Beach house rentals at America's top coastal resorts, such as quaint Cape Cod in Massachusetts, make planning and enjoying a small family reunion easy and fun.

If your family members are scattered between Portland, Maine and Portland, Oregon, as well as points in between, you may be planning a get-together at one convenient location to commemorate that special birthday or anniversary. Renting a house that will accommodate several generations under one roof is not only economical, it enables your extended family to spend time together and have privacy as well.

Here are my six top beach destinations; chosen because they are easily reachable, have enough varied activities to please most kids, parents and grandparents, and offer fair weather almost year-round.

• Cape Cod, Massachusetts
• Galveston, Texas
• Newport Beach, California
• San Diego, California
• Sanibel/Captiva Islands, Florida
• Virginia Beach, Virginia

Tips for Planning Your House Rental:

Once you've reviewed the "virtues" of each of my favorite destinations, discuss them with other family members, determine how convenient they will be for all parties, and decide whether you're heading East or West. Then you can determine with other family members how many bedrooms and bathrooms everyone will need. (Most rental vacation homes have one or more sofabeds and roll-aways for extra kids.) Allow as much flexibility in your rental dates as possible.

Several real estate agents I interviewed mentioned that since large rental homes (5-6 bedrooms) are rare, they are often booked far in advance. However, they also mentioned that many families register their homes for rental only after the January 1st deadline each year. That means you'll have the most choices of rental homes if you call the recommended agents early in the year.

What's Special About Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Cape Cod offers the simple pleasures of bygone days to family visitors who choose it as New England's second most-favored destination. Parents who have fond memories of days spent digging and splashing will certainly find Cape Cod a great choice. With 77 beaches on 300 miles of shoreline, this peninsula off the coast of Massachusetts offers unlimited seaside activities from sandcastle building to clam digging to whale-watching excursions. Plan to tour the 40-mile-long Cape Cod National Shoreline, from Chatham to Provincetown. This lifeguard-supervised area created in 1961 offers dramatic dunes and marshlands and free ranger-guided tours of the extensive plant and wildlife. Note that this sand-lined coast fronts a cold and sometimes rough Atlantic Ocean.

Visitors can also bicycle the 25-mile paved Cape Cod Rail Trail from Dennis to Wellfleet, comprised of 15 towns and several small villages each with its own beaches.  Bikers can explore cranberry bogs, visit lighthouses and enjoy the performances of several local summer theatre companies. Winter activities are limited but many families enjoy the brisk weather and strolling along the snow-clad dunes. For the rainy, cold or quiet days, plan to visit the Railroad Museum (508/945-5199) and nearby playground in Chatham, the Cape Cod Children's Museum (508/539-8788) in Mashpee and the National Marine Fisheries Service Aquarium (508/495-2000) with low-to-the-ground touch tanks in Woods Hole.

Contact:
Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce at 888/332-2732 or 508/362-3225

Recommended Rental Agents:
Century 21 Regan Realtors: 877/477-5200 or 508/477-5200
Cranberry Real Estate: 800/950-1610 or 508/394-1700
Harborside Realty: 800/838-4005 or 508/487-4005
Foley Real Estate: 508/548-3415