Real Estate's Favorite Vacation Spots

Chicago's subpar summer temps have us dreaming of beaches and drinks with umbrellas in them, so we asked where you've been jetting to.

Jameson Commercial's Jason Mundy got back from Costa Rica on Sunday at midnight, or shall we say medianoche, after 10 fantastic days enjoying the sun and surf. He and his girlfriend flew into San Jose, drove around the country, and ended up in Guanacaste province on the North Pacific Coast. Highlights: zip lining, a hanging bridges tour, cliff diving, waterfalls, and Arenal, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. A day trip to Nicaragua included a cigar factory tour and a hike to the edge of an active, smoldering crater, Jason tells us. They spent their last night in nature's residential sector, a tree house.

Jason's already back to the beach with his coworkers since summer league volleyball kicked off last week, VP Elana Spector Napp tells us. Commercial and residential brokers joined forces as Diggin Jameson, a veteran squad (well, four years old) that plays with Players Sports at North Avenue Beach. Elana has high hopes for the team, which keeps its skills sharp year round playing winter and spring volleyball with Chicago Sport and Social Club. Post-game tradition: a (hopefully) celebratory meal and cool beverage at Castaways.

CBRE EVP Lisa Konieczka just returned from several weeks in South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia. "Being in the bush with these wild animals gives you great respect and perspective as to how we, as humans, fit in the overall order of nature," she tells us. (Lisa's hiding just beyond the bushes above, trying to be the Jane Goodall of elephant herds.) While brokerage services and tenant repkeep her tethered to our urban jungle, she had the time of her life on safari and hopes to return soon.