How to Have a Great Staycation

 
High unemployment and stringent belt-tightening are causing some people to re-think the traditional mid-summer (or mid-winter) getaway and spend their holidays at home. You can still have a fantastic vacation at home, without ever leaving your own city. Think of the advantages: you can save on the expensive airfare and hotel costs, beat the tourists and discover your very own city, which you surprisingly may not know that well. Here are some ideas about how to have a terrific “staycation” at home, that’ll still make you feel like you’ve done something more exciting than just hang out at home.

For an instant ambiance change, house swap with your friends! That’s right, switch houses with a friend and spend a week at your friend’s place, while he or she spends a week at yours. You’ll instantly catapult yourself into a new atmosphere and change of scenery with new things to see and do. Better yet, swap houses with a friend in a different city, for a full-on experience. Leave everything in your house at your friends’ disposal and ask him or her to do the same.

Prepare your house and turn it into a hotel. Get a cleaning crew to come in and make it spotless, before converting it into your very own relaxing, vacation-ready sanctuary. Then set up your patio for alfresco dinners with exquisite food, great music and outdoor lamps and your best dishes. Throw barbecues, and if your community fire regulations allow, even a very small bonfire, if you have a huge yard. To give yourself that holiday feeling, make sure to throw lively parties at your place, with music, food and dancing. If you’re practicing social distancing, even a small party with your own family can be really fun and out of the ordinary. Be creative with your parties and create theme nights according to season. Pick a seafood night, a grill night, a Thai night, and so on!

Enjoy the great outdoors and take advantage of the (free) natural scenery. You can begin in your very own yard, if you have one, by setting up a volleyball net, playing sports in your backyard, or buying an inexpensive inflatable pool. To feel like you’re on a holiday, don’t stay home. Stay out most of the day and head out to your nearest conservation area and go for gorgeous hikes, long bikes, fishing, woodland walks and dips in crystal clear water. Get creative with the kids and plan out scavenger hunts in the woods, or your very own mini version of the”Amazing Race.” Try camping, or spend a day at the nearest farm to learn something about local farm-produced products.

Go see sport games, visit amusement or water parks, drive down to the beach or the mountains, or attend concerts and live events on your local community calendar. Many visitor centers spend a lot of money advertising interesting places to folks visiting from out of town, but you can use those same suggestions, coupons, and deals to check them out for yourself. You might discover something new that you’ve driven past for years and never took a moment to stop to see. Many of us go away at our first available opportunity, and don’t take advantage of touring our own neighborhood.

Get a summer membership to your local community pool. As friends or family members with pools if they would let you stop by for a swim. We pet sit for a family that has let other families swim in their pool in exchange for a few household chores while they are out of town. It’s a win-win! If you’re stuck at home in the summer, the pool will make you feel like you’re at the beach. If it’s winter, get a membership to your nearest skating rink or ski slope.

Take up hobbies and crafts you didn’t have time for before. A change in pace is what makes a vacation so enticing in the first place. Wake up in the morning whenever you want, and dabble into some interests and crafts, or home design you don’t normally have a lot of time to do. They could turn out to be really stress busting and relaxing; what else do you expect from a vacation?

If traveling out of your own area is not an option, don’t give up! Enjoy a vacation without ever leaving your own city.
A staycation can offer you the perfect reset and relaxation that you crave without breaking the bank.