I think Jo-Pete’s suggestion for an article is a good one.
I will check out those blogs you mentioned.
I like http://donnafreedman.com/
Thanks Babs!
I like to read about vacation ideas too – at least it helps me dream a little.
To everyone else, I agree about the topic being slightly off. I don’t always get to pick what I write about. My apologies.
These places all look awesome! We almost always stay in a vacation rental on our trips, so somewhere around 10 times a year. The value is great and I love having a yard!
I’m not against this kind of content per se, but I think it’s one of the reasons GRS has lost its edge.
Maybe others don’t feel the same way, but I come to PF blogs for actual financial information and to hear about other people’s financial journeys. I don’t come to read articles that I could find on almost every other web publishing website out there. The writing is fine, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not what makes GRS engaging or compelling.
I hate to see GRS losing it’s audience – I enjoyed the comments people used to leave!
$1000? Whoa buddy, we’re not Rockefellers.
Find me some waterfront rentals for under $1000/month and then let’s talk!
I personally think that most commenters in this article are being too hard on the site and the writers.
I don’t think the site’s philosphy has changed. Even in the early days, JD’s writing was as much about setting priorities and spending mindfully as it was about frugality and saving. He often wrote about travels and purchases that far exceed the $1,000 amount that commenters are deriding here as “overpriced consumerism”.
If anything, I think the readership has changed. I find the philosphy of the comments and forums as becoming skewed more toward a rigid minimalism where frugality and self-deprivation are promoted as ends in themselves, instead of means to an end.
I think the readership has changed because 1) people got annoyed with the new direction and left (to be fair, that was happening before J.D. sold) and 2) people have out grown the website. I suspect the hard-core financial minimalism in the comments might be because overall, many comments left on PF blogs are from other PF bloggers. It’s great that PF bloggers are a supportive community, but that’s not a sustainable business model I suspect.
J.D. used to write about a lot of topics, but it was a “this is what I’m doing and what I’m thinking about this week” kind of thing not a “random advice from random staff writer or person promoting their own blog” kind of thing. With the exception of Honey, it seems like GRS’s staff writers’ journeys and narrative are happening on their own blogs so it’s hard to have any sustained engagement there.
Perhaps GRS should do another reader survey and get some insight into their current audience? Just my two cents.
Looks like our first new content development is forget to post a blog Friday! 🙂
Andrew, I do find that the site seems to be geared towards “rugged minimalism.” I’ve read archived articles and learned from them and I’ve read current articles and learned from them. I would have thought that there was a broader audience than those who could not or would not spend this sort of $ on a vacation.
I’m thinking of the recent posting about life after debt and some of the comments there indicate that some people have a difficult time switching gears, if you will. For me, finding balance in life is as important as managing my money. It will be a long time before I am out of debt, but I will not stop traveling to the west coast to see my grandchildren and have a bit of a vacation. I think I can manage to do both: work on reducing my debt and budget for those trips. Balance is important.
I started coming to GRS about a year ago and soaked up much of the archive posts and the knowledge and ideas for working towards sound financial reasoning and methods.
The earlier posts (some dating back to 2008ish) seemed to have a very real perspective on achieving solid PF goals, even if rates and the like were way off of present day norms.
I hate to say it, but after gleaning what I can from the archives, I have a hard time following the posts of late, as they seem so far off of what got me reading GRS in the first place.
YMMV
$1000 on a vacation rental? I’m sure it’s a bargain for a waterfront location, but we could never afford a vacation that cost $1000 total! We have to be satisfied with a more budget-friendly site.
I don’t get the hate… I feel this is perfectly legit article on the value than can be provided by renting homes in vacation destinations. Especially with groups of people. Adding in ACTUAL places (waterfront spots, awesome) gives it an air of authenticity that would otherwise just be a advertisement (and you know what, it is OKAY to advertise things that SAVE you money).
With the rise of sites like VRBO and their ilk, you can very much save money on vacations, especially when traveling in larger groups of people. Taking vacations is part of a healthy lifestyle… and can be planned for with proper budgeting. Talking about them is perfectly acceptable I feel.
Our married friends and us (4 total) saved ~$1000 over what we would have spent in hotels while traveling to the Big Island Hawaii. We got to stay in a beautiful house on a working farm that was conveniently located near Kona. Later, we used sites like VRBO to find a place for the last two days, a beautiful bed and breakfast located deep in the woods near Honokaa, that we would probably not have ever heard about via any other mechanism.
We’re traveling to Hawaii again for the honeymoon, and we’re unashamedly using VRBO again, and saving money while doing so.
When we do Greece a year or two from now, we’ll look into VRBO style sites as well. It’s a good deal, and it isn’t wrong to talk about them.
My only complaint with the article is there was no Oregon Coast beach house!! 10 water destinations and no Oregon Coast?!? Amateur! I keed, I keed.
I stumbled upon this blog post very timely. This list gave me a basis on where to go with my family this summer. Spending some time away from work can really help you work better when you come back, and you get to spend some quality time with the kids and the mrs.
Thanks. Great Post.