Help me get out of my rut - what are some underrated timeshares that you like?

[klpca]

I love exchanging and I love searching for great exchanges. But I feel like I am in a rut. I always tend to focus on Hawaii, Tahoe, Sedona, Cabo. These are places that I know and love. I am looking for some new places to visit. We either like places close enough to good places to hike, or alternatively, places in a fun city. We are busy vacationers - I just don't love sitting around a pool. I try but I get too antsy. What are your favorites that don't get a lot of buzz on TUG? I need some new ideas. I am interested in any location.

My personal favorites, in case someone else is looking for some fresh ideas: Hawaii - Hanalei Bay Resort. The views are amazing from the 2 bedroom units and the resort is (imo) just the right size. Tahoe: Like others, I really like the Hyatt in Incline Village and Northstar in Truckee. Hiking galore. Sedona - I am not fussy here. We haven't stayed any place that I didn't like, but honestly we are really just using the unit as a place to sleep because we are out and about all day because the hiking is *that* good. Boston - Custom House - to me this was the perfect spot in the perfect city with perfect activities. It was one of my all time favorites. In San Diego, the respective locations of Carlsbad Inn and Coronado Beach Resort are excellent - you are walking distance to the beach and restaurants, plus there are a lot of things to do in San Diego county.

I am interested in hearing about your favorites.

 

[billymach4]

Have you ever been to Aruba? Ok it's not Hawaii. Currently having a great time at Aruba Surf Club. There are plenty of great resorts if you can't do the Marriott's.

 

[DaveNV]

I love exchanging and I love searching for great exchanges. But I feel like I am in a rut. I always tend to focus on Hawaii, Tahoe, Sedona, Cabo. These are places that I know and love. I am looking for some new places to visit. We either like places close enough to good places to hike, or alternatively, places in a fun city. We are busy vacationers - I just don't love sitting around a pool. I try but I get too antsy. What are your favorites that don't get a lot of buzz on TUG? I need some new ideas. I am interested in any location.

My personal favorites, in case someone else is looking for some fresh ideas: Hawaii - Hanalei Bay Resort. The views are amazing from the 2 bedroom units and the resort is (imo) just the right size. Tahoe: Like others, I really like the Hyatt in Incline Village and Northstar in Truckee. Hiking galore. Sedona - I am not fussy here. We haven't stayed any place that I didn't like, but honestly we are really just using the unit as a place to sleep because we are out and about all day because the hiking is *that* good. Boston - Custom House - to me this was the perfect spot in the perfect city with perfect activities. It was one of my all time favorites. In San Diego, the respective locations of Carlsbad Inn and Coronado Beach Resort are excellent - you are walking distance to the beach and restaurants, plus there are a lot of things to do in San Diego county.

I am interested in hearing about your favorites.

Try some WorldMarks in the Pacific Northwest: Leavenworth, Washington. The Camlin in Seattle. WM Vancouver. WM Deer Harbor. WM Discovery Bay.

Exchanging: West Yellowstone, Montana. Anything around Glacier National Park. Banff, Alberta. New Orleans. Washington, DC. The Outer Banks of North Carolina. New York City.

Not sure if any of those will strike a chord, but I've been to them all, and I'd go back to each of them or those areas anytime. And each allows you to get up and go to see some amazing things.

Dave

 

[kanerf]

I rather like Williamsburg, VA. Small town, but with Colonial Williamsburg and Busch Gardens and lots of other places to visit. Many timeshares you can trade into.

 

[marmite]

On the same train of thought as @DaveNV I really like the WorldMark in Victoria, BC. Right on the water near some picture-perfect houseboats and an ideal location to walk everywhere in the city. Watch the boats go by and the seaplanes land. Great restaurants so close by too. Your dollar will go far in Canada.

We have been a few times. This was our 'worst' view on the lowest floor.

W

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Algarve Portugal. There are several timeshares there. HGVC (hard to get into but you can use honors points to stay at hotel side; Also Conrad Hotel); Four Seasons Vilamoura (RCI); Vilar to Golf. (I have not tried this one but popular.) Lots of hiking along coastline. We will be there in a few weeks so will report back.

We also enjoy Scottsdale with SDO and WKV and several others. There are some fantastic hikes with cactus covered hills during fall and spring. Scottsdale isn't as far from the airport as Sedona which can be a drive.

Scotland also has great hiking among the purple flora in the highlands. HGVC and HGV/former Diamond have properties there. Such as Craigendarroch and Kenmore.

 

[VacationForever]

We go to Scottsdale (Kierland) in the fall every other year and Palm Desert every year in the winter for a month or longer (Desert Springs). In the summer, we now go to coastal California for cooler weather and use Worldmark for our month long stays. When we didn't mind the long drives, we used to drive up to Depoe Bay, Victoria BC, etc and used Worldmark for our stays. These days we try to not fly and limit driving duration. Palm Desert is like our second/vacation home now.

 

[sun starved Gayle]

Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond, (Central) Oregon.

You are in the high desert here. Huge sprawling resort with walking paths and ponds around a golf course. Some of the units front the Deschutes River canyon.

Large comfortable well maintained and well stocked units, washer dryer, fireplaces and big decks with dining table and BBQ for each unit. I would avoid the hotel units without kitchens located in the lodge itself.

Lots to do in the area, hiking galore. On site horseback riding. Shopping and tons of restaurants in Bend or Sisters. Skiing at Mt. Bachelor in the winter. Deer and other types of wildlife everywhere. Last time we were there we saw Hoary Marmots. (My kids loved saying that when they were younger).

We love it there and I recently considered purchasing a week, but I bought my Lawai Beach Resort week instead.

 

[noreenkate]

I was surprised at how much I liked Oceanside California- my son wanted to drive the pacific coast-
it was beautiful lots to do - in a short driving distance-

 

[Limace]

Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond, (Central) Oregon.

You are in the high desert here. Huge sprawling resort with walking paths and ponds around a golf course. Some of the units front the Deschutes River canyon.

Large comfortable well maintained and well stocked units, washer dryer, fireplaces and big decks with dining table and BBQ for each unit. I would avoid the hotel units without kitchens located in the lodge itself.

Lots to do in the area, hiking galore. On site horseback riding. Shopping and tons of restaurants in Bend or Sisters. Skiing at Mt. Bachelor in the winter. Deer and other types of wildlife everywhere. Last time we were there we saw Hoary Marmots. (My kids loved saying that when they were younger).

We love it there and I recently considered purchasing a week, but I bought my Lawai Beach Resort week instead.

We actually did purchase a week there a couple years ago, we liked it so much. Go every July. Every other year my husband’s sister and BIL have the unit next to us. One of our kids golfs, as do the dads, my SIL walk every morning, we float the river in Bend and wander around, hike at Smith Rock, go to Sisters, etc. Gorgeous part of the world.


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[VacationForever]

I was surprised at how much I liked Oceanside California- my son wanted to drive the pacific coast-
it was beautiful lots to do - in a short driving distance-

We spent a month there last year. Next year we are planning to be there again for a month in the summer. This summer we are going to Marina Dunes, i.e. Monterey area.

 

[Panina]

Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock, NC, lots of hiking trail nearby, quaint town within walking distant, lots to do. Another Resort in the area (1/2 hour other direction) is Blue Ridge Village, NC. Right now under major renovation. Once completed would be good choice too.

 

[klpca]

Wow! these are such great ideas. I am going to go through the II resort directory and come up with a list of resorts to use for searches.

Clearly I need to concentrate on my Worldmark. I am still adjusting to owning it, but as @DaveNV and others have reminded me, a lot of the WM locations are perfect for what we want (and that is the reason that we bought points, after all).

Thanks to all of you!

 

[geist1223]

How about Down Under - Fiji, Sydney Australia, Melbourne Australia, Bay of Islands North Island New Zealand, Seven Mile Beach Tasmania, etc. We have been to all of these and had great times.

 

[PamMo]

@klpca, I've been thinking the exact same thing. DH was just asking me why we have a gap in our calendar, and I told him I need to find some new places to explore! Your list of favorite places is very similar THE SAME as mine! This will be a fun thread to follow.

Utah has great parks for hiking, so we love St George for easy access to Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Snow Canyon State Park. The WorldMark St George, Estancia and Coral Canyon timeshares are good places to stay in St George. We tried Moab last year and LOVED it! We hiked around Arches, Canyonlands, Dead Horse State Park, and explored up and down the Colorado River. The new Wyndham in Moab is practically at the entrance to Arches NP and is very nice. We also really enjoy Santa Fe for the history, food, art, and museums. Our last stay was at the quaint Otra Vez timeshare and its location is ideal - just a couple of blocks from the town square. There's a Wyndham there, too, but it's a little bit up the road - and a dark walk home at night! There are so many historic sites/parks for easy day trips around Santa Fe.

 

[sue1947]

Lots of good suggestions. some others:
In WM: Running Y is one of the easier resorts to reserve and is great for hiking both in the spring and fall. It's half an hour to the Pacific Crest Trail and an hour from Crater Lake. In the spring, it's a major stop on the bird flyway plus great hiking along the Umpqua River (multiple access points) where the spring runoff rushes into and out of lava tubes plus Lava Beds NM.
Discovery Bay is an excellent choice for hiking in the NE corner of the Olympia Mtns. Estes Park for Rocky Man NP and Canmore for the Canadian Rockies.
Monterey is great in the winter, or at least it was for those of us from more Northern areas. We spent quite a few Jan weeks there where it was 20+ degrees warmer and not raining sideways. Lots of good trails in the area plus another good spot for birding and other critters (there's not anything cuter than a sea otter) plus a day trip over to Pinnacles NM.
The resorts along the N OR coast and SW WA are good for Cape Disappointment and other Lewis and Clark NHP sites plus hikes south of Cannon Beach; great off season options.
Exchange wise: another overlooked option is GEVC at Lighthouse Point on the Mendocino coast; it's in RCI. They are single wide trailers that are nicely done for such a small space. The location is the key. There are lots of (mostly) short trails along the coast for exploring. Check out the Mendocino Land Trust webpage for details.
Roadtrip a string of resorts in N AZ to NW New Mexico into SW CO for more hiking and NP sites.
Tucson in the winter is another good option. WM has Rancho Vistosa which is north of town and has nice large, comfortable units. I really liked the Starr Pass golf Suites that are SW of town and essentially across the street from a trailhead. It's a good base for exploring further afield as well.
Leaf peeping in NE: we stayed at Harbor Ridge for Acadia NP and Inn Season at Pollard Brook; both were excellent locations for outdoor enthusiasts.

 

[Luvtoride]

Klpca, who do you travel with? Spouse, kids, full family, friends? It does make a difference in properties, but Does any of that matter to you?


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[GTLINZ]

San Luis Bay Inn in Avila CA.

Not fancy but well kept, great views overlooking large south facing bay with boats everywhere, Hurst castle not far and above that is the best strech of US1 I have seen going into Carmel/Monterrey (have covered San Diego thru San Fran to Bodega Bay on different trips). Big Sur and Nepenth on the route. San Luis Obispo nearby,

Bob Jones bike trail, can continue up thru Pismo area (bought a bike at Walmart then gave it away). Beach town with plenty of great eats locally.

The studios include a full kitchen and are plently big but they also have larger units.

 

[noreenkate]

San Luis Bay Inn in Avila CA.

Not fancy but well kept, great views overlooking large south facing bay with boats everywhere, Hurst castle not far and above that is the best strech of US1 I have seen going into Carmel/Monterrey (have covered San Diego thru San Fran to Bodega Bay on different trips). Big Sur and Nepenth on the route. San Luis Obispo nearby,

Bob Jones bike trail, can continue up thru Pismo area (bought a bike at Walmart then gave it away). Beach town with plenty of great eats locally.

The studios include a full kitchen and are plently big but they also have larger units.

ohhh can you tell me which exchange company-

my son may be heading there for work…

 

[rickandcindy23]

The Rushes in Door County, Wisconsin. Average units, but they have a garage, wood for the fireplace, a gorgeous lake, and so much to do nearby. There is also a guy who leads hikes on property. We want to do it again, but it's a tough get via RCI.

 

[artringwald]

You mentioned Hanalei Bay Resort, but you didn't say anything about South Kauai. Have you tried any of the dozen of the great hikes in and around Waimea Canyon? Poipu has several timeshares to choose from, and many dining and shopping options close by. It also has better weather than the north shore. We have enjoyed visiting Tahoe, Sedona, and Cabo, but Poipu is still our favorite.

 

[sue1947]

ohhh can you tell me which exchange company-

Mostly RCI, but a few in II. Mostly it is the old Diamond system.

 

[vikingsholm]

PamMo and Sue1947 mentioned a lot of good ones. Also for worldmark/wyndham, consider Red River in New Mexico, Pinetop in Arizona, the one on Lake Coeur d'Alene in Idaho, Park City UT, and Deer Harbor in the San Juan Islands of Washington state and some at Whistler BC which is a great summer destination as well as winter. There are other good ones too...

 

[rapmarks]

The Rushes in Door County, Wisconsin. Average units, but they have a garage, wood for the fireplace, a gorgeous lake, and so much to do nearby. There is also a guy who leads hikes on property. We want to do it again, but it's a tough get via RCI.

Or Little Sweden in Door County. So much to do in the area, beautiful state and county parks, ferry to a Washington Island and spend the day, boat trips, beautiful place

 

[rapmarks]

Lots to see and do from a timeshare in Colonial Williamsburg, Newport, San Diego, New Orleans, Tucson, Wisconsin Dells, Nashville, gatlinberg, st Augustine, Lincoln NH, Berkshires, Door County WI,
my husband and I loved to visit historic sites and nature area.