And with houseboat rentals available in at least 19 U.S. states, taking a houseboat vacation could mean you don’t have to go too far from home to get away. Sign up. Advertisement.

Californians can rent houseboats at Lake Shasta or Trinity Lake in the north, in the Sacramento Delta region or at a handful of other lakes, most in Northern California or the gold country.

Houseboat rental rates are in the range of $750 to $1,000 per week and the person who is renting the boat must pay for additional operating costs such as gas and insurance.

Try out different boat types: When you rent, you aren’t committed to one boat or even a specific type of boat. You can rent a ...