I recently returned from a successful vacation in Stone Harbor, N.J. My parents drove across country from Arizona, and my sister and her family traveled from Maryland to meet us for a week of relaxed, beachside fun. Though I rented from realtors in the past, I decided this time to work through Vacation Rentals by Owner because of a positive experience I had renting an apartment in Newport, R.I., for a weekend a few years back. There are endless realtors to choose from in tourist towns like Stone Harbor, but each of their search tools are different and few are very easy to use. Along with an easy-to-search site, VRBO sets itself apart with user reviews which many traditional sites don’t offer. From these user accounts of their experiences, you can also learn about local attractions and restaurants situated close to your home. The site also gives the property owners the chance to describe their home in their own words. It was this description that sold us on a house that was both older and had less bathrooms than I thought we would like. The rental turned out to be just perfect for us! — Danielle Hudena Pitonyak, executive vice president