Canada's diversity provides families with a multitude of experiences to be explored on family vacations. You can choose from a bustling modern metropolis, such as Toronto, or a mix of classic European architecture with underground malls in Montreal for an urban adventure.

The west coast of Canada has the moderate temperatures and Pacific Ocean as its attractions in cities such as Vancouver. Other areas of Canada offer excellent family facilities for skiing and other winter sports.

The primary choice, after choosing your destination, will be deciding whether to stay in a traditional hotel or resort or vacation in a home share type of rental. Each choice has its benefits, and your ultimate decision will be based upon your finances and the requirements of your family.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Hotel and Resort Rentals

Hotels and resorts, like those offered by Island Club Turks, offer the familiar vacation experience. They are usually centrally located in at many popular destinations, with most basic needs for a family available at the rental location. Hotels and resorts also offer amenities such as pools, gyms, and structured activities, as well as shuttles to popular destinations or local airports.

You may already have a hotel chain with which you are familiar from previous vacations. While different locations of a hotel chain may vary slightly in amenities, they are generally consistent with the basics offered.

This familiarity can be a double-edged sword, convenient but teetering on boredom, unless you are traveling with infants or toddlers and require more consistency in your lodging.

Hotels and resorts are generally more expensive, some substantially so, than home share type rentals. You may also be paying for many amenities that you'll never use, such as gyms and spa services.  Hotels and resorts may also exclude multiple fees in their booking prices, which may cause sticker shock at checkout.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Home Share Family Vacation Rentals

Home share rentals can vary in accommodations, amenities, and prices. The term "home share" may be slightly misleading in some cases, because they may simply be rentals of privately owned condos in resort hotels or investment properties that are being rented by private owners. Other home share rentals may involve living with the host in their residence.

Both of these are equally beneficial to the renter, because the private condo owner can charge a lower price than the hotel with better facilities, while sharing a home with the owner can provide substantially lower costs for the rental that can be used for other activities.

Home share vacation properties can range from opulent homes with indoor pools to rustic cabins in the woods. The variety in accommodations and lower prices are the primary benefits provided by home share rentals.

Of course, this inconsistency is also a double-edged sword. because the rental could be less pleasant than advertised. Do your homework if you're considering a home share rental for your family vacation. For instance, there's usually a reason if a rental is substantially cheaper than a comparable rental in the same area.

Look for renters that qualify as "Superhosts" or 'Premier Partners" on popular home share sites such as Airbnb.com or Homeaway.com. They have proven histories of scrupulous dealings with their customers. You can also choose "recommended for families" from their result filtering options.

Hotels, resorts, or home shares, Canada has lots to offer for families on vacation. The choices is yours.