I avoid hotels like the plague when vacationing with kids. They just don't make good sense. Instead I plan in advance and do a little research to find a great condo or rental home in the area. One great site that I'd recommend for your research is VRBO.com, Vacation Rental By Owner. More on that later.

There are huge advantages to renting a condo or a home

• More space for toys, sleeping and fun. While the little ones are napping, you or your older children can do “awake” things. I try to look for places with yards or condos with balconies or decks so you can still be outside while still being close by.
• A kitchen with a fridge and a microwave. You can pack lunches for the day, have breakfast, and serve healthy snacks. My husband and I love feeding our kids an early dinner of Mac n Cheese then heading out to a nice dinner where we eat and they get to color. We save a ton of money and time bringing or buying groceries. More time to vacation and less time sitting in restaurants (our kids least favorite place to be!)
• Indoor amenities. Rental places usually have DVDs, VCRs, games, magazines, books, suggestions of things to do, a big coffee pot (my husband and I are addicts), beach towels and swim toys. We once stayed at a place with a pool table.
• Outdoor amenities. Anything goes with this one, just search for what you want. Rentals can come with swimming pools, hot tubs, playground equipment, snorkel gear, private decks, and private beaches. Last summer we stayed at a cabin in the Smokey Mountains that was on a river. The owner's s provided fishing tackle. It had a private deck on the water with a fire pit. The secluded private hot tub was a big hit.
• Off the beaten path. You can stay in town or out of town. In the Bahamas we opted for a place on the beach, but within walking distance of the boardwalk and docks.
• You can park close to the door. Coming “home” is always a breeze. Park in you private spot and head right in. You don't have to drag tired kids and a days worth of gear through a lobby and wait for elevators.
• Money saved. Eliminate the middleman by giving your money to a person. Renting a private residence is much cheaper than a hotel. In many cases you don't pay taxes or resort fees. You get way more space, including bedrooms and privacy to relax. My kids love exploring their home for the week!

While there are certainly many websites out there that provide this service. I have always been happy with the selection and owners at VRBO.com. The site provides details about availability, amenities, photos, and nearby attractions. You can search by state, town and general area. The prices and number of bedrooms are clearly posted. Best of all, it seems that wherever we want to go, anywhere in the world, there are a lot of choices!

What's also cool about the site is that most of the time you are emailing and communicating with the owners so they can give you personal service about their favorite place to be, on vacation in their rental unit!

Next time you want to travel consider a rental unit. My family and I have some great vacation memories and saved a lot of money and frustration renting from someone else.