With thousands of home exchanges in California, it can be impossible to pick a favorite. Sunny apartments, sprawling villas, and family-friendly beach cottages are all at your fingertips when you plan a California vacation with HomeExchange.
Here are the top 10 California home exchanges of 2020— the ones that received the most love. Check them out, maybe send a message, and start planning your California getaway!
10. Spanish Mediterranean home with ocean views in Santa Barbara, California
This recently remodeled Spanish Mediterranean home provides the perfect Santa Barbara experience, with easy access to all the area’s attractions, including beaches, mountain trails, shopping, and dining. The home is in a private setting with sweeping ocean and mountain views, an expansive rear patio, and outdoor furniture for lounging or entertaining.
"My husband and I and our two sons exchanged homes with Catey and Ken in January 2019 and had a fabulous stay at their gorgeous Santa Barbara property. We ate all our meals on the beautiful terrace with sweeping ocean views and enjoyed ourselves immensely! The home is so thoughtfully appointed for guests and every detail has been attended to. They are clearly seasoned exchangers and our communication was clear and easy. Ken and Catey took perfect care of our home and we hope to be able to swap with them again sometime!" -Rosa
9. Comfortable vacation home with beautiful outdoor living space in Palm Springs, California
This open, modern home can comfortably sleep 11, and was created for enjoying the quintessential Palm Springs lifestyle. It boasts a covered outdoor lounging and dining patio, outdoor game room with a bar area, mountain views, and plenty of outdoor games. Though you may never leave the house, the Palm Springs neighborhood is close to the area's best hiking, shopping, and dining.
8. Stunning, spacious home swap in sunny Los Angeles, California
Just two miles from Venice Beach pier, this Los Angeles home is an ideal choice for a vacation, with four bedrooms and bathrooms. The home is equipped with everything you could want: hammock swings, darts, games, art supplies, toys, surfboards, and bikes. The private yard can host outdoor dining and lounging beside the fire pit.
"We had an ideal exchange at Bethany's beautiful home. Her home is truly lovely, warm & welcoming. The location is ideal, close to all wonderful cafes, restaurants, shops and beaches - yet still peaceful & relaxing. The outside firepit is as inviting as the photo. The house was impeccable upon our arrival & ample information/instructions provided. Bethany & her family spent 2 weeks at our home & were perfect guests. We returned to a spotless home & thoughtful gifts. We highly recommend Bethany!" -Cindy
7. Designer home exchange in Venice Beach nature sanctuary
This modern home is located in a gated community in Venice Beach, California and has a shared pool, gym, and security. The house is facing a lagoon with an island, and soothing fountain sounds can be heard in the master bedroom. Spend a relaxing afternoon reading on the sun deck or take advantage of the convenient location and bike along the beach to Santa Monica.
"We had a wonderful long weekend at Ben’s house in Venice Beach. The house is stunning - really cool design and attention to detail. We loved everything about it. Ben and his family are great communicators. They were always quick to respond, friendly and had useful advice for things to do in the neighborhood. They took great care of our house and left it impeccably clean. We would gladly do another exchange with them." -Anna
6. Palm Springs retreat with incredible mountain views
This Palm Springs, California vacation home has recently been completely remodeled and is ready to accommodate a large group for your desert vacation, with eight bedrooms and three separate living areas. The private pool, hot tub, fire pit, BBQ, and outdoor kitchen provide plenty of space for your group to spread out. The home is centrally located and close to the best Palm Springs attractions.
"We had a wonderful time at Cray's Palm Springs home. We had a full gang of 14 that were all accommodated in this 8 bedroom home. The communication was great throughout. We all had a wonderful time mostly hanging out in the pool, playing games, and watching movies. It was a great time to reconnect with the whole gang. Not many places on HomeExchange can accommodate such a large group. We really enjoyed our stay!" -Perri
5. Capitola, California beach getaway with stunning views of the bay
This condo in Capitola, California has beautiful 180 degree views of Monterey Bay. The condo boasts a pool, a new kitchen, and recently updated rooms. The location is ideal for spending your vacation at the beach, visiting Santa Cruz, and plenty of day trips. The home is equipped with everything you'll need for the beach, so no need to pack your beach gear!
"We had an incredible time at Steven’s condo. It was sparkling clean and had an incredible view of the ocean. We really enjoyed walking along the old train tracks right outside to get to the two nearby beaches. Steven was an incredibly gracious host with easy communication." -Sheena
4. Charming, romantic beach cottage home swap in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Enjoy a romantic getaway in the prettiest beach town in California. In this home exchange, guests are just a few blocks from the beach, restaurants, and art galleries. Dine al fresco in the yard all year, soak in the natural beauty of the central California coast, and enjoy the home's luxurious, French country style furnishings.
"What a gorgeous house in French country style! We loved the privacy of the area, slow life style in upscale neighborhood. The house is furnished very tastefully, full of charming character." -Andreas
3. Fabulous valley views from contemporary four-bedroom home exchange in Westlake Village, California
This charming, contemporary house in Westlake Village has something for everyone— stunning views of the valley, a scenic fire pit, and proximity to Los Angeles activities. The home is located in an upscale community planned around a manmade lake with hiking trails right outside the door.
"Debbie's house was just spectacular, beyond words. The location, the pool, the layout of the house, cleanliness, the fire place and especially the view is just perfect. It messed up all our ambitious, touristic LA plans as we just didn't want to go anywhere from Debbie's house. We ended up staying most of the time in the garden enjoying sun, pool, views and Californian wine." -Laura
2. Spacious, mid-century modern home with saltwater pool in Palm Springs, California
This unique home in Palm Springs has an open floor plan with a mountain view, saltwater pool and spa, cabana bar, fire pit, and putting green. The 1963 house is ideal for entertaining, and is just minutes from the best Palm Springs has to offer.
"We had the best time here! It's such a unique house that is the perfect escape. The backyard is incredible and there are so many different areas to enjoy! The inside is very spacious with very comfortable beds! Highly recommend." -Meigan
1. Modern, private vacation rental alternative in Palm Springs, California
This modern, private Palm Springs home has a beautiful view of the valley, private pool and spa, and outdoor cooking and dining areas. The house is equipped with all the comforts and amenities of home, making it perfect for a luxurious Palm Springs vacation.
"This home was amazing! Everything was immaculate and beautifully presented. From the furnishings to finishes such as countertops and floors, everything was high-end and tastefully designed. The pool/hot tub combination in the front yard was striking (especially at night!) and the home had great views of the Palm Springs valley. We would go back in a heartbeat! The desert provided interesting scenery and climate, and the home was absolutely perfect for relaxing in luxury and style." -Allyson
Why HomeExchange for your California vacation
HomeExchange is the #1 home exchange community in the world. Our members are characterized by their passion for traveling, generosity, hospitality, respect and their ability to host other equally passionate travelers. We have our own values that are very different from the values of other peer-to-peer rental sites.
HomeExchange allows you to enjoy staying in real, lived-in houses, with their own personality, in authentic neighborhoods, with great neighbors for you to meet. You can feel at home at someone else’s house for a few days. And maybe you can even help your host out by watering their plants, feeding their cat, or picking up their mail, because they’re not houses for rent: they’re real homes.
With HomeExchange you can travel more or for longer periods of time to your favorite destinations. This allows you to explore new places as a local, outside of the “tourist traps," without rushing.
HomeExchange is also the best way to see the world on a budget. You can enjoy a year of unlimited home swaps all over the world, all for the price of just one night in a hotel!
