When to Rent a Beach House in Florida

Each year millions of tourists flock to Florida to soak up the sun and have fun in the water and for the most part, families visit Florida during the summer months to accommodate their children's school schedule. Unfortunately, this is the "peak season" and hotel accommodations are higher than during the off-season.

A solution to this problem is to rent a beach house. While you might be thinking a beach house would be too expensive, but consider this…

As temperatures can rise to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the months of June through August, many residents leave the state during the hotter summer months and are eager to rent their home to tourists.

Additionally, Florida is a tourist state and many residents purchase beach homes with the sole intent of using them for rental properties. It's fairly easy to locate a reasonably priced beach house; particularly during the hot and humid summer months.

For the most part, beach house owners advertise their rental beach homes in the Classifieds section of the local paper, or through online forums such as Craig's List, and others use the services of a property management company.

Nearly every type of beach house imaginable is available for rent in Florida. You can find beach houses located in major metropolitan cities or small towns. They range in size from small cottages to private island retreats; complete with a swimming pool, maid service, butler and chef.

It's important to note that Florida's hurricane season is in effect from June through November so when you make your reservation, be certain to clarify refund policies should a hurricane or tropical storm cause you to delay your visit.

If you plan to visit Florida during the winter months, keep in mind that prices are generally higher. You can still find great deals on beach house rentals; however the peak season falls between November and April. You'll find the best beach house rental deals during the months of May through October.

Florida prides itself on being one of the most easily accessible states for visitors who have special needs. The "Visit Florida" website includes a special section for visitors with disabilities, which provides numerous travel tips and helpful resources. Many beach house rentals are wheelchair and handicap accessible.

Last, but not least, a popular option for those who love to travel is using a home exchange program. This type of accommodation service has been used for nearly 50 years in Europe and is a relatively risk-free opportunity to obtain free housing.

Home Exchange programs work by connecting individuals who are willing to exchange their home with another individual or family for a specified period of time. Home exchanges generally take four to six months to complete and require extensive planning. However, if you are willing to conduct research, you could potentially save yourself thousands of dollars in travel expenses.

The sun shines over 300 days per year in Florida. While the weather is nearly perfect year-round, temperatures can dip into the low 20s and 30s during the months of December through February. For the most part, all of the time is a good time to rent a beach house in Florida!

You'll find an abundance of restaurants, shopping, water sports, hiking, biking and other outdoor activities; as well as adventure parks, entertainment and multiple museums. And, if you simply want to get away from it all, there's no better place to escape than the beautiful beaches of Florida.