Have you been desperate for a vacation and for whatever reason, traveling out of town just isn’t in the cards for you? Maybe money is a little tight or you have responsibilities that severely impact your ability to fully check-out from your life for too long. No matter what the reason is, it doesn’t mean that you can’t still enjoy a staycation. Basically, a staycation means that you get to enjoy a vacation while still staying in town, whether you stay home or check into a hotel nearby. Now, because you are staying local, you will have to put a little more effort into this nontraditional vacation experience than you normally would when you leave town entirely. You are doing more than just staying home from work, so here are some tips on how to have the best staycation ever.
Be firm with yourself…
One of the reasons why people go on vacation is to escape from real life for a little bit, so you need to recreate that as much as possible. This could mean making a pact with yourself that you will totally disconnect from your smart devices for the duration of your staycation. This means, no smartphone, no emails, no television, no cooking or cleaning, and absolutely no working from home. And if this is a family staycation, you have to get everyone in the group to agree to the same rules. Plus, maybe add in that activities are done together, meaning that you can’t just take off for a day to hang out with other people. Everyone has to act as if they are actually in another town or country.
Plan for it…
Just like any vacation, you need to plan for your staycation, including making a budget. Start planning a few months in advance so you can start saving up some money for things like restaurants, activities and whatever else you may want to do – like have a spa day. While you don’t have to plan it down to every detail, having some sort of guide will help you avoid simply sleeping in every day and growing bored. Two things you don’t want to do while on a vacation – though a late morning is certainly deserved on the first day. Also consider the clothing you’ll need—the last thing you want is to have to run home from your local hotel. Embrace summer with your favorite swimsuit and sundresses—don’t forget the Hawaiian shirts and men’s short shorts for him!
Stay somewhere you’ve never been to before…
There are quirky little hotels and AirBnb spots in every town, so look around for what is near you. Even if you stay somewhere that is just a 10-minute drive from your house, it still counts. Opt for somewhere that offers things that you don’t have at home, like an outdoor fire pit and a pool, and then prepare for fun.
Don’t clean…
It may be tough to skip your daily chores, but it is important that you do. We recommend hiring someone to clean your house right before your staycation begins, that way you won’t be tempted to push back your adventure plans to vacuum the carpets. Plus, having a home that is sparkling new will give you the feeling of staying at a nice hotel. And of course, you will have to do a little washing up if you are staying home (like the occasional dish), but it shouldn’t be too bad, since you will probably be dining out most nights.
Become a tourist…
Sure, maybe you have been living in the same town for years or even your entire life, but odds are that you still haven’t explored every nook and cranny the way that a tourist would. We typically take the city in which we live for granted, because we get too caught up in the routine of our day-to-day lives, but when we go somewhere new, we suddenly find every single detail about a town fascinating. Try and look at your city through the eyes of a newcomer and spend a day exploring everything that it has to offer. Maybe do some internet research on the most beloved spots and plan an adventure, either solo or with someone else. Make sure to take a cool instant camera though, because you will want those cool little photos as mementos of your trip.