California Travel and Vacation Guide

Your Lodging Choices Can Make or Break Your Trip

Your selection of accommodations can affect the success of your vacation to California. In many instances, it might even be the highlight of the holiday.

Do not discount the fact that choosing the right lodgings can make your trip memorable, while staying in the wrong accommodations can destroy your vacation to California!

Fortunately the Internet today provides a variety of resources, reviews and details about the best lodging in California, as well as the best deals available.

We always start our lodging investigation with a reliable reservations and information site, such as Hotels.com. Not only will this prevent wasting huge amounts of time, but it allows us to see a broad view of what hotels are available in California and can easily see which ones are attractive candidates based on prior visitor comments.

How to Select the Right Kind of Hotel

When planning a holiday, we encourage that you ask yourself some key questions that will assist you in selecting the right accommodations at a desirable price.

• Is it a priority for you to conserve time getting back and forth to sites and events?
• Are you willing to spend more time on public transportation and taxis in order to save on lodging? If so, you can commonly get a cheaper lodging on the outskirts.
• Do you hunger for a place infused with local culture? Smaller independent inns are often some of the most historic and lovely ways to enjoy the local culture.

These are important questions to ask before choosing your accommodations. We recommend that you think about how you plan to use your lodgings to get the most from your California vacation experience before making your decision on where to stay.

When looking for lodging it is also smart to identify the kind of lodging and amenities that accommodate your tastes and needs. If you won’t be spending much time in your room, and therefore you likely care less about the conveniences than you do about the location, then we encourage looking for accommodations in proximity to the places in California that you would like to see.

Our favorite lodging reservation site is Hotels.com, which offers over 70,000 properties worldwide, supplies detailed property reviews, pictures and offers a price match guarantee. There are several other Web sites, but we have not found one that is as comprehensive and easy to navigate.

Stay at a B&B for a Quaint Lodging Experience

If you delight in the company of strangers and a traditional meal then consider staying at a Bed & Breakfast in California. These properties offer an experience much like staying with distant relatives and often the owners can provide a wealth of knowledge and tips on the customs, local sites, and dining options. And frequently the breakfast provided will be high quality.

When we are looking to reserve a B&B, we prefer to use BedAndBreakfast.com. Its search capability includes an international network of B&Bs, country inns, guest houses and farm stays.

Note that these properties are usually situated in more rural areas and may not be close to mass transportation. If you will be traveling with a rental car then this is a delightful option.

How About a Home Exchange Program?

If you enjoyed the movie “The Holiday” then you may already have a feeling for how appealing exchanging your home can be.

If you plan to visit California for a length of time and you yourself live in a enviable vacation location (or you own a second home in a enviable locale) then you might consider exchanging your home with someone from California who is interested in vacationing in your region.

Staying in someone’s home in California enables you to live like a local (not a tourist) and can be a great way to save money. You will ordinarily have full use of laundry and kitchen facilities and enjoy the comforts of staying in a cozy home and neighborhood. This alternative is also considered environmentally savvy because it does not consume additional local resources to account for foreign visitors. And an often ignored benefit is that while you are in someone else’s home that someone else is in yours–potentially watering your plants, picking up your mail, and generally discouraging thieves which prey on vacant homes.

Check out HomeExchange.com for access to their international network of homes for exchange. A 1-year membership is required but they guarantee that if you do not find an exchange within your first year they will extend your membership for another year. If you are interested in learning more about the specifics of identifying and contacting potential home exchange prospects Home Exchange Academy supplies a unique reference guide.

When you are already paying a high price for flights exchanging your home with another traveler can be a wonderful way to manage the complete cost of your vacation. If you’re feeling like you just cannot afford that trip to California you may want to reconsider!

Lodging for the Super Tight Budget

If you are on a strict budget (perhaps you are a student) and needing to get the cheapest accommodation (as long as it comes with a bed and bathroom) then you should consider what are known as hostels. Hostels are quite common in many countries and often offer separate quarters for couples and/or seniors. There are several hostels available in California to select from. These can be reserved via HostelWorld.com.