Prepare For Fun!

Picking your best dates and houseboat model is just the beginning of a great houseboat vacation. A big part of the fun is also getting ready and planning your time together. Who to take along, how to get there, when to arrive, and what to eat are all big questions.

We've been preparing too, and the fleet is ready to go for a great season with you and your crew. The boats have all been cleaned, inspected, and thoroughly tested. Every feature on every boat, including the DVD player, has been double checked. We've slid down the water slides, put ice in the blenders, and even lounged on the deck chairs with the sound system on. (Tough job, but someone had to do it...)

So get prepared for fun on the water this summer and read on. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Happy Houseboating

Fuel Up For Free

Take advantage of some extra value with a 2010 Vacation Value Package and top off your houseboat vacation with a
Free Final Fuel Fill Up.

These fun packages, featuring the 59' Deluxe Houseboat, are available at Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, and California locations.

Not only do they include a final fuel fill up when you end your trip, but they also come packed with four cases of Coke products, four cases of bottled water, five bags of ice, and a $75 Marina store coupon. Use the coupon for water toys, souvenirs, or last minute items. The choice is yours.

These packages are available on departures from August 17 - October 15, so lock in the best dates for you and your crew now and "fill er up" with some great value.

Get all the details

Map Out Your Menu

One of the fun challenges when preparing for a houseboating trip is what to take? What to eat? And... how much cooking do you really want to do?

Doing a little planning before you head to the store, however, can help make your trip a delicious success for everyone on-board.

Map Out Your Menu
Take a few minutes and think about each day you and your crew will be out on the water. Make a blank menu of the meals and snacks you think might be needed. Don't forget things like movie nights and beach parties. How active will your group be? Is anyone planning on hiking or taking a fishing expedition away from the main group?

Share your menu map around.
Before filling your menu in, share it around with your crew. Get everyone involved in the meal choices before hand. You may be surprised by what they suggest, what they think will happen, what they want to do, and... what you missed.

Ask who will be cooking.
Ask the question; Who will be responsible for each meal? This is a great way to involve everyone, share the work around, and involve the kids. You may be surprised at the answers you get.

Consider Themes
An "Elvis Lunch" might include peanut butter and bannana sandwiches for instance. An "Italian Night" might include lasagna, salad, bread and wine. Think outside the box, toss a few ideas at your crew, and see what comes back.

Don't forget the grill.
Many long time houseboaters will tell you that the grill is the only thing you need on a houseboat. Grilling outside as the sun sets with a cool beverage in one hand and the spatula in the other, well, there's not much better than that. So the grill is an option to discuss. When and how will you and your crew want to use the grill?

And finally, don't forget the coffee. Mornings on the top deck of your houseboat with a warm cup in your hand, with the sun slowly rising in the distance as the fish jump and the eagles soar, well, you get the picture.

Good luck!

Make S-More Smores

If you are planning on roasting marshmallows this summer, there is no need to comb the beach for sticks, or search the closets on-board for wire hangers. Check out your Forever Houseboat Kitchen and you'll find marshmallow forks to help make smores, along with a cheese grater, a cork screw, and dozens of other items that might just come in handy.

When you're out on the water, the last thing you want to worry about is needing something like a cheese grater. That's why we've made sure that your houseboat kitchen comes equipped with almost everything you need to prepare food for your group. All you should have to worry about is the food.

Take Elvis Along

Well, you can't take him along, but you could enjoy a classic movie and maybe even "put yourself in the picture."

Elvis and Ann Margaret filmed several scenes in their 1961 classic, Viva Las Vegas, on the waters of Lake Mead.

Take along this fun movie and see if you can spot the same areas where they water ski'd together. Full of fun music, water sports, and a great car race too, Viva Las Vegas is a great houseboat movie for the whole family.

Put the movie on the TV in your houseboat, fast forward to the Lake Mead scenes, and look out your window. See the scene? Elvis?

Should you wear a watch?

NO.
Once you are out on the water, there are a couple of factors that will usually make a wrist watch unnecessary:

Your Stomach:
Hungry in the morning? It might just be time for breakfast. Out on a PWC and feeling like a bite? Yep, you got it, time for lunch. And time for dinner? Well, it just depends on who is going to fire up the grill first. (usually the hungriest crew member or the one with an empty beverage)

The Sun:
Close your curtains if you don't want to get up early. Who needs a wrist watch to tell you when to wake up. Why not let the sun's rays help decide whether you're going to roll over and sleep for another hour or strap on your skis and hit the water. The rest of the day is easy, high in the sky is midday, and low in the sky after that is happy hour.

Many houseboaters make a ceremony after they depart the marina. They take off their watches and put them, along with cell phones, in a box for a few days. So take off your watch for a few days and tune into the sun and your stomach. The real "time" that matters is the great time you and your crew will have together.

Pitch In, it's easy!

Pitch in with Forever Resorts and recycle. It is easier than ever with separate recycling bins on your houseboat and collection centers at the marinas too.

Thanks for pitching in!