If you’re anything like us, you love going through your old travel photos. And now you have a great excuse to go back through them (yet again), thanks to a fun photo contest hosted by vacation rental platform Vrbo.
The company is offering the chance to win one of 25 vacation home getaways worth up to $5,000 each, to celebrate being in business for 25 years.
To enter, participants just need to post a throwback vacation photo on Instagram or Facebook between now and October 18, 2020, and tag it with #VrboTurns25. Only one submission per person is allowed, even if you have multiple social media accounts—violations will be disqualified. The post must be public. The contest is open to legal residents of the United States and Canada who are 18 or older.
The photo has to be an original shot by you or by a family member who has given you permission to enter the photograph in the contest. It should not depict any identifiable person who has not provided their consent. The photo should be family-friendly—keep it clean, folks.
Vrbo will choose 25 winners who will be able to pick one of 25 vacation pads. The photos will be judged on the following criteria: their ability to express the importance of family and family connections; a depiction of a vacation rental in a way that demonstrates family connections; the memorable nature of the photograph; and the quality of the photograph.
The winners will be notified via the social media accounts used to post the entries. They will each get to pick a vacation from a curated list of properties for a stay of up to $5,000—the length of stay will vary based on the nightly rate.
These are some of the properties up for grabs:
A private island on a fishing lake
If seclusion is what you want, seclusion is what you will get.
Courtesy of Vrbo
If a true escape is what you need, this eight-bedroom isolated log cabin on Pelican Lake in Orr, Minnesota, offers 45 acres of private island solitude. Just under four hours from Minneapolis, the 108-year-old property is outfitted with kayaks and boats for heading out on the lake. Relax on one of the four swinging beds in the screened-in porch after kayaking, fishing, hiking, and exploring around the lake.
Stunning architecture on a ranch near Austin
Is it wrong to rent a home just based on how cool it looks?
Courtesy of Vrbo
Design lovers will enjoy the dramatic limestone and steel architecture of this modern ranch located on 17 acres just outside of Austin. The three-bedroom home sleeps up to 10 people. There’s an outdoor pool and ample hiking as well as a large kitchen in the loft-like living area perfect for cooking and relaxing.
A rebuilt 727 airplane in the Costa Rican jungle
Just your own private plane-house in the Costa Rican rain forest, nbd.
Courtesy of Vrbo
It doesn’t get more distinctive and thrilling than this two-bedroom tree house fashioned from a repurposed Boeing 727 aircraft perched above the Costa Rican rain forest with views of the Pacific Ocean and Manuel Antonio National Park. In addition to a fully equipped kitchen and three queen beds inside, there are two large decks above the wings for viewing the area’s plentiful wildlife. Renters also have access to the three pools at the adjacent Costa Verde Hotel.
A private water park resort complex in Texas
If you need us, we’ll be zipping down the waterslide for the 100th time.
Courtesy of Vrbo
The massive Red Sands Ranch features a 140-foot-long waterslide that heads into a 53-foot pool, as well as a tennis court, gym, and full basketball court. The sprawling cattle ranch is situated on the Llano River near Fredericksburg and features old oak trees, river rapids, fishing, and hiking and horse trails. There are multiple houses and cabins to choose from, as well as a common grilling area with a picnic table, smoker, and firepit.
And some of our other favorites:
- A midcentury-modern celebrity estate in Palm Springs, Calfornia
- A four-bedroom lodge-style home in Ashland, Oregon
- A five-bedroom tropical retreat on Oahu’s North Shore
- A luxurious five-bedroom lakefront lodge in Branson, Missouri
- A ski-in/ski-out chalet with hot tub in Whitefish, Montana
- A six-bedroom modern mountaintop castle in Vermont
- A four-bedroom surfer chic beach bungalow on Martha’s Vineyard
The full list can be found here.
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