Houseboat Rentals and Trips Locations Locator Map and Directory

Houseboat rentals for trips and vacations are gaining in popularity. Recreational houseboating in the United States started in the late 1940s when people were looking to stay on the water for longer periods of time. Lake Cumberland in Kentucky is considered the birthplace of houseboating in the USA. Today one can find motorized houseboats with over 2,000 sq ft (200 m�) of living space.

Seattle, Washington is home to a relatively large collection of floating houseboat neighborhoods, particularly in Lake Union and Portage Bay. The earliest houseboats in Seattle were recorded in 1905, and peaked with over 2000 houseboats in the 1930s. There are currently approximately 500 houseboats in Seattle. Most houseboats are designed and built for inland lakes and waterways only. Renting houseboats has also become popular.

Sausalito, California, also has one of the most noted collections of float homes that were owned at various times by the likes of famous musicians, film stars, authors, and other notables, from the hippie era until even today. Like many areas where float homes have taken hold, battles have brewed between float home owners, local and state government, and the local establishment (which includes land-based home owners). Float home owners had fought established land-based tax schemes whereby float home owners sought relief from real estate taxes. The state won the battle with the shadow tax allowing the state to make the case that property beneath the float home was improved by the shadow the float home cast upon the bottom.

For recreation

Houseboating is a very popular recreational activity for groups of people of all ages aboard houseboats of all varieties ranging from more modest 30-40 foot boats to 70-foot (21 m)-plus luxury houseboat models. Houseboating is appealing due to scenery, proximity to other outdoor activities (hiking, boating, beaches, etc.), and potential to move the house for a change of view or neighbors.

Houseboating lakes

Lake Powell is a massive primordial red-rock canyon filled with bright blue water and endless sandstone scenery. Houseboating on Lake Powell is an extremely popular vacation option for good reason: the imposing Glen Canyon Dam impounds water from the Colorado River to form almost 2,000 miles (3,200 km) of shoreline which is more than the entire West Coast of the United States. Lake Powell also has some of the United States' finest fishing for bass, bluegill, green sunfish, walleye, black crappie, northern pike, and catfish.

Lake Mead is the largest man-made lake in North America. Its sandy shores and welcoming blue hues are perfectly suited to houseboaters, swimmers, sunbathers, and fishermen while its desert rewards hikers, wildlife photographers, and roadside sightseers. Located 30 minutes from Las Vegas, Lake Mead is convenient and accessible by air.

Lake Shasta is located in the mountains just outside of Redding, California. Lake Shasta presents a scene of clear water surrounded by mountain slopes filled with lush California foliage. This serpentine lake has hundreds of coves and byways to explore.

Lake Cumberland is the vacation destination for millions of visitors every year. Because of the warm weather and relatively long season, visitors have numerous activities to choose from including houseboating, camping, fishing, canoeing, hiking, and others.

Lake Amistad sits on the United States-Mexico border and with over 800 miles of cliffs and sandy beaches to explore. Lake Amistad is an oasis of color in the south Texas desert.

Trinity Lake is 20 miles (32 km) west of Lake Shasta. This lesser known yet equally striking lake has secluded coves and beaches which make great bases for exploration and fishing opportunities abound.

Lake Mohave's expansive location caters to boaters, swimmers, sunbathers, and fishermen. Three of America's four desert ecosystems the Mohave, the Great Basin, and the Sonoran Deserts meet in Lake Mead National Recreation Area. As a result, this seemingly barren area contains a surprising variety of plants and animals, some of which may be found nowhere else in the world.

In New York, houseboats have also become a major part of the great South Bay on Long Island. Many people have lived on them for a while.