Summer is coming, and we must say that the Sun Valley area is looking better than ever as trees shade quiet trails with their leafy canopies, rivers flow serenely, and our Abode Sun Valley escapes seem to take on their own summer style, even as we haven’t changed much inside. Most people think of this part of Idaho as more of a winter vacation destination, but the truth is every season is the best season to visit, and as you hike, fish, and dine on good old fashioned comfort food, coming home to our summer sanctuaries will be the best part of your day. This guide to the amenities all summer rentals should have will give you a better idea as to what you can expect when you choose a Sun Valley home rental!
Staying Chill at Home
If these were desert homes, we would absolutely guarantee that every rental would offer air conditioning, but we live in the mountains, and temperatures rarely rise above 80 degrees. As a matter of fact, summer months often only offer a high in the 70s, and air conditioning isn’t always necessary; you can simply open windows to cool down. But for those who prefer mechanical chill to mountain breezes, many of our escapes do offer air conditioning, just be sure to read the listing information if it is important to your comfort.
Ceiling Fans
Another popular summer amenity may not seem like a lot at first, but the ceiling fans that have always been the bane of designer’s existences, can be your favorite method of keeping cool in the summer months. Open the windows and let the ceiling fans circulate the air or turn down the air conditioning and reach optimal coolness levels as you take a nap on a lazy Thursday afternoon. Because that is the best thing about vacations, you can take a nap at any time, and the sofas in our living rooms are so comfortable, you may decide you want to nap every day—with the ceiling fan stirring the air, of course!
Fireplaces in Living Rooms and Some Bedrooms
You may be wondering why a fireplace would be a necessary summer rental, until you realize that temperature can drop down into the 30s and 40s at night, and although all our Sun Valley vacation rentals with fireplaces will offer gas or electric heat, a fireplace is a pleasant addition. Adding warmth and romance to your night, we especially love the fireplaces that are located in the primary suites. There is just something cozy about falling asleep with a fire going and because many are gas fireplaces (some may be electric) you don’t have to fuss with kindling, matches, and logs.
Board Games and/or Puzzles
It doesn’t rain a lot in the summer in Sun Valley, but there may be days when the skies open up, the rain falls, and you decide that staying in and playing board games with the family is an excellent idea! Set up shop in the dining room, the chairs that surround our tables will be comfortable enough that you can settle in for the long haul, turn on the overhead lights to dispel any gloom, and play into the night. These moments with family may be the ones you remember the most, reveling in the time you spent together.
State-of-the-Art Televisions in Living Rooms and Bedrooms
There will be many adventures during your time in Sun Valley and Ketchum, making you appreciate the quiet times, perhaps spent enjoying a family movie night (or day) on state of the art televisions that are large, offer clear pictures, and often have DVD players attached so you can watch any of the movies found in cabinets or lined up on the shelves of bookshelves in the room. Falling asleep with a fire and the television on can ensure that you drift off easily and sleep deeply—just don’t watch any horror movies because we have tried to ban scary dreams in our homes!
Summer Nights Are Better with Music
Is there any better way to spend a cool summer evening than by dancing with your favorite traveling partner under the watchful eye of the man in the moon? And although we do offer high-speed internet and you could play your favorite Spotify stations on your phone, the stereo system, combined with whole house speaker systems in some cases, will take your music to the next level, making you feel as if you are dancing to your own personal concert! Turn down the lights, turn on the fire (or start it if your property offers a wood burning model) and dance the night away, delighting in this beautiful summer adventure.
Summer Sipping
It is important that you stay hydrated during the summer months, but we aren’t quite sure that the experts are talking about the beverages we are about to discuss. Sipping the night away should be easy and wine refrigerators, blenders, even wet bars, are ways we ensure your adult beverage needs will be met. Raise a toast to the sun setting behind the mountains with a glass of wine purchased at the Sun Valley Wine Company/Wine Shop, sip frozen margaritas as you gather around the fire pit, watching the embers float upward into the dark night skies, and stock the wet bar with any of your favorite beverages, perhaps planning a night of poker, snacks, and craft beers while gathered around the poker tables you may find in some of our seasonal escapes. Set up near the bar, for easy refills, these spaces are sure to enhance the quality of your summer adventures in our Sun Valley retreats!
Spa-Like Baths
Why do we think that a spa-like bath is a summer must-have? You are going to spend a lot of your vacation time, hiking along trails that offer large gains in elevation, riding mountain bikes hard and fast, and wrestling the big fish while angling for the night’s dinner in our lakes and rivers. Fun, exciting, and exhausting, the contrast between all the physical activity you engage in during the daylight hours and all the hedonistic relaxation you engage in while soaking in bubbling whirlpool tubs at night will be one of your favorite parts of your summer vacation. Showers with rain shower showerheads will make you feel as if you are showering in rainforest rain shower, and even if the tub you are soaking in doesn’t have the bubbling jets we mentioned earlier, they will still be deep enough to cover all your skin, and many will offer shelves that you can set a glass of wine, the book you are reading, and a candle flickering softly as you treat yourself to the ultimate in luxury baths!
A Sauna to Savor
Did you know that saunas aid in muscle recovery after a strenuous workout? You have probably heard that saunas are helpful with relaxation, can help you sleep better, and are great for stress relief, but most people don’t realize that they can also help your muscles heal after you exercise, making the saunas we offer in some of our retreats a much-loved summer amenity. For most of us, the only saunas we have used have been the ones at the gym, so the peace and quiet that accompanies your sessions in our saunas will be a wonderful and unexpected delight!
Workout Rooms
Is a workout room furnished with high-end gym equipment, yoga mats, and other exercise paraphernalia absolutely essential to a successful and happy vacation? For some exercise enthusiasts, it is, and if you don’t like to miss your workout, you will be happy to learn that many of our sanctuaries offer workout rooms furnished with some or all of the above. Often featuring walls of windows that let you bask in the serenity of ocean views as you “ump iron” or practice your poses, these rooms may be the spaces in which you feel most at home. And if you feel that the workout you received on your hike through Sun Valley was plenty, no one will judge you for skipping a day; it’s summer and you are on vacation, no judgement needed!
Wrap-Around or Multilevel Decks
We’ve spent a lot of our tour of summer amenities, inside our Sun Valley sanctuaries, but now it is time to take the exploration outside, starting with the large decks that wrap around the homes, although some may offer multilevel decks instead. These spaces will be the center of your outdoor adventures at home and will provide many, many, many places to sit and savor the beauty that is our Idaho countryside. Rocking chairs facing the direction of where the sun sets, cushioned sectionals or single chairs, even porch swings and Adirondack chairs may be found in these outdoor areas, encouraging guests to relax more and move less.
Barbecue Grills
A shiny propane barbecue grill may be the most important summer amenity offered by Abode Sun Valley because a summer barbecue is THE most iconic activity of the season. Maybe you will grill the fish you catch during your fly fishing shenanigans at the Big Wood River, or maybe steaks, burgers, or hot dogs are more your grilling style. Vegetarians can even grill the local produce they purchased from the Ketchum Farmers Market, sticking to their principles in the most delicious of ways. Patio tables surrounded by chairs will give you a place to devour the charred meats or veggies and as the sun sets on another day in paradise you will have to think really hard to remember a summer day you enjoyed more.
Roasting Marshmallows Over Firepits for S’mores
Scouts, camping enthusiasts, just about everyone who has ever started a fire in a firepit (or fire ring) has sampled all-American s’mores understands the importance of a firepit, and because it will get chilly as the night progresses, the heat from the flames will allow you to stay out even longer. The stars shine brighter in Sun Valley, and the mountains provide an imposing and rugged background that somehow will make you feel safe as you roast marshmallows to create the treat that makes your taste buds sing. These quiet moments will be the ones that will make you consider making a Sun Valley summer vacation an annual tradition for your family!
Hot Tubs Under the Stars
As we near the end of this story of summertime and all the amenities that make our Abode Sun Valley seasonal sanctuaries the only homes you will want to rent, we still have one last amenity that could make or break your vacation simply by existing, or not existing, in the backyard of your rental. We are, of course, talking about the hot tub in our Sun Valley hot tub rentals, offering jets that send heated water to your aching muscles, steam that intensifies when the temperatures drop, and the opportunity to reach new heights of relaxation in between your Idaho adventures. Pour a glass of wine (many hot tubs will have ledges on which to set your glass) and submerge your body into its bubbling depths, feeling the peace, the serenity, and the joy that are the companions of any hot tub experience.
Summer in Sun Valley Will Bring You Joy
You have many choices when it comes time to pick your summer sanctuary, and we greatly appreciate that you are considering Abode Sun Valley for your Idaho vacation accommodations. Summer in Sun Valley is a joyful time, one that moves at a much slower pace than in the winter months, and when you return home after your stay with us, you will discover that this getaway was one that lingers in your thoughts, your emotions, your heart, and in your soul. Our Sun Valley vacation homes are designed to be an integral part of your vacation experience, offering rest when needed, relaxation when needed, and fun and excitement when needed as well. Reserve your favorite seasonal Sun Valley rental today and come home to Abode Sun Valley every night of your summer in Sun Valley!
