Travel planning is becoming more streamlined to benefit both travelers and those looking to make extra cash.
There are companies now that let travelers rent private pools, campsites, boats and outdoor recreation in an Airbnb-style fashion. In turn, owners can make money by being a host to underutilized pools, RVs, farms and vacant land used to host campsites.
Airbnb’s accommodations span over 6 million places in 191 countries, while HomeAway offers over 2 million places to stay in 190 countries. With this massive peer-to-peer renting popularity, other major businesses are jumping on the trip-sharing bandwagon.
Peer-to-peer rentals that go beyond rooms are available all over the world: you can rent a private pool in Australia; pitch a tent on a designated campsite in San Diego; or embark on a kayak tour in Norway.
Here are seven peer-to-peer rentals to consider for your next vacation:
Glamping Hub: Treehouses, vintage trailers and more
A portal for unique outdoor accommodations, Glamping Hub offers over 35,000 peer-to-peer glamping rentals — glamping is where camping and luxury meet: distinct amenities are added to enhance a rugged, outdoor overnight experience. Travelers can select accommodations that range from a vintage glamping trailer in Los Angeles or tiny house vacation rental in Flagstaff, Arizona, to a restored vintage Airstream in Georgia or a houseboat rental in Sarasota, Florida.
A Glamping Hub accommodation: A Tree House Glamping Getaway In Halkidiki Greece (Photo: Glamping Hub)
GetMyBoat: Boats and water experiences
From a catamaran in California to a kayak in Croatia, GetMyBoat features over 130,000 types of boats and water experiences that can be booked in 184 countries. Travelers can book everything from houseboat rentals and private sailing lessons to whale watching tours in Mexico and sea kayaking tours in Greece.
Boat renters can download the GetMyBoat app or go to the website in order to search by area and sort boats and experiences by type, price and guest count.
Swimply: Rent a pool
Looking to get wet this summer? Swimply lets water-lovers rent out private pools in the U.S. and Australia. The online marketplace for pool sharing allows non-pool owners affordable access to pools of different sizes and locations, while allowing pool owners to produce income from their underutilized pool.
Some listings on the website include a pools at people's home that will host up to 30 guests in Palmetto Bay, Florida; up to 40 guests in West Hills, California; and a pool and hot tub rental in the Bronx, New York, for up to 12 people.
When you rent from Swimply, guests are responsible for leaving the pool and personal items in the condition it was when you arrived.
Swimply lets people rent out private pools in the U.S. and Australia. (Photo: Swimply)
Farm Stay USA: Pay to stay and work on a farm
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live on a farm? Farm Stay USAprovides overnight stays on working farms and ranches all over the country. The farmer is still on the farm during overnight stays since they are working businesses. Each listing provides information on the property, livestock and agriculture on site and the activities and accommodations available.
In Hamilton, Montana, you can stay at ABC Acres, which focuses on sustainable and organic food raising; go hiking and bird watching at Blind Buck Valley Farms in Salem, New York; or feed horses and drive tractors at Scurlock Farms in Georgetown, Texas.
Many states have limited-liability agritourism laws that apply to all farm visitors, which generally hold farmers harmless from trip-and-fall types of accidents to discourage petty lawsuits but do not cover gross negligence on the part of the farmer. Each farm stay varies in terms of meals, activities, lodging and amenities.
A Farm Stay USA experience: milking cows at Hullo Farms in Durham, New York (Photo: Farm Stay USA)
Tentrr: Camping on private land
For camping enthusiasts, Tentrr allows private owners to rent out extra land. Tentrr has backcountry sites, which allow campers to pitch their own tent on private and secluded land and Tentrr Signature sites, where Tentrr installs a fully-equipped campsite on a property.
The Tentrr Signature campsites come with a canvas wall tent on an elevated platform, bed, wood stove, Adirondack chairs, fire pit, grill, picnic table, sun shower and camp toilet. Tentrr has more than 600 fully-equipped sites across 35 states. Sites start at $25 per night for backcountry and $100 per night for Tentrr Signature.
A Tentrr Signature campsite (Photo: Tenrr)
RVshare: From pet-friendly RVs to luxury motor homes
For those that crave outdoor adventure, a weekend of camping, long road trip or a cross-country tour of national parks, you can book transit on RVshare, which touts itself as the first and largest peer-to-peer RV rental marketplace. The platform offers over 100,000 vehicles, that range from towable RVs, drivable RVs and pet-friendly RVs to luxury motor homes.
You enter a pickup location and dates that you would like to rent the vehicle (you must drop off the RV at the same location you booked it). For example, there are over 500 bookable California rentals; over 400 RVs in Michigan; and over 900 RVs in Washington State.
Each rental is different. Some owners provide linens, bedding and towels, while others will require renters to stock the RV or offer kitchen and bedding packages at an extra cost. Other costs include gas and RV park fees.
Boatsetter: Rent a boat (with a captain)
With a portfolio of over 5,000 boats ranging from small runabouts and houseboats to larger yachts by owners, Boatsetter is a peer-to-peer rental company used to rent boats directly from owners. One can search for boats either by location or based on the desired activity, such as celebrating, cruising, fishing and other sports. There is also an area to mark where you need a captain to operate the rental.
Examples of rentable boats include a Sea Ray Sports Yacht in Miami; a Malibu Boats Wakesetter in Hawley, Pennsylvania; and Bayliner 2655 Ciera Sunbridge in Florida, New York.
Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/experience/2019/06/04/airbnb-style-rentals-include-swimming-pools-rvs-farms-and-boats/1210466001/
