Saving money for your next big purchase? Don’t want to use those vacation days just yet? Still need a break? Enter the staycation. It’s not hard to enjoy a relaxing vacation, explore somewhere new, and unplug from work- all without spending a fortune, using vacation time, or having to get on a plane.
The first rule of the staycation is not to talk about the staycation. Okay, not really. The first rule is turn off your work email on your phone. Not possible? Turn off the notifications. Still not possible? Do your very best to limit checking it to once every 3 hours. If you’re feeling really daring, turn off your phone entirely (and step away from the computer, tablet, smart watch, and everything else)!
The easiest part of a staycation is choosing your destination – your hometown! Chances are there are restaurants and experiences within your city limits that you haven’t done. Since vacations are about experiencing new things, enjoying yourself, and occasionally even relaxing- a staycation can absolutely be done without ever setting foot on a plane. Here’s some staycation ideas to get your juices flowing:
- Go out with your friends to a fancy dinner where you all dress up
- Check out that indoor rock climbing place
- Take a hike or nature walk that you’ve heard about
- Head to a local festival or music venue- your town’s chamber of commerce is a great place to start and find out about new things
- Be a local tourist and go on a photo adventure
The opportunities really are endless but if you feel that you have literally done everything in your town, set a 4 hour driving limit and start your search. If you can’t think of any National Parks, National Monuments, cities, towns, campgrounds, spas, or other places you’d like to go, head to everyone’s best friend and most trusted guidebook, Google. A simple “What to do near [insert location here]” search may suffice if you really can’t think of anything you’d like to see.
Looking for more staycation ideas for singles, couples and families? Check out The New York Times 36 Hours series. It gives you staycation and mini escape ideas that only take 36 hours. Don’t want to do a staycation, but only have a few days to spare? Never fear! We have more than 30 trips that are under 5 days. Say hello to that long weekend and using only 2 vacation or “sick” days!