With the holiday season fast approaching, you may think that it is simply too expensive and stressful to go on holiday. But something which has become hugely popular in recent years is taking a staycation. Essentially, this is a holiday that happens at home or without traveling for huge distances. But if you think that this sounds boring, it is time to think again. In fact, if you plan your time well, you can have an enthralling vacation which is fun for the whole family. Still, don’t believe us? Well, here is a bit of inspiration of just a few of the ways that you can spend your time on a staycation.
Take a Short Road Trip
You don’t have to travel for miles and miles on a road trip for it to be enjoyable. In fact, when you have young kids, it may even be preferable to stay closer to home! Start off with a map and let everyone brainstorm a few ideas of places that you could visit. Make sure that you have stopping points along the way. Plan out some entertainment in the car such as music, audiobooks, and some classic car games that will help you to bond as a family. Also, do some standard safety checks on the care beforehand, as well as investing in any extra equipment that you may need such as a Graco car seat. At the end of the trip, you could plan an affordable activity such as camping so that you don’t end up stretching your budget too much.
Use Tech Sparingly
While there is nothing wrong with using technology in a way that allows you to bond such as a movie night or some multiplayer video games, it kind of defeats the object if everyone is sat in silence on their smartphones the whole time. So, make sure that you set aside some hours when everyone has to unplug from their tech. Try some more creative activities as a family. When all else fails, there is nothing wrong with dusting off a board game or two!
Visit a New Park
If you are used to going to the same park on a regular basis and you know it like the back of your hand already, it can give you a great sense of adventure to head over to a new one to explore. Best of all, most of them are free to visit. There are bound to be plenty of walks that you can go on. Otherwise, you could bring down some sporting equipment so that everyone has the chance to run around and stay active. Finish off the day with a nice picnic.
Be a Tourist in Your Own Town
When you live in a place for an extended period of time, you often don’t get the opportunity to explore some of the popular tourist sites which the average visitor would get to see. So, now is the time to put this right by heading over to some which take your fancy. Check out Tripadvisor or a similar website to check out some of the top-rated attractions. Take a look at discount websites such as Groupon to find out whether you can grab yourself a deal on any of them. You may even come away with a newfound respect and admiration for your hometown which you never had before!
Head Over to the Next Town
As an alternative to the previous section, you could always look at heading over to a neighboring town to see what they have to offer over there. Even if you think that it is too much to spend on getting a hotel, you could always look into home sharing websites like Airbnb. In many ways, this is the better option as you have the chance of meeting someone who is from the area and can provide you with some inside tips on where to visit.
Try a New Cuisine
Just because you are not traveling hundreds of miles across the world, it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy some exotic culinary delights. There is much more of an opportunity to enjoy world cuisine these days, so why not try out one which you have never had before? If you would prefer to save money, you could always buy the ingredients to cook something completely different and prepare it for a family. You may find that you have a new meal to add to your regular dinner time repertoire!
Learn Some New Skills
The last way that you want to spend your staycation is simply lying back on the couch and accomplishing nothing. So, why not try taking up some new skills? Perhaps you could start to learn an instrument, pick up a new language or join a new fitness class. This is the perfect way to spice up your everyday routine, and your new hobby could be something that you end up incorporating into your day to day life.
Check Out the Events Calendar in Your Area
Pretty much every town, city or village in the country will have something going on that you can enjoy together, so head down to your local tourist office or simple check online to see what is going on. Often, there are plenty of free events so you don’t have to break the bank by going to them. Instead of going for a run of the mill event that you have been to a thousand times before, you could go for one which is a little bit more unusual to give yourself a different experience and perhaps have some stories to tell.
Go Out on a Bike Ride
Going out on a group bike ride is an excellent adventure activity which you can enjoy together as a family. Perhaps there is a place that you have been meaning to explore close to home or else you could load the bike rack onto the car to see somewhere a little further afield. This provides you with another opportunity to get out and enjoy the great outdoors in its full glory, which is one of the hallmarks of a great staycation!
See a Sports Game
You don’t have to pay vast sums of money to see a professional team play. There are plenty of amateur and semi-professional teams out there who would greatly appreciate having some extra fans to cheer them on. So, head down in the team colors and give them some support! You may even find that the kids are inspired to take up the sport themselves, and you have found a new hobby for them to take part in.
Have a Party in the Backyard
You don’t need an excuse to throw a party, and it also doesn’t have to cost a fortune if you host it in your own backyard. Dust off the barbecue, arrange some seating, prepare some drinks and you are pretty much good to go! If you want the party to keep going long into the night, make sure that you have enough lighting (fairy lights are great options) as well as an outdoor heater or some blankets to keep everyone warm.
As you can see from the ideas in this list, having a staycation doesn’t have to be at all boring. Ultimately, it takes a bit of planning to ensure that you have a memorable time that is filled with variety and adventure. Get everyone involved in the preparation and you help to make things that little bit more exciting.
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