Happy Thursday! Today we are talking travel — in your own backyard! I’m a big believer in making the most of wherever you’re at. SO. For those of you who either can’t take a vacation right now, or prefer to stay where you’re at, this post is for YOU! Sometimes staycations can be JUST as fun as vacations. Learning to love the city you’re in can be super fun and rewarding, and easy on your wallet.
10 Things To Do On A Staycation
#1: Spend time at your local pool.
This is my personal favorite so I put it as number one, obviously. I love pool time. This one is the obvious choice because it is so easy to feel like you are at a resort and away from your house. You can get a tan, lay out in the sun, enjoy time on a floaty…the options are endless. Grab your favorite swimsuit and head out to your nearest pool time location (or a beach, if it’s nearby).
#2: Ride a bike trail.
If you are into that sort of thing. Bike riding isn’t my favorite activity (unless it’s my spin class), but my husband loves it. Bike trails can be an AWESOME way to get to know where you live a little better. Most places have trails you can ride and your local tourism office often has maps of bikes trails and you can find more on the internet, obviously.
#3: Go to the theater.
Skip the movie theater and go see an actual production. We have a beautiful outdoor theater here in St. Louis with decently priced seats (and if you aren’t picky, some are even free) and we have a stunning theater downtown as well. It can be a nice change of pace to get out and experience the fun of live theater productions.
#4: Make some ground rules.
Make a list of rules for your staycation to ensure that everyone has the most vacation-like experience ever. No smartphones, laptops, internet, tv, etc. Whatever rules you set, be sure you follow them. Get to know your spouse of family better than you did before. Spend time actually talking and listening to your loved ones. Be intentional in your staycation.
#5: Try geocaching.
This one is super cool. Geocaches have really upped their game since I was a kid. It’s an outdoor treasure hunting kind of situation. Spend time hunting for the ones in your area and use it to get to know your backyard better than you did before! You may find out that there are things you didn’t even know about in your area.
#6: Go to a museum.
I personally LOVE museums. They can be a GREAT and low cost activity for your staycation. It can be a science museum, an art museum, a kids museum. There are a TON of different types of museums so you are sure to find one that everyone loves. It’s an awesome educational activity.
#7: Visit your nearest National Park.
There are National Parks all over the country, so there is bound to be one near you. It can be an awesome way to let out of energy hiking or camping with your family and friends. Take a weekend and getaway while still staying close by! Bonfires, canoeing, fishing and more are just some of the activities you can participate in.
#8: Visit your nearest Amusement Park.
We have a Six Flags near us that is a super fun day trip. If you LOVE amusement parks, find the one closest to you and enjoy the day! Waterparks, theme parks, rollercoasters. It’s literally fun for everyone. If you don’t like rollercoasters there are usually other fun rides like giant swings, lazy rivers and fair food to occupy your afternoon.
#9: Visit a zoo or aquarium.
I love zoos. It is SUCH a fun day trip to spend your afternoon looking at exotic animals in a close-to-home place. We love going to look at the big cats and eat italian ice. It makes me forget that I am still at home and makes me feeling like I’m on vacation somewhere more exciting than the midwest.
#10: Go to a sporting event.
We have the St. Louis Cardinal’s baseball stadium right near us, so if we wanted to go to a game, it would be super convenient. Find out where local teams play near you and go get into the game day spirit! Even minor leagues can be fun to watch. Grab a hot dog and some popcorn!!
PIN IT FOR LATER:
I hope you liked this post today! I fully believe that vacations are SO important, but you can have just as much fun “staycationing”. If money is tight or you just can’t feasible go on a vacation right now, I definitely think you should consider staying at home and learning more about your local activities.
Have you staycationed lately? What do you like to do when you stay home? Let me know in the comments below!
I quite possibly have the best stay cation spot because I live in NYC. I try to do these things on the weekend when i’m just hanging out! NYC is full of options
omg YES. WOW. I love NYC!!!
You know what, Taylor? I haven’t been to an amusement park in FOREVER! Great suggestion! I wish we had some great ones where I live, but Toronto sure does. Canada’s Wonderland – here I come!
Yes!!! Amusement parks are the BOMB. It’s so fun to feel like a kid again!!
These are some great tips! I love live theatre and we have some great options here in Ohio. I need to have a staycation soon before we move away!
Yes you totally do!! Ohio is awesome.
Love these! So many people think we have to leave our cities/area to have a vacation and really you just need to put yourself in that “relaxation” mindset!
xo, Kimberly
http://www.lifeofkimberly.com
Exactly, Kimberly!
i love staycations! We used to have these all the time when our little girl was.. well little. We found it such a pain to travel with a toddler that a staycation completely fit the bill: our own toys in our house, trusted nannies and friends to finally have dinners with! It helps that we live in a beautiful Amsterdam though 😉
Wow Amsterdam is amazing. I would LOVE to go someday for a VACATION. How perfect that it’s your STAYCATION!
I love all these ideas! Most of the time I prefer staycations because I can go home at the end of the day or weekend to my bed lol. Now, if only I had people to do these things with! Lol.
http://www.insearchofsheila.com
Yes. I am a big fan of sleeping in my own bed if I can!!!
these are great Staycation tips. Although there isn’t much to do in my city (Windsor ON), I love to cross over to Detroit where there is plenty to do.
Yes! My dad grew up in Detroit. It’s so fun!
My family and I used to do a couple of staycations when I was younger – even though we didn’t travel far at all, it still felt so nice to just mix things up a little and do something different than the normal day-to-day routine. 🙂
My mom and I are trying to both save money right now, so we nixed a normal vacation this year. Instead, we recently spent the day at an amusement park somewhat close to us, and we had a lot of fun. You don’t have to spend a lot or go big to get the most out of summer. Sometimes, it’s just the little things. 🙂
I love “staycations” 🙂 I’ve never tried geocaching but I definitely want to next time!
All great ideas! I love doing things near me. I’m a big fan of seeing live theater – especially musicals. It’s been awhile though, so I need to see what’s coming up.
Great staycation suggestions. I especially live the idea of setting rules. If you jump into a staycation without rules, it can become very stressful bc everyone is doing their own thing and nobody is on the same page. I definitely need to look into exciting things around us for our next staycation.
I love getting out and exploring the city where I live. One of my favourite things is just going to a park and sitting on a bench reading a book. I love living in a big city because there are always so many free events to check out.
I’ve been wanting to do a staycation for a while! I need to explore my hometown more, now that I’ve moved back.
xx
The Felicia Renee | a minimalist lifestyle & beauty blog
Love your staycation ideas! Especially the hike/bike trails 🙂 my boyfriend is also super into biking so he likes doing this! I’m more of a hiking person, so we typically will go hiking together instead 🙂
Kristen | http://www.sophisticatedgal.com
These are all great! I need to hit up the Six Flags near us sometime soon.
It doesn’t matter WHERE the pool is at, you can always find me there!!!!
I love these ideas! I need to go on a staycation soon!
x
Missy
http://popofstyle.com
I need a staycation! I’ve always thought of taking some PTO for personal time, but I never have!
This is an excellent list! Any ideas on how to convince my husband to take a few days and spend some time with me? 😀
I just took a staycation with my daughter and we had the best time! These are great ideas!
I’ve never been geocaching before! I’ve always thought it sounded so cool!
Everyone needs to do a staycation every once in awhile. It’s nice to be able to go out and travel somewhere but then it’s also nice to be able to enjoy the place you live in.I like the idea of going out to see a show or spending the day with family and friends and not be staring down at my phone all the time.
I LOVED THIS POST! My hubs and I are all about staycations this summer
I love these ideas so much!! I think Hubs and I need to have a mini staycation before baby gets here. Thanks for all the tips!!
Love this! I definitely could use a staycation, plus it isn’t nearly as expensive as a full-on trip!