Family Staycation Tips

Stay at home vacation – Staycation Tips

Everything You Need to Know About Having the Perfect Vacation from Home

Staycation. Ever heard of the term? It’s basically a vacation where you stay at home. I know, it sounds silly. But think about it. Do you really enjoy being cooped up in a vehicle for hours with bored and fussy kids? Do you want to spend most evenings stuck in your hotel room because you couldn’t take your kids along for the evening events? Do you look forward to dealing with crabby kids who had to skip their afternoon nap because a midday trip back to the hotel didn’t make sense? Most people don’t. And the good news is you can have a vacation without any of these complications. Chances are you will enjoy your vacation even more this way. This is where the staycation comes into the picture.

Now to clarify, you don’t spend all your vacation time at home. (Though of course you could if you wanted to, and some people do enjoy doing just that.) You treat your very own city as a tourist location, doing all the things you enjoy during the day and coming back to your very own home for the night. This way you get a welcome break from the daily grind, explore your city like never before, have good times as a family and do away with the hassles and expenses of traveling and accommodation while on vacation. Makes a lot more sense now, doesn’t it? In fact, staycations are quickly growing in popularity, and if you haven’t had one yet, it’s about time you try it out.

Here are some great ideas that you can try out during your staycation.

1. No cooking.
   This isn’t so much an ‘idea’ as a prerequisite. If you start cooking, your dishes will start piling up, and you will be stuck at home doing the chores that come with cooking. Eat out, or order in. You’re on vacation, remember? The only exception is if you and your family absolutely love cooking and you decide to cook a special meal as a fun family activity. If this happens, everyone helps with the clean up as well.
2. Cover all the tourist spots.
   The tourist spots in your very own town are often overlooked because they’re for ‘tourists’. Well now that you’re a ‘tourist’, it’s your turn to check them out. Look up your city in a travel guide and cover all the locations and activities that you think you and your family will enjoy.
3. Set up your backyard pool, or get a pass to a nearby one.
   If your kids spend most of their vacation time in the water, why give that up during your staycation? If you have a backyard pool, set it up even before your vacation begins. The best part is that you don’t have to worry about annoying pool rules, or what strangers will think. If you don’t have such a luxury, get a pass to a nearby pool and go there as often as everyone wants.
4. Go on a binge-watching spree.
   Some people suggest staying away from the television during your staycation. But streaming shows from Netflix is different, right? Especially if you’ve got shows the entire family can enjoy together. With the Netflix original series, you don’t even have to settle for old favorites anymore. A fun option, DreamWorks Dragons (of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ fame) on Netflix. Certainly something to set aside a day for.
5. Visit a nearby amusement park.
   Or any other park in your vicinity that you think the family will enjoy.
6. Try a family activity together.
   Have you guys flown a kite before? Dabbled in pottery? Is there a home improvement project you think everyone can help with? Perhaps you’re a family of chefs? If there’s a fun activity that everyone is likely to enjoy, your staycation is the time to try it out. Other fun ideas including fishing, biking, hiking, and geocaching.
7. Attend local kid friendly events.
   Your local library is likely to have fun summer events for kids. Some community centers also host similar events. Find out what programs are lined up for the summer and see if there’s anything you think will fit into your staycation.

You get the idea. Before you’re off to plan your own staycation, here are some tips that will help you make the most of your vacation.

• Treat it like a real vacation.Plan the dates in advance, apply for leave, create your out-of-office reply, and don’t allow work to mess up your vacation.
• Set ground rules.When you’re staying in your own house, it’s easy to let your daily routine take over, and get distracted by the housework. And if that happens, you are likely to end up feeling like you had no vacation at all. Make sure everyone understands that it’s a family vacation, and that nobody will be doing chores or going off on their own to do the things they regularly do when at home.
• Get the house ready.You may not feel like you’re on holiday if your house is a mess and your chores are already piling up. Finish the laundry before your vacation begins, and get everyone to pitch in and get the house in order. That way you will truly feel relaxed when your holiday begins.
• Make a plan.Even if you don’t plan what you will be doing each morning, afternoon and evening, it helps to have everyone agree on what activities you want to cover.
• Have someone take care of the kids for a night.It’s not a luxury you can afford on a traditional family vacation, but certainly one that can be considered when you’re in your own home. I don’t think I need to tell you all the different things you could be doing with the kids away for the night.
• Get professional help putting the house back in order at the end of your holiday.You’ve saved so much by having your vacation at home, why not indulge in this one luxury? It will certainly help you enjoy your holiday if you don’t have to look at the house and think of all the work that will greet you when you’re staycation is over.