Five awesome ideas to try when planning your next staycation

 

Oh vacation, vacation, vacation!!! We all want to escape from our day-to-day responsibilities every now and then because things could be hectic. However, taking a traditional vacation is not always the case when you don’t have the budget, you have quite a few family members, job obligations or only have a three days break for instance. Therefore, staying home and explore nearby areas and plan a mini vacation in your own backyard might be your best option.

First of all, a staycation should be like your real getaway vacation. You have to plan for it because it is more than just couple days at home. It should be an exciting moment for yourself and your family. Talking about planning! Pick your activities for each day and set aside a budget that can cover all the activities you want to try; either for the museum, national park, dining etc…

Now you are done planning your desired activities and how much money to put aside, then what? You have to discipline and convince yourself that this is your mini vacation and you’re just doing it at home.  No working, cleaning or cooking during that time, but make sure to get these done prior so you can avoid getting overwhelmed after your staycation. If you have kids, let them participate in the house shores the week or days prior.  Also, you might want to consider using disposable dishes so you are not yelling at everybody to clean up.

Here are some of the following staycation ideas you can try:

1. Visit a Nearby National Park in your state. It just takes less than a minute to look for it online. Enjoy truly your country’s greatest treasures and find many family friendly activities to try. You can find out if they have any free entrance days. If not, I encourage you to purchase an annual pass so that you can still enjoy all year-long. Moreover, a local museum is another great example.

2. Have a family or friends? Host a Family Board Game while enjoying different snacks and drinks! And the winner can have some special treats like extra dessert or a small gift. On the other hand, If you don’t have snacks, you can avoid the hassle by gathering menus from all the local restaurants that offer delivery. Many board games can be found at your local Walmart or online at Amazon.

3. Have a staycation in your backyard. Why not enjoy a great night under the stars with fluffy blankets and tell each other stories?  Get you a flashlight, sleeping bag, tent and camp in your backyard.

4. Go Paddleboarding or Canoeing. As mention in my previous blog post; there is nothing more refreshing than taking an afternoon and making a trip to a lake nearby. Check out local canoe rental facilities and enjoy the water.

5. Before taking a carriage ride around the city, find a cute restaurant and have a nice meal. There’s no better way than to be a tourist in your own city! Go visit that touristic place that everyone’s talking about and enjoy yourself and your time off

One good advice: Browse some deal sites like Retailmenot or Groupon. Retailmenot will have lots of discount on food and local stores while Groupon can give you a whole list of activities at discount price such as canoeing, dining, spa etc… This is a great option if you have just moved to the city. Too often, we don’t treat ourselves because we’re too busy with life goals. It’s ok to take some time to treat yourself and remember your staycation can still be satisfying as traveling to other places.