Okay, I can't wait to see who wins this one. Entrepreneur Neill Kramer has a house near the ocean in Stinson Beach that he wants to share. One talented (and lucky) blogger will win a week-long winter vacation at the home. Here are the contest rules: Judging will be based on the quality of your blog (a mix of writing, web design, photography/digital imaging, point of view, humor, insight, and a good grasp of "place.") In addition, your ability to articulate your reasons for wanting a vacation (see the submission form) will be taken into consideration.

Of course, the hitch is, if you win, you'll be expected to guest blog on the journal of 24 Calle del Sierra (Yes, even vacation rental houses have blogs now too, the latest trend in the travel weblog world!) We all know that many bloggers continue to post while vacationing, so it seems like a no-brainer to give this contest a shot.

Neill's been posting since closing on the house early this summer, sharing details of the renovations they did, and what Stinson has to offer: hiking trails, a theater, lots of peace and quiet. When I asked Neill why he is doing this, he explained that he'd like to have a different voice on the blog, and, of course, it helps to generate more traffic to his rental property website. As he says in the first post, "This journal will try to capture the feel of (part-time) living in Stinson Beach." Sounds like a fair way to reward a blogger while spreading the word about his beach home.

I asked Neill to tell me more about his personal travel experiences. Via email, he shared that at 18 he took off for Europe, thumbed around and ended up in Israel & East Africa: "It was a huge eye-opener and I still see travel as a way to open your soul to the world. However, now that I have an 8-year-old…I don't think I would hitchhike with a kid today, nor am I looking forward to him doing it. However, he will have to make his own mind up and I'll support whatever he decides."

Neill seems like a pretty cool dad. He tells me that the winning vacation would have to be during the off-season (Jan to March) but it could be for either the upstairs or the downstairs of the wireless house (music to a blogger's ears…) This one-of-a-kind contest ends October 31 so enter soon if you'd like a chance to shack up at Stinson Beach in early 2006.

Filed under: Business, Festivals and Events, Stories