There are a myriad of reasons why traveling can be difficult, or an impractical option for you. Whether it is due to airline prices increasing 25% in the past year, being unable to get enough time off, trying to save money, or any other obligations, creating a staycation can be a fun and surprisingly enjoyable alternative.
A staycation can take many forms, among the most cost effective being staying at home, but there are ways to jazz up this option. Here we will discuss different housing arrangements and activities that can help to create a memorable vacation.
- Go Camping
Camping is always a fun and unique option when trying to have an adventure. If this is not your thing, look into local glamping options or even renting an RV. While camping, try to romanticize the experience, bringing back positive memories from your childhood that you experienced while camping. This can be done by having fun planned experiences throughout your time in the wild.
Activities you can do while camping include stargazing, having a bar-b-que cook-off, roasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories, making specialty breakfasts, mushroom hunting, hiking, tree climbing, and even outdoor games. By including these activities in your camping staycation, you can create a sense of nostalgia for your own childhood experiences, recreating some of the beautiful things you experienced.
- Tour Your Town
Are there any things in your town that you have not experienced? Oftentimes, individuals live in a location without ever experiencing some of the basic selling features that an out-of-towner may seek out. Choose to try out those unique, quaint aspects of your town, and play tourist for a day.
This might look like going to a local museum, big or small. Or perhaps you can attend a local event happening in your town. Is there an outdoor concert? Is there a unique restaurant that everyone raves about? Perhaps they sell the biggest burgers this side of the Mississippi. If the best shopping experiences occur at a specific mall, go to that mall. If there’s an indoor water park, try it out. Whatever it is that makes your town unique is now your destination.
- Utilize the many resources at your disposal
The beauty about staying in town for your vacation is that you have all your resources at your disposal. Look into what you have in your own home that can allow you to create an enjoyable staycation. Haven’t had time to take your boat out? Get behind that wheel and plant yourself in that boat seat. You are taking it out on the lake!
What other things do you already possess that you find yourself unable to use as often as you would like? Take your bike out for a nice ride, be that a motorcycle, mountain bike, or regular bike. All of these options help you to relax, which is ultimately what a vacation is all about.
- Spa Day
Have a spa day! This can be as simple as booking a special treatment at the local spa, or choosing to stay home and doing treatments yourself. This doesn’t have to be expensive; simply plan ahead and order some things that would enable you to relax. This can include anything from a facemask to nail polish. Take a relaxing bath or use a nice body scrub. A spa day can be the ultimate relaxation tool that allows you to focus on yourself.
- Stay at a Local Hotel
Staying at a local hotel is a fun option to add to your staycation. Because you live near the hotel, you don’t have to stay the whole time at the hotel. Make it a 1-2 night stay away from home. When you book a hotel, you can utilize the many resources at the hotel that make it fun. If you book a hotel with a pool, you can enjoy swimming. Remember to pamper yourself at the hotel. Order some room service and sleep in! Sometimes just a night or two away is just what you need to revitalize yourself and feel like you have had a fun little vacation.
- Have Fun with Friends
It is always more fun to book a vacation with friends and having a staycation doesn’t have to be any different. Schedule an activity with friends, go out to a nice restaurant or club, or even have friends over for a night of fun and games. Choosing to stay in town opens up the opportunity to spend more time with friends than you would otherwise have.
Conclusion
Whatever the reason for choosing to stay local for your vacation, you can maximize the many resources at your disposal to make it a true vacation experience. Money and time no longer have to be excuses that prevent you from enjoying some time off.
