This 5 bedroom Historic Mackinac Island Michigan Cottage is located in one of Michigan’s premier vacation spots. Built in 1891, its location high on the East Bluff overlooking the Straits of Mackinac, harbor, town, and Mackinac Bridge provide some of the most spectacular views on the island. The house has been updated over the years, but it truly retains most of its turn-of-the-century charm.

The house sleeps 10 in 5 bedrooms with 2 stories and over 2200 square feet of room to move. It features a large living room and adjacent den and dining room, making it open and roomy for large groups. The large, deep porch has great old wood porch furniture to relax in, and enjoy the spectacular view. The majority of the first floor has walls and ceiling of narrow heart of pine bead board. This is virtually unchanged since the house was built. It’ll remind you of the cozy cottage your grandparents might have had!

Note: This was also the very scenic location for one of my favorite films of all time…”Somewhere in Time” with Jane Seymour and the late Christopher Reeve.

Option #2 is a 7 bedroom historic home near beach and village and is located in Barnstaple, Massachusetts.

Location, location, location…

Built in 1754 and formerly a stagecoach stop for the Cape, this vacation rental offers privacy on 3 acres plus is just 7/10th of a mile to the ocean and swimming. It is within walking distance to the Village of Barnstable and the restaurants, shops, village variety store and performing arts theater. The harbor boast wonderful views of Sandy Neck island. This harbor also has a large whale watch boat that leaves frequently for daily trips and deep sea fishing boats that can be rented out.

This house is about 2 miles to Hyannis center and all the malls, theaters, restaurants and ships to the Vineyard and Nantucket Islands. Within easy day trips there are many museums, historic sites, bike trails, ghost tours, and all forms of water sports.

And a top choice for nature lovers…

In Sebastian, Florida, this 1909 5 bedroom Historic Waterfront Home provides an unobstructed view over the Indian River. Wildlife and nature lovers will watch dolphins play, manatees swim, and some incredible bird life fly by while sipping a cool beverage. Witness the very rare and seasonal White Pelicans who frequently live on the neighboring docks. You’ll also see many of Florida’s protected and endangered wildlife such as the Florida Osprey, Sandhill Cranes, Wood Storks and Snowy Egrets.

The entire house has it’s original hard wood floors, walls and high ceilings. Three bedrooms with river views and two baths are upstairs including the master which has it’s own in-suite bath. There’s another balcony on the second floor for even better views of the river. The main level has one bedroom, one bath, two living rooms, an office and a large dine-in kitchen which has recently been upgraded with all modern appliances and is fully stocked with everything you could possibly need.

The wrap around porch on the kitchen overlooks the large 20X40 pool, hot tub (winter only) and a seeded pond. Pool area includes a large stainless steel gas BBQ, table for 8, chairs, loungers, and umbrellas. On-site is a grass volleyball court and basketball backboard. This property just keeps on giving and just one hour from Orlando’s airport!

This 5 bedroom, “Southern Comfort” Beach House is a Mediterranean-style house with a gorgeous pool and waterfall set in a tropical landscape, ocean views from the balcony, and a charming self-contained in-law suite!

Just indoors from the pool area is the open-plan living room and dining area. One entire wall of the living room opens up to the outside, so you can merge the two areas. Featuring hardwood floors, ultra-comfortable sofas, and a TV with VCR and DVD player, the living room is the perfect place to unwind after a long day at the beach or sightseeing in historic St. Augustine, just minutes away.

For those needing less space, take a look at this 2 bedroom Beach-Front Condo.

Enjoy breathtaking views of the sea from several rooms in this oceanfront luxury condo. Beautifully appointed, immaculately maintained, and perfectly situated on one of northeast Florida’s best beaches, it’s the ideal sun-and-surf getaway!

This open-plan and spacious 2-story condo is set just beyond the lovely natural sand dunes of Crescent Beach, where sea and shore birds sail past and the sunrise puts on a private show for you every morning. The Intracoastal Waterway is not far in the opposite direction, so if you like, you can not only enjoy dawn breaking each morning, but also catch the sunset each evening!

It’s not fair for me to have all the fun! There are 63 more vacation rental properties available – in price ranges from $70 per night to $1250 per night. Something here for every vacation budget!

And if you can’t find your perfect “pad” there…

I’m in the process of selecting my vacation rental for this Spring in St. Augustine, Florida. If your property isn’t listed somewhere, you’ll be missing out on potential revenue…

This 5 bedroom Lake House Log Home offers over 8,000 square feet of living space. Set on 160 acres, this private lakefront setting offers a private dock, paddle boat, kayak, canoe, sauna, hot-tub, game room, fishing, and nature all around for your Summer 2012 vacation.

During the winter months still remaining this season, consider a getaway that is perfect for snowmobiling, snowshoeing, sledding, ice-skating on pond, skiing 30 min. away (Shawnee Peak.) Stay cozy by the fire or hop in the hot-tub at this Otisfield, Maine vacation rental.

For accommodation at one of the America’s most favorite destinations, consider this vacation rental option – a 5 bedroom Nashville Area Luxury Log Home on 18 Acres.

Nestled in the gently rolling hills of Williamson County Tennessee just minutes from Leipers Fork, the winding country roads leading to this secluded estate are picture-postcard perfect. No wonder so many celebrities call this unique part of the Nashville area home!

The close proximity to Nashville’s legendary Music Row also makes it the perfect temporary residence for recording artists and entertainment professionals looking for a little peace and quiet during their Nashville stay. The pastoral setting also makes Lyric Springs Retreat House perfect for events, retreats, family reunions or weddings.

Perfect for skiers, hikers and nature-lovers…

How about a 3 bedroom Log Cabin in the Virginia Mountains? Along with being in close proximity to Washington, DC, this cabin is newly built and spacious! Natural pine plank walls throughout, hardwood floors, beamed cathedral ceilings and loads of windows will afford breathtaking views for any season. Escape the stress of the city – for a long weekend or a whole week!

This, all within the desirable “kettle” of Massanutten Mountain’s Four Season Resort. Enjoy the features of rustic log cabin living, with modern amenities. Surf the internet or kick back and enjoy the HDTV Surround Sound experience.

Massanutten has hiking and biking trails, fishing nearby, a skate park and a canoe and kayak service. Rentals are available for mountain bikes and skates. Horseback riding is available nearby. A brand new full scale outdoor/indoor water park is now open. During the summer the recreation department offers outdoor volleyball games and softball games for adults and children. Organized kickball, wiffle ball games and other games are offered for the children. During winter, you can ski, snowboard or tube the slopes.

Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say about hotels in United States

TripAdvisor is a leading vacation rental website featuring the world’s largest collection of authentic vacation rental guest reviews. TripAdvisor currently has more than 100,000 vacation rental properties around the world, which offer travelers great value along with the space, privacy and amenities of home.

A great place to start your 2012 vacation research!

Read some thoughts on the vacation home versus hotel options…

“Cooler” prices

The Christmas period in Tuscany is not subject to such a high demand as the warmer period of the year (roughly from May until October). Many properties, however, close their activity from November until March, which gives you less to choose from. Nevertheless, there still are myriads of self catering accommodations such as villas and apartments that offer the perfect winter retreat to snuggle in and enjoy the festive atmosphere with your family.

Many offer medium and high season prices starting from December 23 until January 6 (although some lower their prices after December 31). Even though at first this might not seem a great deal, you have to take advantage of the fact that during this period home rentals are very flexible, allowing you to stay less than 7 days arriving and departing any day of the week. Hence you may arrive prior to December 23 and leave on the 27, when airports are less congested. It is important that you do not stop at the price page and run away in front of high season prices. Always ask the owner, which will be very likely to have someone at a lower price than no one at all. Moreover, ask to many properties: you might spot a gem in the rough, especially if it’s been in the business for just a few months. Some direct rental websites allow you to send multiple requests at once, considerably cutting down your workload.

Choose your location wisely

Needless to say, location has a strong impact on pricing. Italians are not keen on going to the seaside during the Christmas period, as they think it’s not in tone with the season. Therefore, rental prices at sea localities in Tuscany are much lower than anywhere else.

Grosseto Coast, Italy

In spite of what Italians think, being in a Tuscan marine town at Christmas is very romantic and peaceful. You have the choice of villas on the seashore, more secluded ones in the pine forest, or others set closer to villages. On the other side, mountain chalets are much more pricey. Being in a snow covered area surrounded by mountains is certainly very Christmas-like, but may ultimately provide little extra benefit for a much greater expense.

In addition, consider that the seaside will be much more easily reached than a mountain place for both climatic and terrain morphology reasons. If your kids really want to play with snow, you can rent a property in the Grosseto coast and then take a day-trip to Mount Amiata, just an hour from the sea. Here you will have all the snow you need and discover fascinating mountain towns.

You do not need to start searching for your self catering property in Tuscany much before Christmas. This is just about the right time to do it. You are likely to still find a good number of available properties, and owners getting antsy about renting them for the Holidays: the perfect combination to cut yourself a good deal!

Matt works for Thriftytuscany.com, a property rental website with useful tools for you to find villas Tuscany coast for your vacations.

Read Matt’s, “Christmas Dinner the Tuscan Way” as part of our “Christmas in Tuscany Mini-Series.”

Thanks to Dan at My Favourite Holiday Cottages!

With the previous British celebrations of Bonfire Night and Halloween out of the way, we’re now looking ahead to Christmas holidays and with only 6 weeks to go, time seems to be flying by.

The traditional festive period in England consists of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day celebrated on the 26th of December.

The main difference between an American and British Christmas is Boxing Day. Boxing Day is a public holiday named after the old custom for tradesmen to collect Christmas boxes of money or gifts for their good service throughout the year. Nowadays it is treated as a simple bank holiday where people go for family walks and continue to eat the leftovers from Christmas Lunch the day before.

With all these things to look forward to some people still haven’t decided on the one big question for Christmas – where to stay? Should it be a Christmas at home, visit with relatives, or to go on vacation instead?

So, if you are looking to getaway for the holidays, the perfect property is the stunning Emmett’s Grange.

Newly added to the self-catering market, Emmett’s Grange is a luxury Georgian Farmhouse located in the middle of Exmoor National Park in the South West of England.

The house is among the most stunning properties in the National Park, sits in the middle of its very own 900 acre (3.6km2) estate, and has some of the most exquisite views of the moorland.

The house itself is over 170 years old and contains everything you could need for a Christmas vacation property.

Sleeping 10, the house boasts a full size farmhouse styled kitchen, games room, dining room, music room, bar area and drawing room – which with a brilliantly warming log fire is perfect for cold, snowy nights. The house will soon be decorated throughout with a full size Christmas Tree to make the property even more special during the festive season.

During the day, the estate is perfect for walking the dozens of trails and paths which cross the moor, with plenty of chance to see red deer and other rare birds. Plus, if the snow does fall over the Christmas period, the gentle sloping fields make an ideal place to go sledging and have plenty of snowball fights.

If the London Olympics, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and rumors of a royal birth have you interested in visiting the UK in 2012, Emmett’s Grange is definitely worth a closer look for an idyllic accommodation. Review our UK Vacation Cottage of the Month series for other great recommendations.

Over in Britain, the 5th of November becomes a special night where people up and down the country let off fireworks and light bonfires to celebrate Bonfire Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Night.

The tradition stems back to the events of the 5th November 1605. Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder plot, was caught guarding explosives which were set to go off under the House of Lords – in an attempt to assassinate King James I whilst he attended the State Opening of Parliament. Guy Fawkes was then found guilty and hung, drawn, and quartered; a rather grizzly end.

With the plot failed, the government proclaimed the 5th of November as a day of thanksgiving and since then celebrations in one form or another have taken place across the country on this day.

Most local towns and villages nowadays will have a fireworks display, and will occasionally burn an effigy of Guy Fawkes on the large communal bonfire. However, in Ottery St Mary in Devon, one of the older more unusual traditions still remains…

Torchlit processions and rolling tar barrels down the streets has long been a tradition of many towns and villages in the south west of England. However, in Ottery St Mary, it was decided that merely rolling tar barrels down the streets wasn’t enough and the heavy burning barrels were instead carried on the shoulders of local citizens.

These locals are fiercely proud of the annual event and you can see for yourself – videos of the event.

The thrilling fiery spectacle happens annually on the weekend of the 5th November, so if you are in the region and want to come along and see this exciting tradition first hand, My Favourite Holiday Cottages has some excellent country cottages for you to stay in nearby in neighbouring Sidmouth – only a few short miles away.

Boswell Farm is the home to 7 cosy period cottages which date back to the 1850’s. The cosiest of these is the charming Mill House which sleeps 6. Originally built as a dairy, this 4-Star character cottage is set within 45 acres of farmland making it ideal for a vacation at any time of the year. Being only 2 miles to the south coast, it is also perfect for a summer seaside holiday, while being centrally located for explorations of the stunning south Devon countryside in the fall. After you come back from a cold windy stroll you can also snuggle up in your own four poster bed!

So with that in mind for next November, you can go and see your own bonfire, let off fireworks, and see the extreme tar barrels carrying of Ottery St Mary.

~ Read more about Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot here.

~ Review past “Cottage of the Month” entries from My Favourite Holiday Cottages…

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Here’s a very yummy update from Matt at Thrifty Tuscany on Christmas holiday meals – Tuscan style. I hope he will forgive me for showing this fantastic image of dessert (Torrone) first!

What is the most appreciated thing in Tuscany at Christmas? Food of course!

Since times long ago the preferred way to spend the holidays in Tuscany is around a table with good food and good company. And good food is also the perfect means to make new friends. Families with their relatives get together to celebrate the festivities with long hours around a dining table. The luckiest ones can warm up the evening with the romantic flame of a fireplace, but in any case a Christmas tree and nativity scene are always present.

Needless to say, preparations for the dinner require quite some time and go on from early morning, often with the help of a handful of people. The dinner usually includes a variety of appetizers, at least two first entries, two meat dishes, various kinds of side dishes, cheese, fruit and typical Tuscan desserts.

Among the most common appetizers you will find tarts, also known as “crostini“. These are bread slices covered with sauces.

Splint and liver crostini are the most Tuscan there is, but you can exercise your fantasy and produce a number of variations. Butter, salmon and lemon is also popular, but also parsley, boiled egg, garlic and anchovies, without forgetting mushroom, truffle and raw sausage condiments. Cold cuts with oil and vinegar preserves is an evergreen on the Tuscan Christmas table, altogether with Fettunta (the Tuscan name of Bruschetta), which can be simple or with various condiments on.

Among the classic first entries a Tuscan table cannot be left empty of at Christmas is a plate of filled pasta in a meat stock. Pasta usually is Tortellini or Cappelletti, both small and filled with meat and spices. The stock should be the boiling water of Lesso or Bollito preparation, which includes chicken, veal, entrails and vegetables, and is served as one of the main courses. Another popular first entry is Ravioli Gnudi (naked ravioli) or Malfatti, lightly boiled dumplings made of ricotta cheese, spinach and egg, in a meat or butter sauce. Other kinds of filled pasta, such as Ravioli, or Tagliatelle egg noodles with a rich meat sauce are also very common.

As anticipated, Bollito and the more dainty Lesso are a tradition on Tuscan tables at Christmas. It is served on a large tray and accompanied by a variety of oil and vinegar vegetable preserves, such as artichokes hearts, small white onions, spicy peppers, and green and black olives. Dressings are also very important; the most common are Agresto, Salsa Verde made with parsley, and homemade mayonnaise.

Following the boiled meat, roasted pork, chicken, or fowl meat with roasted potatoes is served. Stewed wild boar is also a common alternative. Second courses are always accompanied by one or more side dishes. Green salad dressed with olive oil, vinegar and salt, and a vegetable pie, called Sformato are the most common.

If after also eating cheese along with dry and fresh seasonal fruits you still have an empty space in your stomach, you must try the classic Tuscan sweets.

Copate, Panforte, Panpepato, Torrone, and Cavallucci all originated in Tuscany, while Panettone and Pandoro are from Milan and Verona respectively.

Enjoy your Tuscan Christmas Dinner!

Matt writes for Thriftytuscany.com, a direct booking website with apartments and hotels – also an excellent site to help you find your perfect wedding villa in Tuscany.

Follow our Christmas in Tuscany mini-series starting here.

As the only city in Cornwall, Truro, with its spectacular and scenic location on the coast, provides an opportunity for a quick walk to a beach – such as Porthcurnick shown here, for hiking in the countryside, and is the focal and market point of Cornwall and the Roseland Peninsula.

Two 4-Star cottages are perfectly positioned to provide you with convenient and quiet accommodation while you explore this most southern city in Great Britain.

Smugglers Cottage

Just a 5 minute walk to the sea at Porthcurnick Beach, Smugglers Cottage is a barn conversion set on 15 acres of idyllic, rural pasture. If you’re looking for a quiet country vacation, Higher Rosevine Farm is the destination for you!

The property sleeps 4 in a single-story unit but thanks to its being a “barn conversion,” single story rooms are spacious and bright with high open ceilings and also have one of my vacation favorites – underfloor heating!

Add a fully equipped kitchen and wet room, (shower, toilet, and sink) and what more could you want? This property will be the best choice for any travelers with mobility restrictions. For those without, Wreckers Cottage is also available…

Wreckers Cottage

This two-story cottage also sleeps 4 and is also converted from a stone-built Cornish barn.

Upstairs you’ll find a twin and a double bedroom. Downstairs is your open-plan, fully equipped kitchen, a spacious lounge, and wet room. TV and DVD are provided along with linens (excepting beach towels.)

Sustainability is important at Higher Rosevine Farm. These “low impact” cottages have been designed to be both energy and water-wise. The Higher Rosevine Development is a member of both the “Verified Owners” and the “Enjoy England” programs – ensuring what visitors will expect from a 4-Star rated accommodation.

With so much to see and do nearby, I think I’d park my car and take a bike to really explore this historic and beautiful corner of the United Kingdom. For more on local attractions, visit the Higher Rosevine Farm web site.

Visit past UK “Cottage of the Month” properties…or head over to My Favourite Holiday Cottages and start building your own cottage portfolio!