When most people think of summer, the first thing to come to mind is usually a vacation somewhere. Taking one of these trips can be rather expensive, especially as those trips add up over time. There is not any need to take a trip somewhere every summer, though. Staycations, therefore, are becoming more popular. Going somewhere close to home or even just staying at home are great ways to have fun while saving some money. Just like any vacation, though, this one needs to be planned out ahead of time to promote creating memories as much as possible during the summer months.
Finding the Fun
Some people might be discouraged from taking on a staycation because they do not know for sure if they have seen everything there is to see where they live. Such is not always true. Research shows that people know less about their local attractions than some people are willing to believe. This theory can be put to the test by visiting a local travel agent to learn about what they usually recommend for tourists to a given area. Reading a local area guide would also be a good idea to refresh yourself on local interests. Some of these attractions feature rotating exhibits or viewing options, such as at a museum or a theater. Keeping updated on what these attractions have to could be the perfect way to spend a day close to home. There is also the aspect of revisiting some locations that might have changed over time if visiting there has been a few years of time. This event is great to see how children grow from one visit to another.
Widen the Search Area
Staycations are perfect for stringing together one or two-day trips out of town into a blissful weekend. Looking to different museums or amusement parks in the area that are a few hours away can mean a few days in another town close to home. This type of staycation is great because the event happens more organically as you explore a neighboring city or state. Therefore, instead of looking at locations that are only within an hour of home for a single day trip, do not be dissuaded from looking out into a little bit of a wide range of a small staycation or weekend out of town, or in town as it were for people who live in rural areas.
Scavenger Hunts
The family can decide just to do an entire game of games that are not as competitive. One great example is to take a trip to a location within a two-hour radius to play a scavenger hunt of gathering pictures of all items A through Z.
Be Open to More Adventurous Ideas
Staycations can become stale rather quickly year after year. They do not have to be this way, though. They can lead to learning more about a local history, or it could also mean trying new attractions. If you live near an outdoor recreation park, then a few days can easily be spent there with rock climbing and obstacle courses. It might also be attractive to learn a new hobby over the course of a day or so with a family.
Where to Stay?
Instead of staying at home, there are plenty of other options available other than that or a hotel room. There is always an attraction to a Bed and Breakfast or a small inn that might offer a more homey touch to staying somewhere overnight. Also, staying at a camping ground might also be a good idea because it means more bonding time without many distractions. It also teaches children survival skills that could be essential to learn in certain facets of life.
$20 OFF CONCERT TICKETS
Other Odd Ideas
Sometimes, the more out of the ordinary the idea is, the better the event will be. One of the best things to attend would be a fair or a festival. These can range from county fairs to cultural festivals in larger cities, or even a historical or event-based festival or convention. These locations attract just as many people as some beach spots do every year. Some of them last for only the course of a long weekend, but there is so much to do during those few days that the trip is more than worth the effort. Conventions especially can be tailored to specific interests. For example, there are plenty of gaming and anime conventions all across the United States. They take cities by storm only for a few short days, but it means a rather eventful trip with all of the sites to see, people to meet, and shopping to do. There are so many festivals, fairs, and conventions available that most of them are right in people’s backyards, and they are not even aware of the experiences they miss out on yearly. Family game days can be undertaken, too. Games like sack races and three-legged races can be gathered together with different challenges to play as a group. The evening can easily end with binge watching some movies. These movies do not have to be watched indoors. They can be enjoyed on a laptop or a tablet outside. For people with the right equipment available, they can go ahead and set up a recording to play on the outer wall of their house. In working with a few neighbors to pull off a larger event, these few days can easily turn into a Block Party that hardly stops, which would almost give a resort feel to the staycation as so many events would be available to attend.
Staycations can be the cheap alternative to vacations, but they still can create a lot of memories. They are full of the need to be planned, though, for them to be carried out appropriately. They can last just a day or two, or they can last for an entire week. It depends on what all is planned.
