When I was younger, I used to dream about how awesome it would be to spend a few weeks to a month in another city, just to find out what it is like to live there. To experience another lifestyle, just for a short period of time. A few years later I became a primary school teacher and with two months off in the summer had the opportunity to travel.

I had not realized that there were alternatives to staying in expensive hotels until after I was married and became friends with a home exchange couple that were living my dream, staying in other communities, living the lifestyle of someone who lives in that location and as a bonus, having free accommodations.

That is when my wife and I decided to try a home exchange vacation. With a 9 year old, our first thoughts was a home exchange to Disneyland or Disney World. At the end of December we signed up and created a home exchange listing. In January we received an inquiry to our listing from a couple in Tustin California. After a quick map search, I found Tustin was located in Orange County, in the Greater Los Angeles area and a 20 minute drive to Disneyland.

We confirmed our interest and after a few emails, Lisa and Michael, also teachers agreed to an exchange for early July.

Our Orange County home exchange was arranged and we had plenty of time to plan our trip.

We arrived in Orange County July 1 and went directly to Lisa and Michaels. They had given us the keypad entry number to their garage and the key to their home was hidden for us. Their town home had 3 bedrooms, was spacious and air conditioned. We soon found Tustin to be a very convenient location to see southern California. Short drives took us to Disneyland, Angels stadium where we watched a July 4 baseball game complete with an Independence Day fireworks display. Crystal Cathedral was close by as was Irvine malls and the beaches. We also traveled to San Juan Capistrano Mission, made famous by the swallows return.

Having a vehicle gave us the freedom to go shopping, travel and explore Orange County.

We also traveled to San Diego, about a seventy five minute drive and into Los Angeles two times to see NBC studios and J Paul Getty Museum.

As residents of southern California, Lisa and Michael had discount coupons to major attractions that they left for us.

The three best things about a home exchange:

1. No cost accommodation

2. Separate bedrooms, a kitchen and lots of space.

3. Free access to computers and high speed internet.

Tustin is a terrific location to explore Orange county and Southern California.

We returned home relaxed and weren't faced with hotel bills on our credit card. Our home was well cared for and we often think back of our experience living a southern California life style for a brief period.

Home Exchanges are a great idea.

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