How to Use Social Media to Have a Great Vacation

Did you know that social media is one of the best ways to plan and enjoy your vacation? Seriously! Social media has become a travel agent and advisor, and if you know where to look, you can have an amazing vacation using your favorite social media networks.

As a premium vacation house exchange company for properties located throughout the world, we at The Vacation Exchange are no strangers to how much people love to plan their vacations!

Pinterest

If you haven’t decided where you’d like to vacation, you can spend hours going through some of the best Pinterest travel planning boards online. There’s boards for plenty of places like beaches, deserts, theme parks, and much more. You can get started by looking at pins under “vacation ideas” on Pinterest. Read More

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4 Not-so-Typical Spring Break Destinations for a Vacation

Spring Break is in full swing in many parts of the country, and one of the most popular destinations for Spring Break is the beach. The beach is great to spend a day at, but if you’re looking for new places to go this year, we’ve got several not-so-typical spring break destinations for 2015. If you’ve got kids under 12, college students, or just need your own grown-up Spring Break, try a few of these places where we have vacation homes available for a house exchange.

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is a great place to visit any time of year, but now you can enjoy some good food and a fun atmosphere without too much bad weather if you go on spring break. Go out on a ghost tour or eat your way down Bourbon Street, whatever you do, you’ll have a great time staying in one of our vacation homes in New Orleans on a home exchange. Music fans can’t miss this destination, the birthplace of Jazz.

Sedona, Arizona

There are multiple places that are just right for a spring break in Arizona, but we think we should recommend vacationing in Sedona. Not only will the weather be warm, but just think about a night in a hot spring, and days spent browsing some of the unique shops in your area. If you love hiking and being outdoors, the majestic beauty of the landscape won’t fail to impress you!

New York City, New York

There’s never a wrong time to visit New York City, and if you don’t want to be at a crowded beach, here’s your chance! Our NYC vacation homes will make sure you’re near all of the hot attractions, including Broadway shows, museums and more. From watching tapings of The Tonight Show, strolling in Central Park, and finding a must-have toy at FAO Schwarz, NYC is perfect for any age on spring break.

Seattle, Washington

This caffeinated city has plenty to keep you busy all day and night on a spring break. Arranging a stay in one of our Seattle vacation homes lets you see this vibrant city like a local, trying all of its coffee shops, markets, landmarks, the zoo, and plenty more. Go in May, and you can enjoy Museum Week too.

Our company is unique when it comes to house swapping! If you own a vacation home, and would like to do a house swap, contact us to learn more about direct and indirect house swaps. Start at your home, and go anywhere with us! You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest too.

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6 Reasons To Do a Vacation Home Exchange for Your Next Trip

Many travelers may have heard of a home exchange where you can stay in someone’s second or vacation home, but may not have any idea of why they should try this revolutionary way of traveling. If you want to travel the world for less, if you want to end the struggle of trying to find a suitable hotel for your next vacation, read on to see why it make sense to do a vacation home exchange!

1. A home exchange is much easier than booking a hotel.

Imagine everything that goes into a typical vacation. You need to book your flight or other travel arrangements, and of course, when you book a hotel, you have to put a lot of thought into it. Where will you stay? How much will it cost? Is it in a good area? Is there Wi-FI? How far are you from popular attractions and tourist destinations? All of these must be considered, and then most of us like to read reviews of hotels to make sure we’re staying in a clean and comfortable place. House exchange options are nowhere near this hassle-filled, because you know exactly where you’re staying, what it looks like, what to expect, and you’ll have the owner’s contact information.

2. You can see the world without paying high hotel prices, even during “peak seasons.”

As a seasoned traveler, you probably know how some destinations have peak seasons, where the hotel prices rise with demand. However, when you do a home exchange, you aren’t paying any nightly charges, and you certainly aren’t paying a seasonal rate. This means you could go to Florida and stay in an Orlando vacation home in the middle of summer, or find yourself enjoying the slopes during prime ski weekends in Colorado and other areas. We have properties located throughout the world!

Photo used under Creative Commons fromFlickr user LaurenProfeta

Photo used under Creative Commons fromFlickr user LaurenProfeta

3. Vacation on your own terms.

One of the most annoying things a traveler can experience in a hotel is that they aren’t vacationing on their own terms, and the place doesn’t feel like home. By engaging in a house exchange, you get to set the terms of your vacation, and don’t have to worry about hotel policy, loud guests, and other things that can plague your vacation.

4. Travel in style while living like a local.

On a house exchange, you really like get to live like a local. You can explore everything your new home away from home has to offer, and get the most out of your vacation. You won’t just get a generic tourist experience like everyone else who travels to your destination, and you’ll feel like you’re free to come and go as you please from your temporary home. You can even ask the neighbors of your home exchange property to recommend local places to dine.

5.  Cut down on meal expenses and savor your culinary experiences. 

House exchange properties are literally someone’s second home, so they’re set up with everything you’d expect a home to have, including a table and kitchen. If you’d like to go out and bring back home a bag of fresh-caught fish, local sausages, or whatever staples that your vacation destination is famous for, you’re able to do this. Your meal expenses can be cut down especially if you don’t eat out, but instead stay in and cook breakfast or dinner occasionally.

6. Save more than you can imagine.

Home exchange eliminates sticker shock over hotel prices. The average hotel price will include a nightly rate (sometimes higher on weekend) then taxes, fees, and optional charges as well. These may be Wi-Fi surcharges, pet fees, valet fees, and parking charges. Add in tips for bellhops and maid service, and you’ve accumulated quite a list of expenses! A home exchange with us means YOU PAY NOTHING the first year, and then, $69.95 annually, for the privilege of staying all over the world in beautiful vacation homes in Paris, Africa and many more locations!

What Sets Us Apart from Other Home Exchange Companies

The difference between us and other vacation home exchange services is that you don’t have to arrange a trip at the same time as a house swapping partner! Instead you get to leverage your second home or vacation for a stay in someone’s else’s, regardless if they don’t want to stay at your home! This is an indirect exchange, and you get an indirect exchange credit for letting them stay in your home. You can then use this credit to stay at other homes!

How do you get started? If you have a vacation home, you can join us today, and we’ll waive the fees for the first year. You only pay a fee when you arrange a vacation home exchange.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for news, information, our homes and much more!

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5 Things To Know About Home Swapping with Pets

Just in time for National Love Your Pet Day, we’re talking pets!

Our pets are like family to us, and it makes sense that we bring them on vacation sometimes. If you’re embarking to a location by house swapping, there are a few things you need to consider before bringing Fido or Fluffy with you.

Photo used under Creative Commons from Flickr user boblinsdell

Photo used under Creative Commons from Flickr user boblinsdell

Make Sure Pets Are Allowed

First things first, make sure you’re actually permitted to bring your pet to the house exchange property. If you’re participating in an exchange with a member of The Vacation Exchange Network, then you want to make sure you have chosen a property that welcomes pets. Many of the members will state “well-behaved pets welcome,” however, if the listing doesn’t state this, please check if pets are allowed. It will ensure both you and the vacation home owner have a great house swapping experience.

Be Prepared

Once you’ve decided to bring Fido or Fluffy with you for your vacation home swapping, you need to make a few preparations. You should make sure you have plenty of food on hand, plus you might want to bring comfort items, such as your pet’s blanket or toys. If you have a cat, a Feliway or other natural diffusers can make your pet more calm in an unfamiliar place. When it comes to food, consider bringing enough food to last your entire trip, plus enough for one more day. If your pet eats food that is prescription, doubling is up smart, just in case of an emergency during your travels. With cats, never forget litter or litter boxes!

Consider the Water

Vets say that a different type of water can make your pet sick to their stomach, so you may consider bottling your tapwater for your pet to drink while on vacation during a house exchange. If you’re going out of the country or to a new state, you may find that the water taste differently. If you notice it, your pet will too!

Remember ID

We don’t like to think the worst, but what if your pet were somehow lost while you were traveling or on a house exchange? You should make sure your pet is well-identified, with a collar with your name, cell phone number, and maybe even email. If you adopted your pet from an animal shelter, it may be microchipped, so check with your vet. A microchipped animal can be scanned at nearly at vet, animal hospital or shelter. You may also want to bring a copy of your pet’s records in case they need to visit a vet while the two of you are home swapping. A recent picture on your smartphone is always recommended as well. Some pet owners even make a “pet passport,” which is a journal to hold all of their pet’s information for travel.

Follow the Rules When House Swapping with a Pet

On a house exchange, you should ask the homeowner if there’s any guidelines for pets. Do they not want pets in a certain area of the home? Are pets allowed on the furniture?  Home swapping with pets is easy when you respect the rules of the homeowner.

Are you ready to learn more about house exchange, with or without a pet? The Vacation Exchange Network is full of vacation home owners who love home swapping with people just like you! Find a new destination for you and your furry friend today at our websitePlease visit The Vacation Exchange Network’s site to join our home swap network, to learn more about how home exchanges work, or see all of our properties at great destinations all over the world. You can also follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook!

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