So the car is packed and you’re on the road to Maine, but did you plan your lodging? Darn, you knew you forgot something! Don’t worry, there are plenty of lodging options on Maine’s south coast. There are seaside campgrounds, motels and resort hotels. What you choose depends on how much you want to rough it, whether pets are allowed and your budget.

There is an option if you want to have it all and keep your costs manageable, however, and that is to rent a vacation home. It is very common for vacation homes on the Maine coast to have parking, a yard, and many rooms for you to spread out and feel at home. In fact, the home will be yours for the week or two that you rent it. You can unload the bikes and put them in the garage or backyard, take the kayak off the roof so you don’t have to drive around town with it on your car. And if the owner of the home allows pets, you’re dog will be as happy as you are with all the room to stretch out.

Renting a house for your Maine vacation will require some planning, though. Yes, there are sometimes last-minute rentals available on the many vacation rentals Web sites, but by waiting until the last minute you may not find exactly what you are looking for. Plan ahead a few weeks or a few months and you may snag that old Victorian on a bluff over the sea that has a sublime ocean view from the porch and every window of the house.