My timeshare journey started what seems like a lifetime ago. In 2002, my husband, John, and I returned to Lake Tahoe, California, for our 10th wedding anniversary. Our kids were old enough to stay with their grandma for a week, so we were excited to have some alone time where we spent our honeymoon.

Lake Tahoe is one of our favorite places. The scenery is stunning. We loved golfing at the Lake Tahoe Golf Course, hiking, fishing, boating, visiting Ponderosa Ranch and spending nights at the casinos. It was the perfect vacation spot for us. 

 

Our hotel’s concierge signed us up for a timeshare presentation at Hilton Vacation Club Lake Tahoe Resort in exchange for a dinner cruise on the M.S. Dixie II.

It was our first timeshare presentation, and we had no intention of purchasing. However, we walked away with our new membership. Although we felt a little uneasy at first about the financial commitment, we focused on the great vacations we’d share with our family. Since this was before the widespread use of the Internet, we received a beautiful book with all the available resorts. We had so much to look forward to. 

Once home, we told our kids that we were going to back to Lake Tahoe — but this time, they were invited. My mom was also invited in exchange for babysitting duties, which was her favorite activity.

When we returned to Tahoe with kids and Mom in tow, we were ready to begin our timeshare lifestyle.

We reserved a 2-Bedroom Suite, and from then on, I never wanted to stay in a regular hotel room. Our Suites overlooked the lake, and the balcony let us breathe in the fresh mountain air. The living room and kitchen were beautifully decorated. The kids and my mom enjoyed their separate room, which felt like their own little clubhouse. The primary bedroom included a private bathroom with an oversized tub. Perfect.

We spent many breakfasts with our family in the Suite. We grilled lake trout that we caught together. The kids made friends at the activity center, which made my mom’s babysitting duties even easier — though she was talked into helping with a fair share of crafts. The pool was a big hit with kids and adults alike. We had an amazing first timeshare vacation. 

 

Over the years, we spent many more vacations in Tahoe. John and I played golf at the spectacular lakeside Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. The kids hiked, rode dune buggies up in the desert, flew in a helicopter and rode on the gondola to Heavenly Mountain. As the kids got older, their schedules filled with school, sports and Scouts.

We started to explore properties closer to home. Our kids loved Grand Beach, a Hilton Vacation Club in Orlando. The resort had 3-Bedroom Suites, so Grandma had her own room. The activity center, pools, mini-golf course and playgrounds kept the kids busy on days we didn’t venture to Walt Disney World®.

We also stayed at The Historic Powhatan, a Hilton Vacation Club in Williamsburg, Virginia; skied at Loon Mountain in New Hampshire; and took many trips to Las Vegas.

"Timeshare is like being at home when you're on vacation."

Many years have gone by. My children are both grown. Sadly, John passed away six years ago, and my Mom is gone as well. There were years when we didn’t fully use our vacation membership. Life gets busy, and vacations aren’t always possible.

 

But as I look back, I treasure the memories we made more than ever.

I have a new travel partner, and we recently started taking trips together. We are lucky to be semi-retired and able to get away more often.

We’ve traveled to Maui and Kauai and still can’t decide which we loved more. Shout out to the concierge at Hilton Vacation Club Ka’anapali Beach. They booked us an amazing snorkel tour. Swimming with dolphins off the coast of Maui was a personal highlight of my life. We’ve also stayed at The Point at Poipu, a Hilton Vacation Club and can’t wait to return.

At times, I felt like I didn’t fully take advantage of my Hilton Grand Vacations membership. However, as I look back at the 20+ years I’ve been a Member, some of my happiest memories have been on our timeshare vacations. Those memories are priceless, and I’m ready to make some more.

For another Member’s story, read “My Journey With Hilton Grand Vacations Timeshare Has Been A Joyous One.”