In the United States there are ten public holidays that are observed by the Federal government however each state can designate other holidays as well. In 1971 the U.S. Congress determined that the observation of many of the public holidays would be observed on Mondays so that they don’t change each year. Some, however, like Independence Day or Christmas are observed on the actual date.

The ten public holidays that are observed nationally include the following:

§  New Year’s Day – January 1

§  Martin Luther King’s Birthday – Observed the third Monday in January

§  President’s Day – Observed the third Monday in February

§  Memorial Day – Observed the last Monday in May

§  Independence Day – July 4

§  Labor Day – Observed the first Monday in September

§  Columbus Day – Observed the second Monday in October

§  Veteran’s Day – November 11

§  Thanksgiving Day – Observed the fourth Thursday in November

§  Christmas Day – December 25

Often if a holiday such as New Year’s Day of Independence Day falls on a Tuesday for example, many private companies will also be closed the day before giving workers an opportunity for a four day weekend. Thanksgiving holiday usually includes the day after Thanksgiving for a company or a worker will ask for that additional day off, thereby giving them a longer holiday. This does not mean that the government offices such as the Post Office or other businesses are closed on those days, but private companies usually take advantage of the chance to give a longer holiday.

If a holiday falls on the weekend Saturday or Sunday it will often be observed the day before on Friday or the day after on Monday, thereby providing a three day weekend for workers. Some states offer the day after Thanksgiving as a state holiday as well.

When traveling in the U.S. during any holiday period, it is often more difficult to get accommodations or hotel or flight reservations due to the amount of travel that is done by Americans during these holiday periods. You should therefore ensure that you book your trip well in advance to avoid any problems during these times. Prices can tend to be more expensive during these holiday periods as well so you should take that into consideration when making your plans.

Many states observe other holidays that are not necessarily observed by the Federal government. Therefore, you can encounter holidays in some states that are not considered holidays in others. The state of Virginia celebrates Lee-Jackson Day as a holiday which honors the Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson - who lost the war by the way! Other states like New Jersey observe Good Friday and Election Day as holidays so it will vary by state. Wherever you travel in the U.S. you will find different holidays observed with some that are pertinent to the state’s history. This is true in Florida where some areas also observe Pascua Florida Day on April 2 which is the celebration of the discovery of Florida by Juan Ponce de Leon in 1513.

A vacation rental home in Florida is a popular choice for thousands of Canadian Snowbirds. 

Send a General Enquiry to lots of villa owners to find a great long term rental rate, quickly and easily.

In addition residents of northern European countries also flock to the warmer areas of the States. There are many direct flights from areas such as Germany with Air Berlin flying direct to Tampa International on the Gulf Coast.

From January through to April many choose to take advantage of the sunnier warmer climate found in Florida. The Gulf Coast is a popular choice followed by the Orlando area. This influx of people for longer periods establishes second communities of seasonal residents.   

Typically retirees, snowbirds are people who can afford to be away from their normal home for longer periods. Due to the length of stay the following points would be considered important by snowbirds staying at your home for periods of a month upwards.

•             Community meeting points close by, perhaps via a church or activity e.g. Golf

•             Close proximity to supermarkets as many cook at home rather than dining out every day.

•             Good reliable Management Company who attend to things promptly at the home if required.

•             Some “extras” within the home to make a stay more comfortable, such as books, games, comfortable loungers. Essentially a villa that you can feel at home in.

•             Pool heating will normally be required.

•             Pet friendly rental homes are attractive to snowbirds with pets.  

So as a villa owner what would be the benefits of letting your home for a longer term to a snowbird?

·         A full calendar, with no occupancy gaps between bookings normally associated with traditional 1, 2 or 3 week bookings. Remember if the villa is empty it’s costing you money.

·         Reduced cleaning fees.

·         Reduced management booking fees associated with each new booking.

·         Reduced time in advertising and communicating with prospective renters.

 Do bear in mind however that Snowbirds understandably are looking not only to get away from the cold climate, but looking for good quality accommodation  that offers value for money, so you cannot expect to charge the same nightly rate as you would with for example a one week booking.

Additionally wear and tear on your home is another factor to balance in the equation. Most Snowbirds with be using your villa and all its facilities on a daily basis, such as cooking , rather than a group who come for a short time, but are actually out away from your villa most of the time visiting attractions.

So yes offer a competitive rate but do ensure that the income covers the extra usage of electricity, telephone, pool, wear and tear etc.

Do remember however that Snowbirds tend to want to return to Florida over and over again. They get to know other residents in the “community” and many wish to return to the same place over and over again every year. Therefore there may be a good opportunity to attract repeat regular visitors.

While you are in the United States, you will need some U.S. currency that comes in a range of denominations as follows:

Penny $0.01
Nickel $0.05
Dime $0.10
Quarter $0.25
Half Dollar $0.50
Dollar $1.00
Five Dollars $5.00
Ten Dollars $10.00
Twenty Dollars $20.00
Fifty Dollars $50.00
One Hundred Dollars $100.00

You can exchange foreign currencies at the airport or at a large bank or tourist center, but the exchange rate will often be higher at the airport. The best place to get currency is from an ATM or Automated Teller Machine that can be found just about anywhere although some will charge fees of $1 to $2 per transaction and most will give you twenty dollar bills only. Coins will be used for pay phones, parking meters, buses and subways with quarters being used most often.

Using a credit card to pay for purchases is a standard form of payment and they are accepted in most businesses, restaurants or tourist attractions. Hotels usually require a credit card when making a reservation and credit cards can be used for just about any major purchase especially higher priced items. Save your cash for emergencies and for paying for smaller items like purchases at a convenience store. Besides U. S. currency, many people use traveler’s checks that can also be saved for emergencies or to use as needed.

Any purchases made in the United States will not include sales tax on the price tag as the country does not have a national sales tax like the value-added tax (VAT) or goods and services tax (GST) as other countries often do. For example, if you purchased an item of clothing it will have a price tag of $29.99, but that will not be the final total because sales tax will be added by the clerk that rings up the purchase. In the U.S. each state determines the amount of sales tax with some counties within the states having additional taxes so it can vary from state to state and even city to city within a state.

The sales tax you pay will depend, therefore, on where you are and also what you are buying as it will vary depending on the merchandise. Sales tax on food items in a restaurant or grocery store is often lower than that for clothing or other purchases and yet tax on gas for a car is often higher. It can be confusing but the tax will be clearly marked on your receipt so you will see how much you are paying for it.

Some states like Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon don’t have any sales tax while two other states, Louisiana and Texas, have a limited sales tax refund program and you can find more information about those states at www.louisianataxfree.com or www.taxfreetexas.com. Because sales tax is not collected on a national level, you cannot obtain a refund upon departure. You can often save money though on the sales tax if the merchandise is shipped outside the state, but if you have to pay the postage, it might not save you enough money to be worthwhile.