Travel and Leisure

Select either our one or three-bedroom vacation apartments or a two-story, stand-alone five-bedroom vacation home (pictured) – perfect for your next family holiday, fishing trip, or Alaskan sightseeing with our vacation home rentals & lodging in Ketchikan, AK. Feel “almost home” with these fully-equipped accommodations & vacation rentals, including full kitchens, the latest amenities – including WiFi, HDTVs & premium channel packages – and spacious, comfy accommodations. Your Alaskan Adventure Starts Here Arrive and let the fresh, mountain air, sea breezes, and breathtaking scenery transport you to a simpler time – our cozy, inviting accommodations make for the perfect home base for exploring our pristine area: Venture onto the water for a day of fishing and grill your fresh catch on a gas barbecue – available at our fishing lodge & outdoor activities Explore the local area: discover abundant wildlife, lush forests, and unforgettable scenery – only steps from your accommodations Use Ketchikan as your hub to explore the outlying areas and communities, including Misty Fjords National Monument, Prince of Wales Island, Wrangell, and Petersburg, Alaska. We can’t wait to host you in one of our spacious and comfortable accommodations, at Almost Home Vacation Rentals - 907-247-5337 (See our ad in this Travel Guide, in Ketchikan, AK).  

John Quintrell, writes a devastatingly personal memoir. His recalling the chilling nature of guerrilla and helicopter warfare and its effect on the men who fight in it chronicles their cold fear. Ground with precision, John evokes the foot soldier’s daily life. Its raw language brings a shocking and gritty portrait of horror and pain with its immediate emotional impact of shame and guilt- recalled even 50 years after his one heart rendering year in Vietnam.  With intense sketches of fellow soldiers, bloodied bodies and lands scarred by bullets and napalm the author never lets up with the gore and agony and loss of yet another brother in arms.  When you read his account of his year in Vietnam, you will be amazed by the true unvarnished not politically correct stories. Experience the unique bonds of brotherhood between men that came into the platoon as strangers but soon became brothers watching out for each other’s back. You will feel the anguish of a soldier whose friend dies in his arms. You will be with the platoon when they face 300 NVA regulars in an impossible fight for their lives. You will feel the startling fear that grips a man when he sees his buddy blown up by a land mine. You will ride home with Big John on the freedom bird that is taking him home after a year in hell. Observe a broken soldier trying to adjust to living back in the world dealing with alcoholism and PTSD. Quintrell, a former staff sergeant in the United States Army who served in the combat zone of Vietnam, is the founder and chairman of Wolfhounds Veteran Association Inc. The book is available on Amazon.com and is available in Kindle book and audio book.  

Get away to the Sun and Sand of Florida’s Gulf Coast Cortez Coastal Cottage, a charming 2 bedroom / 2 bathroom cottage, is located 400 feet from the Sarasota Bay waterfront and a short walk to the beaches of Anna Maria Island. The spacious and charming ‘Old Florida’ cottage is fully furnished and has been lovingly restored. Located within Cortez Park, an active yet peaceful 55+ bayfront community, guests have access to a private fishing pier and waterfront seating for spectacular sunsets and wildlife watching. The cottage is professionally managed and cleaned.  Fly direct from Chicago to Sarasota/Bradenton. Cottage amenities include: large livingroom which opens onto the lanai; 2 spacious bedroom suites with well-appointed bathrooms; wood flooring; private garden deck with seating, dining and grilling areas, and an outdoor shower; well-equipped eat-in kitchen; laundry/mudroom; all linens for beds, baths, and kitchen, as well as beach towels (and chairs); WiFi, phone line, and DirecTV; carport; Heat/AC, and more.                                                                                                          Many local attractions are within walking distance of Cortez Coastal Cottage including more than seven miles of white sandy beaches with crystal clear blue waters for boating, fishing, kayaking, swimming, sailing, shelling, and other water sports.  Also within walking distance are museums and galleries, bicycle rentals (including e-bikes), as well as parks and nature preserves. Local wildlife includes manatees, dolphins, rays, shore birds, raptors, and sea turtles. Anna Maria Island offers a free trolley for visits to Bean Point, the City Pier, shopping, farmers market, beach market, community theatre, and more.