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Dear Laura,
 I always recommend to our guests that they make the trip from Playa Del Carmen to the Mayan ruins of Coba. Widely considered to have been the largest of all the Mayan cities with an estimated population of 50,000, Coba provides a unique ruin experience in that the excavation is not completed, and won't be for decades to come -- providing an ongoing source of exploration for archaeologists and universities around the world.
 Located in a jungle environment about an hour and a half from Playa (accessible by auto, cab, tour or bus), the daytrip can be accomplished comfortably from mid morning to dinner. Unlike Chichen Itza or Tulum, visitors can still climb the pyramids and see the remarkable view of the once great city, ponder the fate of the winning coach in the old Mayan games, imagine life as it might have been for the inhabitants of this beautiful land.
Our seven family members agreed that it was a trek definitely worth seeing at least once or twice. Our English-speaking tour guide was excellent, and brought to life the ancient ways of the Maya. From the local flora and fauna to the giant "worms" and toad we encountered, the day was full of new things!
 After a tour at one part of the ancient civilization, guests can either ride bikes or take pedicabs to the largest pyramid (Nohuch Mul -- 136 ft high!), about a mile or so away. Or, like me, they may choose to walk it. (My husband, his siblings and the drivers had great fun racing the pedicabs from location to location).
The tour entrance area of Coba has a few restaurants serving basic Mexican fare, several stores selling jewelry, Mayan incense and basic provisions. We left Playa in the mid morning, had lunch at Coba, visited the ruins, and got the adrenaline going with a zip line over a cenote just out of town. My seven-year-old daughter zipped 4 times, and even my 60-something sister-in-law got into the action! We headed back to Playa in time for clean up and a relaxing dinner at Chicago Don Jose."
Tonya Sarina, HomeAway homeowner
Dear Laura,
It is hard to believe that in this day and age, countries south of us still have unexplored areas with unknown ruins. Mexico, our closest neighbor, is so overgrown with vegetation, that they are still uncovering previously unknown ruins.
 Tulum is one of those areas. When you travel down the rural highways to Tulum, you get a feeling as to why the area took so long to reveal its secrets. The ruins are a national treasure, and seemed to be developed with descendents of the Mayans in mind as the main benefactors. They operate most of the businesses around it today.
The story about the Mayan empire is an interesting one, but the tour is not for the frail or those with respiratory problems. It's long, with much walking and little shade. While there are restrooms and a water fountain outside the entrance, food and drink are about a mile away, which requires more walking down a dusty dirt road, or riding the tractor pulled wagons.
If you have time, I would plan on first taking a dip in the aqua waters off the pristine white beach below the ruins. Cooling off in the waters will make the tour much more enjoyable on a hot humid day…
Thomas Curley, HomeAway traveler
Dear Laura,
In October 2001 and October 2003 my husband and I rented VRBO #11931, Nah Alux, a wonderful private home on Soliman Bay, Mexico, about 1.5 hours south of Cancun.
 The house is gorgeous and owned by an American family who are good at making the home feel like "home" while you are there (they have a couple down the road who manages it and is available for any questions).
The house also comes with two kayaks, something that was a non-negotiable for us! And with it's close proximity to Tulum, dinners out were always an option, but we pretty much stayed home and grilled and drank white Russians on the roof top deck over-looking the jungle! The famous Oscar y Lalo's restaurant (some know it as the place they filmed some of the Corona beer commercials) is just a stone’s throw away too. Ah...I am ready to go back again!
 Tulum, sitting there above the ocean was spectacular. Even if you stay in Cancun, I cannot imagine a visit to the Yucatan without going to Tulum! Be prepared for throngs of bikini-clad tourists that swim in the waters around the ruins. The site also sits on the cliffs, and is not in a sheltered/shaded jungle like Coba and Chichen Itza. Wear lots of sunscreen and a hat!
We hired a kind English speaking man at the entrance to be our "guide". Negotiate the price before you agree to the hire. There were several larger groups of organized tours that probably get the same useful information about the site that we did, but it was more intimate to deal one on one with the guide and it allowed us to ask a lot more questions.
 Overall the site was very well preserved, and easy to get around. If you have time, go further down the road where the road hugs the ocean, and check out the beaches there. It is a very wide and blindingly white stretch of beach. I don't think you can actually walk to Tulum from the beach there because of the cliffs, but it is just south of the cliff's where the ruins are.
Coba is off the beaten path. It is said that it was once a large city with its large concentration of "sacbeob's", or Mayan roads. It is still being discovered too, so seeing the archeologists working out there at some of the ruins was a big treat. It is very sheltered by the jungle, and to get around requires a good amount of walking.
 We arrived very early at opening before the tours arrived, and it was worth it to have the peace of walking in the jungle with nothing around you! Some people rented bicycles to get from one end to another, and I wish we had. The humidity was intense and the newly discovered ruins were pretty far spaced apart at times. Wear lots of bug-repellent. Those little creatures were relentless at this site!
We hired a guide for one-hour at this spot too. He walked around the main entrance area with us, and explained the history of the site and about the "sacbeob's". It was really informative, and well worth the few dollars.
Chichen Itza we visited on our first trip to the Yucatan. We did the Chichen Itza night "light-show" on our first night there. It was wonderful-to sit out there under the stars surrounded by so much history!!! The light show was fun (a laser show is cast on one of the large pyramids and dances around to the beat of music) and a nice way to spend the evening. We even got to see fire-flies - a huge treat for people from the west coast!!!
 The ruins are impressive, and the grounds are very well kept. At times, the crowds were a bit much during the day, and the heat just about did us in a couple of times. I fully recommend making this trip, even though it is quite far from Cancun and from Tulum. It is such a magical place.
We took the toll road/highway back to Cancun when we left Chichen Itza. We are not sure if it was miscommunication or not, but it was our understanding that the toll was a set price. It's been a few years, and I cannot recall how much the discrepancy was exactly, but we paid well over what we thought the toll was supposed to be.
It was also a surprisingly empty stretch of highway. We were the only car on it for most of the three hour drive to Cancun. Very good road, though we would not recommend driving alone or at night. There are very few exits off the road, so fill up in town before you get on.
VRBO offered many options for housing in Soliman Bay and Tankah Bay (the next bay to the south). We were very pleased with the house we stayed in. If you go, we recommend finding a house with kayaks (either two of them or a two-person kayak...you'll be out there all the time!), find a place with air conditioning if you can, and take snorkel gear.
The best advice we ever got before we went, that we did not follow until the second time we went, was this: When you're packing, unpack half of what is in your bag and you'll still have more than you need!
Happy traveling,
Sasha & Paul Seely, VRBO Travelers
Penngrove, CA
Dear Laura,
Thank you for your email, and congratulations on the magazine! I read it and enjoyed it!
I am sending you one of our guest’s comments about the Mayan ruins. I hope you enjoy!
"Dear Santiago, Thank you very much for all your attentions. We had a delightful time at your place. Having the use of the car made us really explore all the surroundings such as Chichenen Itza, Tulum, and Coba. We are amazed by how a society that existed more than 5 centuries ago was able to manage outside its city walls and distribute its culture across such a wide terrain. It made this trip not only wonderful (enjoying the beautiful beach and running away from the cold), but educational too!!!”
Santiago Munoz, HomeAway homeowner
Dear Editor,
Our vacation house in the southern Yucatan was nearly complete. We asked our builder where to look for pottery and wall hangings for the house. "Tikul'" replied Guillermo. They have the best selection of 'adornos' on the Yucatan."
 We had read and heard about the ruins of Tikul, but like Tulum, never associated the ruins with an existing town. Off to Tikul we went.
Four hours later we arrived, parked our car, and circled the central market, finding more shoe stores per block than Starbucks in Seattle. We hailed a local taxi- an elderly man on a bicycle with a 2-seater bench attached to the handlebar.
"Una tienda de adornos" (a shop of adornments), I instructed.
"Clothes? Jewelry? SHOES?"
"No", I replied in the limited Spanish I knew, "for the house, the walls.”
He pedaled for perhaps a kilometer, then deposited us in front of a nondescript building, where we paid our 10 pesos (10 pesos = approximately $1 U.S.) for the ride and entered.
Inside the 20'X30' building we were dazzled by wall-to-wall ceramics: richly painted pottery, Maya wall hangings, and precious green frogs laying in repose. Behind the building outside were the potter's tables, and kilns that made it all come to life.
I asked about the prices for several items in the room. When I translated for my wife, she said "We can't afford this."
 "Yes we can,” I told her. “The prices are in Pesos."
We retrieved our car and loaded up with as much as our sub compact rental would hold. When we returned, our caretaker pointed out that the frog was female.
"You can tell by the flower in her ear."
Next trip we are renting a larger rental car.
Pat Hadfield, HomeAway homeowner
Dear Laura,
I am hoping that it is not too late to submit material regarding your “Ideal Girls’ Getaway” article, because I have some fun input.
 It has been over 28 years since our last girls’ trip together, and we decided it was time for a sister get-away. Vegas has something for everyone, and renting a house is the best of both worlds. While our ‘home away from home’ was just minutes from the Strip, it also insulated us from the hassles of hotels.
Instead of running to the lobby for a morning cup of coffee, we “java-ed” in the sun next to the pool. All of us were able to sleep well until we were rested—no rude awakening by loud noises in a hotel hallway.
We made memories with a full day of shopping, gaming and fine dining. We even had a moment in the spotlight as we performed “We are Family” at a karaoke stage.
 As the wee hours arrived, we retreated to our quiet, guard-gated neighborhood for a wind-down and nightcap in our private game room.
Ah—the best of two opposite, yet complimentary worlds, and a weekend we’ll never forget.
Thank you and best of luck with your publishing!
Lisa Olsen, HomeAway homeowner
Hi Laura,
I have a fun girls’ trip story I wanted to relay. I received this note from guests who recently stayed at my home:
 “Girls’ weekend was fabulous! The seven of us all went to the same grade school, and have stayed friends all of these years.
About five years ago, we started meeting up in different places each year. We have been to many hotels, but it is so much nicer when you can rent a fabulous home such as yours.
We went to the Stones concert, took a helicopter ride to the Canyon, and spent a day at the Ritz Carlton Spa at Lake Las Vegas, and took many happy strolls along the Strip!! And we even GAMBLED (at too many places)!!!!
 Your home is great because it is so close to everything, and is just a fun party house!! We loved hanging out, having cocktails in the beautiful kitchen, and - after - our fun-filled days - we loved collapsing on the lounge chairs in the great room in front of the Big Screen TV.
The only thing better than hanging out together at your luxurious home was Mick Jagger, dancing and singing to us. Have a great holiday.
The New York and Philly Girls.
Jan Patterson, HomeAway homeowner
Dear Laura,
I had a fantastic reunion in Las Vegas with three of my cousins from different parts of the U.S. We are all about the same age, and get together in a different locale every few years to keep the family spirit together. It helps to compensate for how spread out all of our families have become.
 I live in New York state, Donna lives in CA, Joanne lives in western NY and Maryann lives near Washington DC. We gathered in Las Vegas in the month of May. All plans were made using computers and by phone. Timing worked out well for mutual arrivals and departures.
Vegas was great!! There are so many different, exciting possibilities of things to do so that everyone found something of their own that we could share. We saw the Cirque du Soleil, an exhibit of Dutch paintings, dined in some of the many fine restaurants available, experienced a Brazilian carnivale, sampled the casinos, took a magic carpet ride, and, as a lark - we caught the Chippendale dancers, and it probably goes without saying - we shopped!!!
This is just a sample of our very full 4 days there. Getting around was easy - we took shuttles and taxis, and didn't need the added expense of a car rental. However, if we had more time and planned to visit attractions outside of the city, away from The Strip, we would've done that.
This was our 5th reunion, and we could conceivably return there one day, however, we're finding it interesting to explore other possibilities.
Thanks,
Betty MacDonald, HomeAway traveler
Dear Laura,
 I had a story about the most romantic couple: The young woman worked in Manhattan, and she called about our home in Stowe.
She wanted to surprise her Swiss boyfriend, (who was not returning to Switzerland for Christmas). She wanted to have a Christmas tree in the house upon arrival. So I went out and got all the tree trimmings.
They were to arrive Christmas Eve. We talked frequently as the arrival date neared. She had baked his favorite holiday cookies at home, but could I look for certain spices and ingredients for the meal she was planning?
 We set a special table for two by the fireplace, and placed the tree in the living room rather than in the dining room.
We had arranged an evening snowshoe, sleigh rides and she even asked about renting the skating rink for a private skate!
She called one hour before arriving, and my husband and I went over to light a fire, turn on the tree lights and have holiday music playing for their arrival.
We only saw them once after their arrival. I thought it was the most thoughtful gesture of giving this time of year.
I hope this inspires people to see the magical beauty of our lovely New England village.
Karen Fahey, HomeAway homeowner
Dear Laura,
 The jingle of sleigh bells, the nip in the air, the sounds of laughter - romantic restaurants, walks in the woods, time spent chatting in the hot tub – all these make up my favorite memories of my home away from the city.
 Winter in Stowe offers the traditional snow filled delights - a world-class ski hill, cross-country skiing that is virtually endless, ranging from tracked piste to untracked forays into pine tree forests that go on forever, and of course shopping, restaurants, snow-shoeing, and even walking alternatives. My favorite memories, however, surround the annual Stowe Winter Carnival - with ice sculptures, costumed characters - and the crowning of the carnival king. And my children and I competed in what seems like an unending stream of Stowe Derbies. What fun. And then there's the ultimate day ender - a cup of hot chocolate and a relaxing hot tub in the Resort's Recreation Center to mark the end of a hard day on the slopes.
 Finding your private swimming hole is a summer activity that occupies hours and hours of time – and is guaranteed to end in success. There are so many to choose from, the problem really is deciding which is your personal favorite.
Then there's the top of the mountain to explore. You can get there via the romantic cable car - or drive up. Once on top, you are actually in an alpine ecosystem - with its own plants, birds and insects.
Plus every weekend in summer is marked by a special event - the dog show, the horse show, the car shows - the British Invasion. You name it – it happens in Stowe.
 But Summer Weddings are the most unforgettable event. Horse drawn sleighs pick up you and your guests for a wedding to remember at one of our idyllic churches - or on a horse farm. So many choices - so many beautiful places.
Stowe Vermont has something for everyone - what ever your desire - from family getaways, to romantic weekend for two. Memories are made in places like Stowe - memories that last a lifetime.
Leslie Eiser, HomeAway Homeowner
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