How To Plan a Staycation

As things are opening back up and starting to get back to normal, you might be thinking about a vacation…but you might also be thinking you’re not ready to fly or travel too far from home yet. You’re a prime candidate for a staycation! In case you’re thinking “a stay-WHAT?” a staycation is “a vacation spent at home involving day trips to local attractions.” Also known as a “holistay.” Read on for tips on how to find out the best things to do in your area to make your staycation fun and memorable experience!

Budget

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that a staycation automatically means cheap. You could spend more money than you want to just because you might be thinking, “I don’t have to pay for a hotel…I’m not paying for flights…” etc. Decide ahead of time how much money you want to spend and plan accordingly. With some planning, you could have a wonderful staycation on a budget. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, focus your plans on free local attractions, picnics, and cooking meals at home. If you plan to eat out, remember to account for food and gas, as well as the events/places you’re planning to go to.

"*" indicates required fields

Do Some Research

The best way to find fun activities in your area is to ask a homeschool mom. Many homeschool groups and families take advantage of a more flexible schedule by having field trips to local businesses, nature preserves, museums, and more to enhance their learning. Reach out on Facebook or through a mutual friend, and go from there.

Think about how far you’d be willing to drive for a day trip, then do an online search for something like “best activities in ________” or “5 best free things to do in _________.” You might be surprised by how many things there are to do close to home that you never knew about! If you’re not the type of family that likes to be doing things every day, separate your activities by days at home or days at the pool.

Are there things your family asks to do that you never quite get around to, like going to a certain store or restaurant? This is a great time to do those things. Look for places that are more like an experience, such as Jungle Jim’s in Cincinnati. Two locations boast 180,000 products (some of which are very, very unusual), restaurants, store tours, food demonstrations, gift shops, boutiques, photo ops, and more. You could spend the better part of a day there!

Check your local library to find out if they have any special events during the time of your staycation. Sometimes they’ll have animal encounters, or escape-the-room experiences, or fun things like that. Be sure to check the libraries in the towns nearby that you might not be as familiar with.