Private Holiday Home Guide

For those who enjoy spending time on the water, renting (or owning) a houseboat or barge is a fantastic way to vacation. When you think of renting a holiday home, what comes to mind most often is a Tuscan villa, a quaint seaside cottage or stylish city loft, but houseboats and barges can be every bit as luxurious and comfortable, and come with the added convenience of a constantly changing scenery (should you choose to pull up anchor). Picture falling asleep to the soothing sound of tiny waves lapping against the side, and enjoying your morning coffee sitting on the deck with your toes in the ocean/lake/river while watching birds glide soundlessly just above the water’s surface.

There are many houseboat rentals available both in the US and worldwide, mostly on lakes and rivers, but there are some on the oceans as well. It’s usually a bit easier to navigate your houseboat on a lake and the water is calmer than the ocean. The four most popular house boating lakes in the US are Lake Shasta in northern California, Lake Cumberland in Kentucky, Lake Lanier in Georgia, and the breathtaking Lake Powell on the border between Utah and Arizona.

Rivers, also with calm waters, have locks you have to get through, but you’ll learn that in no time. Traveling on a river often means you don’t have to go back to where you started, so you get to see a lot of new places. Popular rivers for house boating in the US include the Mississippi (no surprise there) and the northward-flowing St. Johns River in Florida.

If you want to stay in a houseboat on an ocean, but are worried about navigating it, you can always just stay in one place. Some rentals are more like houses and not even intended to be moved. And there is always the option of renting a fully crewed or skippered boat. That way you can just kick back and relax and let the captain worry about the navigating.

The price for renting a houseboat obviously depends on the size, location and season. You can find a 38′ houseboat that sleeps four for around $1,300/week in Florida in high season, a 65′, triple deck model that sleeps 22 on Lake Shasta for $16,000/week, as well as everything in between.

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