Want to have a family vacation without spending a fortune? We are here to help! We’ve created a list of tips to help you “Make Memories and Start Traditions” on your next vacation for under $1,000!
- Be flexible with your dates. Can you travel mid-week rather than over the weekend? Or can you travel in January, February or April? Certain dates are cheaper than others. We recently completed a “Name Your Price” sale! Yes, YOU literally got to tell US what you wanted to pay and we found a price that worked for both of us! Don’t be afraid to ask!
- Stay in a home. We’ve learned it is far cheaper to rent a 2 bedroom home than it is to rent 2 hotel rooms. Not only does renting a home give you more space and therefore allows you to stay “home” without feeling cramped, you also get the benefit of having a kitchen and the amenities of a home!
- Cook in your vacation rental. This is another reason to rent a home. Eating out is often crazy expensive. Save your money and cook at home! Anything from pasta to burgers! The sky is the limit!
- Find out what amenities come with the home. Most vacation rentals have things to do on property. Our homes have private hot tubs, access to free frisbee golf, fire pits, scavenger hunts on properties, hiking trails and more. Or you can even just enjoy a day on the back deck reading a good book or a lazy day inside enjoying the log burning fire and a movie.
- Ask your host for local tips and discounts. Often times your host will have the inside scoop to local discounts! Don’t be afraid to ask! Many shows and restaurants give discounts!
We believe every step of your family getaway should be enjoyable- from the planning to the reminiscing. And since planning a trip for your family can be overwhelming, but we are here to help! Below are a few of our suggestions on how to make the most out of your trip and to have the perfect family Branson getaway!
Our favorite things to do in Branson
Exciting things to do in Branson
Great locations for family photos
4 Inexpensive dinner shows in Branson
5 of our favorite views in Branson
8 Ways to enjoy Table Rock Lake
8 of our favorite restaurants in Branson
9 of our favorite museums in Branson
How to Plan the Perfect Vacation:
- Step 1- Preparing the Basics
- Step 2- Planning the Details
- Step 3- Packing Essentials
You also might enjoy these 12 fun facts about Branson!
Are you ready for the 4th of July? We certainly are! We know exactly where we are watching the fireworks, who we are spending the day with and what we are eating! Since we’ve already planned everything so well, we thought we would share some 4th of July treat ideas with you!
This is the easiest desert! Simply buy premade angel food cake, whipped cream and berries! Slice it up and serve! Or you can cut the angel food cake up into pieces, layer it with berries and whipped cream and serve it like below!
Create a dip your own ice cream sandwich or ice cream Sunday bar! Who doesn’t love ice cream on a hot summer day?
Spice up your water by adding ice cubes with frozen berries!
Add some fun to your fruit by creating star spangled fruit kabobs!
Find some of our other favorite summer recipes here! Don’t have a grill at home?
Come stay with us and enjoy our grills, private hot tubs & back decks!
Did you know Hosts can now review guests on Homeaway/VRBO/Airbnb, just like the guests can review us? Now, as a Guest is searching through potential homes to rent for vacation, Hosts too get to choose if they want to accept certain guests. We want to help you get the 5 star review you deserve as a guest! Here are our tips on how to be a good guest:
Before Arrival:
- Read any and all correspondence from the host. Usually, a host will send you all the checkin information you need prior to arrival. Often times they will also send suggestions on what to do in the area, tips on how to use the equipment in the home, and so much more! This will save you from having to call or message the host!
During Your Stay:
- Read any Welcome Books or signage in the home. Many hosts offer welcome books, notes on the fridge/table or even Tablets/iPads in the home with extra details about the home. These often include wifi information, TV details, how-to-use instructions and more!
- Keep an eye for any notes around the home. Sometimes homes have quirks. There might be notes on certain doors with tips on how to lock tricky doors, instructions on how to open/close unique windows and more.
- Treat the home with respect. Treat the home like you would your own. If you wouldn’t go in your own home soaking wet or push a heavy piece of furniture across your floor, try not to do it in your vacation home.
- Post pictures & tag your host. We LOVE hearing from our guests & seeing photos of you all making memories together! It’s probably our favorite thing about being a host! If you are having fun on your vacation, take photos in the home or around the home & mention them on social media!
Before Your Departure:
- Clean up after yourself. Try to make the home look like it did when you arrived. Make sure trash is in the bin and you aren’t leaving tons of items behind. While a housekeeping team does come through the home, their goal is to make the home as clean, sparkly and sanitized as possible. And it is easier for them to do that when they aren’t also throwing away your trash and putting furniture back where it belongs.
- Bonus: Strip the beds and leave the bedding and dirty towels in a pile. While we don’t require this of our guests, we do greatly appreciate it when they take the time to strip the beds for our housekeeping team.
After Your Departure:
- Email the host. We love hearing from our guests! Let us know if you had a great time or if you have any suggestions! Also send them any photos you may have taken during your trip that they may enjoy! You can even ask them to write you a 5 star review and let them know you will write them a 5 star review as well!
We truly believe we have the best guests at Rent Branson! Majority of our guests do all of the items above without any prompting, but we want to make sure you know how to get a 5 star review as a guest.
Do you have any other questions or suggestions?
Summer season is upon us, which means it’s grilling season! We love having any excuse to get outside and it doesn’t get much better than grilling on your back deck with family or friends! {Unless you plan on getting in your private hot tub afterwards- right? Don’t have a private hot tub? We can help with that!}
After years of experience barbecuing with family and friends, we’ve finally found a few go-to recipes! These recipes are easy and delicious! Here are a some of our favorite summer recipes. We know you are going to love them too!
This easy recipe calls for steak, small potatoes, mushrooms, olive oil, rosemary & salt.
Combine the olive oil, rosemary & salt in a bowl then soak the steak, potatoes & mushrooms in the mixture. Then place the items on kebab sticks & grill!
Items can be grilled directly on the barbecue grill if you don’t have kebab sticks.
Hot summer days call for refreshing water- flat or sparkling! A few of our favorite combinations are:
orange slices, lemon slices, lime slices, cucumber slices and watermelon chunks
or
bag of frozen mixed berries & a few lemon slices
or
apple slices & orange slices
Smother chicken, pineapple, bell peppers, onion, and bacon with either
barbecue sauce
or
1/2 cup brown sugar, 1.5 tbs cornstarch, salt, 1.5 cups pineapple juice, & 2 tbs soy sauce
then put all items on a kebab stick and grill them!
Who doesn’t love chips & dip?!
We love combing black beans, corn, avocado, cherry tomatoes, onion & cilantro
and mixing it with lemon juice, olive oil and salt!
This is one of our go-to deserts!
Cut your peaches in half & lightly cover with oil.
Grill the peaches to your liking.
Top the peach with honey & sea salt & a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Are you ready for fall? We sure are! Bring on the cozy blankets, warm drinks and evenings by the fireplace. Anyone else agree? In preparation for the coming fall, we’ve put together a handful of our favorite fall quotes!
“Autumn… the year’s last, loveliest smile.” –William Cullen Bryant
“Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.” -Stanley Horowitz
“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” – L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
“Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies.
I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.” – Nora Ephron
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” – Albert Camus
“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald
“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty,
as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.”– Lauren Destefano
What are your favorite fall quotes?
It seems more people are traveling and posting their luxurious travels on Instagram and Facebook. But how do they really afford it? We have the inside tips on how to have a luxurious vacation on a shoestring budget. Because if you are like us, you enjoy the finer things in life, but really don’t want to break the bank. So here are our tips!
- Rent a home. This might sound crazy, but we promise it isn’t- especially if you are traveling with family. It is often far cheaper to rent a home than it is to rent two or more hotel rooms- even at discount hotels. Plus- then you get the benefits of all the extra space, extra amenities, and privacy you deserve. And posting a photo in your private hot tub is much more luxurious than posting a photo in a community hot tub, don’t you think?
- Cook at the home you rented. This is another reason to rent a home. When you rent a home, you often get a full kitchen. We’ve found eating out can be one of the most expensive parts of a vacation. We recommend saving your money and cooking at your home. Then you not only have extra money to spend on activities, but you can also share photos of you grilling out as a family on your private back deck and eating under the stars. I mean, does it get any better?
- Plan activities you can do at the home. Many vacation rentals offer amenities on property- from frisbee golf and scavenger hunts to a pool and a fire pit. We love the idea of spending the day hiking and reading, then spending the evening making s’mores outside at your own private log cabin.
- Find a couple splurge worthy items. Discuss what items you really want to fit into your trip and plan accordingly- whether it be see a show, go to a fancy restaurant, zipline through the treetops or wine tasting.
- Ask your host. Often times your host will have the inside scoop to local discounts! Don’t be afraid to ask!
Need a large home or maybe even a few large homes? We have 5 homes that are 8 bedroom and larger all located at Chateau Cove! These homes are located near Chateau on the Lake and have amazing views of Table Rock Lake.
See videos of them below and click the home name to see more photos and information about each home!
…
12 Bedroom Home
Chateau on the Cove with a private indoor pool
{12 bedroom,14.5 bathrooms, sleeps 50}
12 Bedroom Home
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Staycation Lodge with private indoor pool & indoor basketball court
{12 bedroom,14.5 bathrooms, sleeps 50}
Staycation has an almost identical floorpan to the Chateau on the Cove home & is decorated with similar furnishings. Video coming soon!
…
10 Bedroom Home
Lakeview Chateau Lodge
{10 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, sleeps 38}
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9 Bedroom Home
Dogwood Lakefront Lodge with private indoor pool
{9 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, sleeps 35}
Dogwood Lakefront Lodge is decorated with similar furnishings to the Chateau on the Cove home. Video coming soon!
…
8 Bedroom Home
On the Rocks Retreat
{8 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, sleeps 26, allows 2 dogs}
Thinking about staying at one of our Red Bud Cove homes or suites? Come take a virtual tour by watching these videos!
Lake Escape Lodge
3 bedroom, 2 bath
Red Bud Cove Farmhouse
3 bedroom, 2 bath
Full Barnhouse
Ground Floor
Fisherman’s Favorite
Second Floor
Lakeside Landing
Goose’s Gander
Third Floor
No Wake Zone
Sm’Oars
What are you going to remember from the summer of 2020? Has your summer been full of laughter and joy like this? There is still time for you to come ‘Make Memories and Start Traditions’ with us!