Travelers Blog – Vacation Rentals by Rentalo.com

Located in east central California, Yosemite National Park is a place that will remain in your memory for a lifetime. And there is a good reason for that. Its majestic views along with its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams and most of all its internationally recognized Giant Sequoia groves, make this biologically diverse park a favorite among tourists worldwide.  The park, which was designated a World Heritage Site in 1984, is visited each year by an average of 3.5 million vacationers. Although the park covers an area of about 1,189 square miles most visitors spend their time in the seven miles that comprise the Yosemite Valley.

When visiting this majestic park, expect to find all kinds of outdoor entertainment possibilities. Hiking is one of the most popular activities in the park and there are over 800 miles of trails available to hikers ranging from easy strolls to multiple day backpack trips for the more advanced. I personally recommend experiencing other portions of the park besides Yosemite Valley. If you plan an overnight backpack trip keep in mind that you need a wilderness permit and approved bear resistant food storage. You can find free information is available from the Park Service in Yosemite with details on all the requirements, trail maps and much more.

Rock climbing and biking are other popular pastimes in the park. If you decide to try biking, you will find bicycle rentals in Yosemite Valley from spring to fall and over 12 miles of paved bike paths. You can also ride on regular roads, however off-trail riding and mountain biking are not permitted. If you are visiting with kids keep in mind that helmets are required by law for children under 18 years of age. If you prefer rock climbing you will not be disappointed. The park played an important role in the development of rock climbing as a sport and one of its campgrounds is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Lessons are also available if you wish to take them.

If you visit during the winter months —mid-December through early April—you will probably find several roads closed due to the heavy snow. The Yosemite Valley however, is open year-round and you will be able to enjoy downhill skiing at the Badger Pass Ski Area, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. As with hiking, if you are planning a backcountry overnight ski trip, make sure to have a wilderness permit, as it is required.

As far as accommodations you will not have a problem finding a suitable option for you and your family or friends in Yosemite. You will not have a hard time finding everything from beautiful Yosemite vacation homes, cozy Yosemite bed and breakfasts and Yosemite cabins with great views that will ensure a comfortable and memorable vacation!

When traveling to a foreign country and specially one with a foreign language, travelers are exposed to all kinds of possible scams. Being aware of them and staying alert is the best way to avoid getting ripped off. Scams are usually classified in into three different categories: overcharging, deceiving and simply outright theft.  Whenever possible, do your homework and research your future destination. Try to know in advance how much things like a taxi ride cost, and which things may be subject to scam. Nowadays it is very easy to get this information as there are numerous travel blogs and online communities that can help you with this task.
If you are not able to get this information, then common sense is a good option. Inform your travel companion of your itinerary, try to avoid answering simple questions to strangers and don’t carry big amounts of cash and valuable things with you. Remember you are not required to be polite, instead be a little suspicious of extremely helpful people; it might save you from being robbed.

Too Friendly to Be True?

Friendly locals are one of the most common scam strategies. Based on the idea that you will rely on the scammer’s “local knowledge,” these people will give you advice that is actually deceptive. An example of this scam strategy can be those people that offer to get you a good deal but “under the table” on something that you were not really asking for a discount. Instead of giving you a good deal they sell you a fake item. Usually most of them simply get you to pay more on the item of what you should really pay, so if people are being too helpful, it might just be too friendly to be true.

Too Much for a Good

This scam strategy is very similar to the previous one. With this strategy scammers base on the tourist’s ignorance of local prices and get you to pay over the market rate for goods. A good example for this scam is taxi rides. In many countries taxi rides can be “negotiated” between the taxi driver and the passenger. Just because you look foreign or because they hear you speak another language, taxi drivers may try to overcharge a ride just to see if you pay whatever they say. This is one of those situations in which being well informed about local prices becomes very handy.

Too Pretty to Be True?

In this scam, scammers trap you in a bad situation and force you to pay money to get out of it. Nightlife tours offered by attractive women are an example of such situation. Good looking and well dressed girls approach gentlemen with the excuse of having some drinks. Those who accept may end up at a deserted joint with a bill that runs into thousands and with  no way out other than paying the bill. So, if you want to go for some drinks with a pretty girl beware, because she might just be too pretty to be true!

If traveling has always been a stressful situation for you; it is about time to stop stressing! Thinking in our valued travelers we have decided to partner with Travel Guard, one of the nation’s leading providers of travel insurance and assistance to offer our visitors two specially designed insurance plans that will help mitigate travel concerns of booking any vacation travel; the Vacation Rental Protection Plan and the Accidental Rental Damage Insurance.

The idea of these plans is to cover all kinds of unexpected events that cause problems for vacationers that use Rentalo.com. Such things like emergency medical expenses, medical evacuation, lost or delayed baggage, travel cancellations or delays caused by unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather (including hurricanes) and high security deposit fees should no longer be a concern.

The Vacation Rental Protection Plan protects all pre-paid and non-refundable travel expenses (airfare, lodging — even if not booked via Rentalo–, cruise, car rental, tours, etc) in case your travel plans don’t go as expected. You must pay for this plan at least 24 hours prior to trip departure. Visit http://rentalo.com/docs/insurance.html to learn more about this Travel Insurance Plan.

The Accidental Rental Damage Insurance Plan has been especially designed to allow property owners and/or managers to make this coverage available to travelers in lieu of requiring a security deposit. Costs vary from $45USD to $69USD which can be significantly lower than many security deposits required by owners. For more information about this Travel Insurance Plan visit: http://rentalo.com/docs/insurance.html.

Arthur Frommer, the famous travel writer and publisher, founder of the Frommer’s series of travel guides has promoted Rentalo.com and Wor’s Summer vacation rental contest in his blog and Travel Show. Readers of the Arthur Frommer Online Community can see information about the giveaway in Frommer’s blog.

The contest, which has already awarded two lucky WOR listeners with a one-week stay in a beautiful vacation home in The Hamptons and Cape Cod, will end this coming Thursday June 11th with the last giveaway of a five bedroom Martha’s Vineyard ocean view home in the John Gambling Show. The winner will enjoy the vacation rental during the week of August 30th through September 6th.

Those who still want to participate in the drawing can do so by completing the form at: http://www.wor710.com/pages/4397472.php. There is little time to do so, so hurry up!

On behalf of the Rentalo team we would like to express our empathy, condolences and support to the families of the victims involved in this tragic accident.

Surely this is a sad moment for the entire travel industry.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Rentalo Team

As an effort to promote the region, Rentalo and WOR Newstalk Radio have teamed up to offer lucky listeners of this New York based radio station the chance to win a vacation rental in New England, Cape Cod, Hamptons and Martha’s Vineyard.

Three listeners will be able to spend one week in Rentalo.com homes that are nearby all the conveniences of these resort locations. In order to participate listeners of the area have to fill out a form at WOR’s website. Here are some of the radio promotions being aired since May 18, 2009.

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A mystical area composed by Southhampton and East Hampton; the Hamptons are the ideal way to spend a family vacation or a romantic getaway. With miles of beautiful beaches and peaceful bays, the Hamptons offer visitors excellent fishing, surfing and sun bathing. Those who like hiking or walking will also find beautiful rolling hills and broad plains with an incredible variety of wildlife. Tourists of this area can also count with excellent shopping and dinning opportunities with antiquing being one of the most popular activities in the area.

East Hampton

The charm of this township has no limits. It is situated to the west of Montauk and it is made up of numerous delightful villas which include Sag Harbor, Wainscot, Northwest Harbor and East Hampton North among others. It is home to the largest privately owned island in the United States and to the largest fishing fleet in the state of New York. East Hampton is surrounded by water on the three sides and it is full of chic stores, historic sites and renowned art galleries making this destination a year-round favorite. Outdoor opportunities are great in this area of the Hamptons, with hiking, biking and wildlife watching being at the top of the list.

It is considered among the most luxurious towns of the country and many call it the “Playground for the Rich.” Celebrities and politicians are known to vacation here and it has also been the home of presidents and first ladies such as Julia Gardiner Tyler and Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis.

Sag Harbor

A former whaling port, Sag Harbor is known today as an upscale getaway with delightful shops and scenic villages, yet the town keeps the charm of the old days. Its streets with grand houses from the whaling days and its enjoyable restaurants make it another favorite among visitors to The Hamptons. Tourists can count with an extraordinary bay with a Wharf that is the perfect setting for a post-card picture.

A great way to experience the magic of the village is by taking a bike ride; a well-liked activity among locals. You will be able to appreciate the sunset over Noyac Bay. If you are looking for some help and a map that shows where to find such things as museums, eateries, shops and local architectural and historical treasures, your best bet is to head to the Windmill Visitors Center.

Although I have to admit that I am tired of reality shows and contests that make participants live through hell in a ferocious competition for money, I would also say that The Biggest Loser Season 7 from NBC has been a true inspiration and a reality contest that I feel like recommending. While I have never been overweighed myself (I think thanks to my digestive system more than anything else), I do feel empathy for people that struggle with weight, especially in a society like ours with so many double standards and contradictions. We are constantly bombarded with images of happy people, skinny, beautiful with perfect skin, perfect hair, perfect everything and on the other hand there is always the Big Mac, the Big Coke, and the famous Starbucks Venti (I still don’t understand why can’t they use regular size names).  How can a normal mortal keep a normal weight with so many “Tall,” “Grande,” and “Venti” options?

This is why I have liked the Helen Phillips and the Biggest Loser story. I truly admire Helen Phillips and all the participants particularly the finalists. Yes, I still think that this kind of shows are no more than marketing tools and another of our “perfect world” representations where there is always a happy ending, but this show, in my opinion, it’s a little different.  While other reality contests seem to be a disloyal and unfair competition of what they call talent; in the Biggest Loser participants are truly battling with themselves and there is nothing they can do or say to make the other look bad, at the end the scale decides.

This week we saw the 3-hour season finale of Biggest Loser; revealing that 48-year old Helen had lost the largest percent of weight (55%) therefore winning the challenge and a very likable $250,000 grand prize. Season 7 was unique compared to previous seasons because it had the heaviest, the oldest, the sickest and the youngest contestants throughout the history of the show. Season 8 of this show will start in September and casting for season 9 is now open. For now, as a travel enthusiast I believe that Helen Phillips should book a luxurious Caribbean vacation rental and enjoy her triumph in a paradisiacal beach while listening to the sound of waves. She has gone through great lengths to win the challenge. She deserves it!

The Swine Flu, also known as the Swine Influenza Virus (SIV) has been one of the top headlines in newspapers around the world lately, and a favorite topic among journalists who have warned the public about the possibilities of a pandemic. So what exactly is a pandemic, the swine flu and should we really be alarmed? What precautions and safety measures should we take if we are traveling in order to avoid getting the virus? Although it is not time to panic yet, it is still a good idea to take some safety measures especially if you are planning to travel to your summer vacation rental these days.

What is the Swine Flu?

The Swine Flu, according to Wikipedia refers to “the influenza caused by those strains of influenza virus, called Swine Influenza Virus (SIV) that usually infect pigs.” The flu outbreak in humans is due to a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 that originated in Mexico. The symptoms of the swine flu are similar to those of a regular influenza with respiratory illness, fever, headache, sore throat, nasal stuffiness and cough. Some of the basic differences include having besides all other symptoms, diarrhea, vomiting and very high temperatures.

At What Point Should I See the Doctor?

Although doctors recommend not panicking over regular flu symptoms it is important that the very young and the very old always see a doctor about any flu. If you have any diarrhea or high fever and you are getting worse then don’t doubt about making the phone call. The reality is that although everybody would like to have an answer as to what exactly determines if you have swine flu or not, only a lab test can confirm it.

For Those Traveling

If you are traveling to a vacation home these days and consider you might be at high risk here are some safety measures that can be taken in order to avoid getting infected.

-Take an Antiviral (Tamiflu or Relenza) before traveling.
-Wash hands frequently with soap and water; use alcohol-based hand gel.
-Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or cough.
-Avoid close contact with people who appear ill.
-Avoid crowds in affected areas.
-Update routine vaccines.
-Defer travel to areas with poor medical infrastructure that have a high incidence of swine flu or other diseases.
-Be sure your health insurance will cover you abroad; if not, consider travel insurance but read policies carefully.

More than a National Park the Grand Canyon is an experience. This marvel of nature is one of those places that can truly leave you breathless. Once there, you realize that you are just a minimal creature of this world, and that there is got to be a supreme force that is able to create such an awe-inspiring beauty. Taking a look at this staggering creation of nature is simply a privilege that not a lot of people in this world have; so if you do have the opportunity of visiting this place, don’t even doubt it for a second.

The Grand Canyon National Park is located in Northern Arizona and it is one of the United State’s oldest National Parks. The park contains the beautiful Grand Canyon which is a chasm of the Colorado River and one of the wonders of the world, also considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its immense size of 277 river miles long, up to 18 miles wide and a mile deep can overwhelm anybody’s senses and its geologic record preserved is what attracts the attention of the world. Although its rocks are not unique and many similar rocks can be found in other places of the world, its wide variety and clarity with which they are exposed is what makes them exclusive.

Hiking at the Grand Canyon

There are many ways to experience the splendor of the Grand Canyon and one of them is hiking. If you like adventure and are a professional hiker, this is an opportunity you will never forget. When hiking at the Grand Canyon you will be hiking at a high elevation of 7,000 to 8,000 feet in a desert climate. Water and element protection as well as appropriate skills will make the difference between life and death; however the rewards are simply indescribable.

Air Tours

If you are not so adventurous yet would like a panoramic view of the Canyon you can try an air tour. Outside the Grand Canyon National Park there are numerous scenic air tour operators that offer helicopter and fixed wing tours. Many companies also operate tours out of California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona.

Mule Trips

If you prefer earth activities like me, then a mule trip should be your option. There are two different mule trips, the ones that go from South Rim and the ones that go from North Rim. South Rim trips can last two days and go to the Colorado River and back up to the South Rim. There is also a one day option. North Rim trips do not go to the river and can be from one hour to half a day. It is recommended that you book in advance because this tours get booked really fast.

You can find vacation rentals in Arizona at Rentalo.com