Vacationing at Home
How to Squeeze in a Vacation Without Going Out of Town
Is staying at home during summer breaks and holidays considered a vacation? It is when you put on the tourist’s hat—or hang a camera around your neck—and treat your family to local attractions, special meals, and outdoor adventures. There is even a new word bouncing around to describe such an event. It is the staycation.
According to Consumer Reports, a staycation is a holiday spent at or near home. The trick to making a staycation as enjoyable as a regular vacation is planning as you would for any other getaway. Whether you live in a small town or a big city, staying at home for holidays gives a new outlook to the family vacation.
Researching Tourist Attractions
If you were planning a trip to New York City or Hawaii or the south of France, you would probably check out guidebooks, websites, and information centers concerning your destination. Do exactly this for your hometown. Check out your city’s convention and visitor’s bureau (there may also be an accompanying website) for ideas on what to see and do. Find the places that are interesting, educational, and new to your family. Maybe there is an historic home you could tour, an offbeat museum to visit, or some special event taking place during your family staycation.
With this information in hand, you can sit down and plan your days based around the attractions you want to see. Involve your family by letting everyone choose an activity they feel would be most fun. Remember to pencil in some time just for hanging out at home. You could picnic in the backyard, swim if you have a pool (turn on a sprinkler if you don’t!), or watch movies all day. It is a vacation after all.
Creating a Hotel Atmosphere at Home
By vacationing at home, you obviously miss out on one of the best aspects of getting away: the accommodations. You can make up for this by keeping these tips in mind:
- Go ahead, pack a suitcase and live out of it. When you do, you don’t have to worry about what to wear because your choices have been edited down.
- Clean before you start the home vacation, and do only what is necessary during the time you have set aside. This means save the laundry for later. It wouldn’t be a vacation without loads of laundry when you return, right?
- Bring out the white and nice linens. If you feel like it, use a different set each day.
- If you have little complimentary toiletries from previous hotel stays, set them out in bathrooms to use throughout the week.
Planning Meals on Vacation
If you stay at home for vacation, part of the reason may be saving money. If so, dining out may not be feasible. In this case, make mealtime special by experimenting with new recipes and letting family members help in the decisions. One night, make cooking together as a family a special activity so that one person isn’t responsible for the preparation all the time. Another option to save time and energy is fixing meals in advance, and freezing them until needed. If you do eat out, be sure to choose a restaurant where you wouldn't normally eat.
If taking a trip isn't an option for your family this summer, consider the benefits of a staycation. It's a budget-friendly way to take in local sights you might not otherwise see and spend time with family. With no elaborate travel plans needed, you can still have time to squeeze one in before summer winds down.
