There are certain things you don’t think about when booking a vacation house until you’ve stayed somewhere and realized what you would do differently next time.

For us, one of those things was having a pool.

We’ve taken two beach vacations where the houses offered very different experiences. In Myrtle Beach, we rented a house right on the beach, but it didn’t have a pool. Later, when we went to South Padre Island, we stayed in a house with a private pool, but we weren’t directly on the beach.

That wasn’t a coincidence. What we missed in Myrtle Beach actually influenced what we looked for in South Padre Island.

And both vacations taught us something about choosing the right place to stay.

Our Beachfront House in Myrtle Beach

When we planned our family vacation to Myrtle Beach, staying right on the beach sounded wonderful.

And it was.

There’s something special about being able to step outside and have the beach right there. You don’t have to load everyone into a vehicle, find parking, or make an entire outing out of spending time near the water.

The beach is simply part of where you’re staying.

For a family vacation, I love that kind of convenience. Not everyone has to be ready to do the same thing at the same time. Someone can enjoy the beach while someone else stays back at the house.

We chose a place where we could spend time together without feeling like we needed to leave every day to find something to do.

But there was one thing we found ourselves missing.

A pool.

When we booked the house, being beachfront seemed more important. After all, we were going on a beach vacation. Why would we need a pool when the ocean was right outside?

But once we were there, we realized that having a pool would have been nice, too.

The beach and a swimming pool offer two different experiences. Sometimes you want the sand and the ocean, and other times you just want to relax by a pool without going anywhere.

We still loved having the beach right outside, but we came home knowing that a pool was something we’d appreciate on our next beach vacation.

South Padre Island: Trading Beachfront for a Pool

When we started looking for a vacation house in South Padre Island, we remembered what we’d missed in Myrtle Beach.

This time, we specifically looked for a house with a private pool.

But that meant making a different choice.

Instead of staying directly on the beach, we chose a house with a pool.

And that was a trade-off we were willing to make.

I liked having another way to enjoy our time without needing to plan an outing. We could relax at the house, spend time together, and enjoy the pool without feeling like we had to go somewhere.

That’s one of the reasons I enjoy renting houses for longer family vacations. The house isn’t just somewhere to sleep. It’s part of the experience.

Myrtle Beach had shown us how wonderful it was to stay right on the ocean.

South Padre Island showed us how much we appreciated having a pool at the house.

Neither experience made the other one less enjoyable. They simply gave us a better idea of what we wanted when planning future vacations.

When the Perfect Beach House Isn’t an Option

Of course, if I could have everything I wanted, I’d choose a beachfront house with a private pool every time.

Why choose between the ocean and a pool when you could have both?

But sometimes that perfect house isn’t available for the dates you’re traveling. Other times, you find exactly what you’re looking for, but it’s more than you want to spend.

And sometimes you run into both problems.

That’s when you have to decide what matters most for that particular vacation.

In Myrtle Beach, we chose being directly on the beach. In South Padre Island, we made the pool a priority.

Neither house had everything we wanted, but both gave us something we enjoyed.

I think that’s an important part of choosing a vacation rental. You can have a list of everything you’d love to have, but sometimes you have to decide which things you’re willing to compromise on.

If we’re planning to spend most of our days on the beach, being beachfront might matter more.

If we’re looking forward to relaxing at the house and spending time together, having a private pool might be the better choice.

And if we happen to find a beachfront house with a private pool that’s available for our dates and fits our budget?

Well, that would be the best of both worlds.

What I’d Think About Before Booking Another Beach House

If we were planning another family beach vacation, I wouldn’t automatically rule out a house without a pool.

And I wouldn’t insist that we had to stay directly on the beach.

Instead, I’d think about what we wanted the vacation to feel like.

If the beach itself was going to be the main attraction, I would put more importance on being close to it.

If we were planning to spend a lot of time relaxing at the house, I’d pay closer attention to whether there was a pool and enough comfortable space for everyone.

I’d also think about who’s coming along.

Different people enjoy different things, and what sounds like the perfect beach vacation to one person might not be quite what someone else has in mind.

That’s part of planning a family trip. You’re trying to find a place where everyone can enjoy themselves without expecting everyone to spend every minute doing the same thing.

And sometimes that means looking beyond the prettiest pictures and thinking about how you’ll actually use the space.

Two Vacations, Two Different Kinds of Comfort

When I think back on Myrtle Beach and South Padre Island, I don’t look at either trip as a mistake or wish we’d done everything differently.

Myrtle Beach gave us the experience of staying right on the beach.

South Padre Island gave us the experience of having our own pool.

And both reminded me that the place you stay is part of the vacation, especially when you’re traveling with family and planning to spend time together.

Ideally, the next beach house would give us both. But if it doesn’t, that’s okay too.

The important thing is deciding what matters most for that vacation, finding something that works for our dates and budget, and enjoying what we’ve chosen.

Because the best vacation house isn’t necessarily the one with every amenity.

It’s the one that lets you enjoy the vacation you came to have.

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📖 KEEP READING

A Family Beach Trip to Myrtle Beach: Simple Moments, Big Memories
A look back at the family moments that made our Myrtle Beach vacation memorable, beyond where we stayed.

Hotel or Vacation Rental? How We Decide Where to Stay
Why we usually choose hotels for shorter trips and vacation houses when we’re staying somewhere longer.

We Don’t Always Want the Same Vacation—and That’s Okay
Not everyone has the same idea of a perfect vacation. Here’s why those differences don’t have to get in the way of enjoying a trip together.

A Girls Trip to Marco Island
Another beach destination, another kind of vacation, and time spent enjoying the people and places around us.

The Luxury of Having Nowhere to Be
Why some of the most enjoyable vacation moments happen when there’s nothing on the schedule.

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☕ COMFORT CORNER

Whether we’re spending the day at the beach or relaxing around a pool, there are a few familiar things I like having nearby. They aren’t what makes the vacation memorable, but they can make those slower, more relaxing days a little more comfortable.

My Owala Water Bottle
Whether we’re spending time outside or relaxing at the house, I like having cold water close by without constantly needing to find another drink.

My Fire Tablet
One of my favorite things about staying in a vacation house is being able to find a quiet spot and read for a while when everyone is doing their own thing.

My Merrell Shoes
Even on a relaxing vacation, we usually end up doing some exploring. Having shoes I know are comfortable makes those outings much more enjoyable.

Find all of my travel favorites in one place.

You can browse my Travel Comfort & Style Amazon Storefront to see more of the things I actually use when I travel.

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Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links. That means if you choose to make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use and genuinely believe make travel more comfortable. If it hasn’t earned a place in my travels, you won’t find it here.

Travel isn’t about having the perfect gear. It’s about finding the little things that help you enjoy the journey a little more. These are mine.