I hope with these things in place I can work extremely hard and not recreate the wheel.  

Part of knowing the difference between a Mobile/Manufactured Home and RV park is knowing the difference between a RECREATION VEHICLE AND A MOBILE/MANUFACTURED HOME. 

In my opinion properties well suited for vacation rentals have:A great location for touristsNear outdoor / recreation destinations (beach's, ski resorts, etc.)Near nature (on a river, lake, ocean, etc.)Or perhaps a great location for business / corporate housing (Downtown, near major companies, etc.)Decent demand year-round (If it sits vacant 40 weeks out of the year you would be better off with a long-term tenant).Great amenities (WiFi, TV, Furnishings, Linens, Coffee, small appliances, etc.)Accept credit card paymentsPool / Hot Tub is a nice bonusOutdoor space at the property (Deck, balcony, patio, BBQ area, etc.)Pet friendly (not required, but will get you more interest)If your property seems to meet many of the above characteristics it is probably well-suited for a vacation rental.Some major differences you will need to figure out (compared to long-term)Who will do routine housekeepingHow will you get the guests moved in and out (lock box, in person, etc.)What laws govern your locationsWhat tax implications (bed tax, reporting, etc.) will you have to figure outHow much extra will you need to charge to make all the above worth it.

We have now hired three different septic planners (of only 18 certified by the county) and all have come up with plans that they say should work and all have been rejected by the county.Without an operable septic system our property is deemed 'recreational' and is clearly worth a lot less than what we paid for it. 

Our architect has done a good job helping us draw up plans to rehab a wing of an 1880 property (including some tear down and re-creating) and suggested working with one of the three contractors he often uses.

For recreational and lifestyle properties I am interested in Leavenworth WA, Westport WA, and Bend OR.  

Kind of unique in that it seems to be a blend of "up north" woodsiness, cutsie cottageness, and waterfront recreation.

The red tape and hoops that you have to deal with can be a nightmare and cause months of delay before you even touch a tree much less break ground.Also I agree with Devon, some architects do not live in reality (as a building contractor I live with it all to much) so it is important that you have a product to produce that you can not only sell in your market, but you can tweak and add value engineering to as you learn to construct your product, this can be equated to time or material, and is in my opinion the number one reason you would consider recreating a building multiple times and only change the façade. 

My favorite part of this whole process is recreating what sometimes is an inhabitable dwelling to a clean functional home which I am proud to own and have my tenants live in.

It was a nice 3000 sq ft  house on a 2 acre wooded lot across the street from a 30 sq mile recreational reservoir where lake frontage homes were listed at $500,000 and up.