Vacation Rentals From HomeAway.Com Offer Break From Crowds This Spring
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With Punxsutawney Phil's missing shadow  signifying an early end to winter, the pressure is on for finding  affordable spring break vacation accommodations. No need to worry,  however, vacation rental Web sites such as HomeAway.com  make finding homes from coast-to-coast  a breeze.
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(InfoWorld) - Forget isolation and relaxation. For the seriously connected geek of today, vacations just aren't what they used to be. An informal and completely unscientific poll of InfoWorld readers revealed that -- although a few certified techies unplug completely when on vacation -- most elect to stay at least somewhat connected with their regular life; thanks to the ever-broadening range of cellular and wireless networks, most of them can. [See InfoWorld's Top 10 geek vacation list.] Jeff Helm witnessed the transition at one vacation spot: "I first took the family to Pigeon Forge (near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park) in October 2001. I walked across the hotel parking lot to the new public library to get on the Internet and check mail. I was told I would have to fill out a form, pay $5, let them hold on to my driver's license, and swear that I wouldn't 'conduct any business' or credit card transactions of any kind." Fast-forward to August 2006: "We went to the same hotel. I got out of the car to check in, and my PDA gave an audible report that it found a wireless signal. Yes, the same library was now beaming invitations to connect to the Internet to everyone in the area. Every hotel â¦ did the same. I checked e-mail at the outside mall, waiting for a patio table at the restaurant, and just about every place I went. I shut off the audible alert because the thing was going off constantly with all the networks." "The Outer Banks of North Carolina have a full complement of Net hotspot and cell-phone coverage capabilities," writes Peter B. Young. "I like to sit in the shade of an upper deck on our mansion-of-the-week, my sturdy old laptop plugged into an outlet in the living room or often out on the deck itself, and let 'er rip -- as gentle southern breezes caress my worn and wounded body." Rand Foster recommends cruising the San Juan Islands in northwest Washington between                                                     Vancouver Island and the mainland: "There is Wi-Fi at every marina." Brad St. Pierre found the perfect combo in Canada's Northwest Territories: "At the Bayside B and B in Yellowknife, I could watch the lakeside airplane and boat activity from the lounge or deck all day while surfing the Net. With almost 24 hours of sunshine, it's never too late to do the things you forgot to do while you were online." High-tech contractor David G. Evans found a way to have his vacation and get paid for it, too. "I was on call for production support. I spent a few weeks grooming my contacts to text me if they had an issue. That being done, I found a wonderful camp spot in Seaside, Calif., 20 seconds from pristine dunes and the ocean, 15 minutes from downtown Monterey, private, inexpensive, and well equipped. The recreation room has two hookups for Internet and a Web-mail kiosk. "Since this was an East Coast contract, I would get up at 4:30 or 5 to do a quick message check and reply as a first-thing-in-the-morning connection for them. Then we would drive to the Monterey Bay Aquarium but leave me three blocks away at the Kinko's with my laptop, where access is free, 24 hour, and comfortable. I would spend an hour or two working, then wander down to the wharf to meet them for some exhibits and lunch. If there was work, I would check back at Kinko's; if not, we had family time. Except for some mad coding from the backseat of the Volvo, plugged into the cigarette lighter for a portion of the trip home, this was the best working vacation I ever had." Edward C. Horvath had the best idea for a busman's holiday: "Buy yourself a ticket to the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. Live on caffeine, sugar, new technology, and the famed Jobs Reality Distortion Field for a week." The prize for the most far-out connected experience has to go to Savio Rodrigues, one of the authors of our Open Sources blog. He proudly sent us a photo from Machu Picchu -- not of himself, but of his BlackBerry, with a strong connection. A close second: April Harris Calderwood's working vacation, "going to a third-world country and helping a community project with technology; you rest and give back to the community."
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Brits are finding a home away from home in RVs.
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Family-style hotels are pouring on the amenities. Hey, is that Sponge Bob?
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Stay close to home for lower food prices.
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The future of online rentals is just getting started.
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Investors may pack up and leave town this week as the Republican National Convention begins in New York and many on Wall Street take vacation -- draining U.S. markets of volume and leaving stocks with little direction.
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Hotels strive to emulate your bed at home, if not better.
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Maybe it's too late for you to rent the summer house you wanted--but you can still find a luxe hotel in the same spot. Here are our worldwide picks.
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Congratulations! You can  win the holiday of your dreams - a break from telemarketers --  if you're willing to moo, fake a murder scene, or follow a list  of other diversonary tactics.
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More group travelers â including people planning family reunions â are using the Web to arrange their plans.
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New online tools from investment companies are driving home the message that when it comes to retirement savings, you're on your own.
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By Monica Soto Ouchi, Seattle Times  It's suddenly getting cozy in the living room.
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This is getaway day for what's looked at as the unofficial start of summer. Millions of people will be climbing into their cars or getting on airplanes for the Memorial Day weekend.
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Let the more relaxed life of Hawaii lead you away from hyperactive investing.
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The popular real estate site now lets users sell their own homes.
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To rent or buy your personal paradise? We spell out both options. Either way, your suntan doesn't have to fade.