Your Guide to Staycations:

Taking Time Off to Stay Home

Staycations were first discussed a few years ago when the economy grew shaky. Workers worried about keeping their jobs. Travel costs and gas prices increased. Although people had time off coming, they couldn’t afford the behemoth vacation expenses. Many just stayed home.

Thus, staycations were invented.

At first glimpse, a staycation might not sound like much fun. However, when you consider all the activities you can squeeze in to your staycation at vastly decreased costs, you’ll see that staying home is a great way to spend your vacation.

Once you decide to take a staycation, make some plans in advance about how you wish to spend your time together. Because you’ll be staying home, you have the opportunity to select several different activities over a few days or weeks. You may want to start with suggestions from the list below as you think about how to spend your staycation.

1. Get to know your own community and what it offers. Ever wanted to check out some of the tourist attractions in your hometown? Make a list of the local attractions you want to see and then go to the ones that interest you most.
   
   
2. Visit a local business you want to experience. For example, what about that new, expensive restaurant across town? You may have thought you wouldn’t ever go there, but it’s certainly less expensive than a traditional vacation!
   • Because you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on travel, hotels, and 3 meals a day, you may have enough financial resources to try a new restaurant or another local business that intrigues you.
     
     
3. Re-connect with family and friends who live locally. So often, life just seems to take over. Before you know it, it’s been months or even years since you’ve seen your friends or family members.
   
   
4. Consider having a family or friends game day on your staycation. Pick at least one whole day to do nothing but play games and have fun with your loved ones.
   
   
5. Spend some quality time solo or with your partner. A day at the beach, a dinner out, or a walk in the local park can do wonders for your relationship with yourself and each other.
   
   
6. Have you wanted to see some movies at the local theatre but haven’t had the time? If you’re movie buffs, catch a few new flicks. If you prefer performing arts, check out the local theatre, opera, or symphony.
   
   
7. Complete a home project. Although it’s not for everyone, doing some work around the house might bring you (and your family) a newly updated room or perhaps a lovely outdoor living area.
   • It’s wise to limit the number of staycation days you spend working on your home project to allow for leisure and recreation, too.
     
     
8. Plan and carry out a garage sale, indulge in your favorite hobby, or do nothing at all. The list of activities you can do during your staycation is endless. Use your creativity and imagination to come up with some of your own ideas.

Spending your vacation at home can be adventurous, fun, and full of leisure. A staycation just might fit in with your work schedule and home budget this year, plus it may give you a new appreciation for your local area. Try a staycation. You’ll love it!