OMG, I Want to Rent This House: Vashon Island, Washington
OMG, I Want to Rent This House spotlights the most spectacular and unique homes that you can actually stay in. From open-air villas to an adult treehouse, we explore all the places that you should book for an unforgettable getaway.
Driftwood Beach, Vashon Island, Washington on Vrbo: If you’re like us, then you’ve only been “back to school” for a month, and you’re already exhausted. The emails never stop pouring in, endless meetings keep popping up on the schedule, and you are dangerously close to being buried by the papers piling up on your desk. There’s only one cure for this nightmare: it’s time for another vacation!
Summer holiday season may be all about exploring new places and showing off your teeny weeny bikinis, but fall is the time to relax in a gorgeous setting where the only people encroaching on your private holiday are the resident seals. We’re talking about a place like Vashon Island, WA.
In the middle of Puget Sound, just 20-minutes by ferry southwest of Seattle, there is a Pacific paradise where you can let the salt-air breeze carry away all thoughts of EOD deadlines and bosses demanding your ETA. Instead, the most pressing thing on your to-do list will be hunting seashells and crabs on the beach or losing yourself in the latest bestseller. When you need a break, gaze out at your natural surroundings and see how many local creatures you can spot—we’re talking sea lions and whales, porpoises and bald eagles.
The resident wildlife outside your door is guaranteed to be delightful, but when it comes to the zoo lurking inside, that’s entirely in your hands. Driftwood Beach is a seaside mansion masquerading as a demure vacation home. With five bedrooms and five bathrooms, the house sleeps 12. But whether you want to invite 11 guests to encroach on your relaxing retreat is a decision that should only be made after a long nap…and perhaps the acceptance of a few bribes from holiday hopefuls.
Whatever you decide, the house is firmly in the “more the merrier” camp. Here, the architecture and decor are all about the multiples: two master bedrooms, two fireplaces, two kitchens, two living rooms, and a whopping four decks scattered around the property. (May we suggest you secure the master bedroom in the blessedly one-bedroom-only private Boathouse Wing?)
Naturally, every aspect of Driftwood Beach is oriented towards the sea. (Even the bathrooms have a view!) Need to pick up a few things for dinner? Take a short 10-minute walk along the beach to the nearby market. Exhausted by all the lazing around? Hop in a kayak and indulge in a little maritime exploring. Want to find a nook to do a whole lot of nothing in? Find yourself a spot on one of the many decks to bask in the sea breeze and watch the sailboats pass by.
Sure, fall can be a little chilly for your hottest new two-piece. But there is nothing like enjoying a beach vacation wrapped in a cozy sweater on your deck in the great Pacific Northwest or walking across your heated floors to take a seat in front of the fire with the first hot cocoa of the season. Best of all, you can bet every last precious hour of PTO that your vacation neighbors—the seals—won’t be hassling you to read any memos or prep any PowerPoint presentations. On that note, let’s make this fall vacation an annual event.
Book Your Stay: Driftwood Beach in Vashon Island, Washington: $845/night via VRBO
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