Do you know how to plan a staycation? It may seem self-evident, but in reality, it’s harder than it sounds. If planning your staycation goes wrong, you’ll run the risk of not having fun, missing opportunities, working on vacation (ugh!), or worse – being completely bored.
When you plan a staycation using these 5 easy steps, you’ll be well on your way to making the most of your local stay. So, keep reading to learn how to maximize your staycation.
CONTENTS – In this article, you will learn how to plan a staycation with tips to make the best of your local stay, including:
- 5 Ways to Make the Most of Your Staycation
- Generating Good Ideas for Your Staycation
- Why You Need Budget Planning
- Tips for Enjoying Your Staycation
- Why You Should Take a Hiatus from Work While Staycationing
- Should You Stay in A Hotel?
- Final Thoughts on Maximizing Your Staycation
Plan A Staycation: 5 Ways To Make the Most of Your Staycation
As much as we want to relax somewhere on a lovely beach, or go backpacking in an exciting new country, sometimes that’s not an option. Either we don’t want (or can’t) leave home, or just don’t have that money to spend on an expensive vacation right now.
However, a staycation is the perfect way for you to have a fantastic vacation without breaking the bank.
When you plan a staycation, you’ll discover it’s a great way to recharge your batteries and take a break from your busy life.
You can:
- Spend time with your loved ones
- Enjoying nature and other activities
- Find peace and quiet in your own backyard
- Explore the nearest city
And, if you live in a space like Lancaster County Pennsylvania, it’s a chance to experience everything your city offers.
The trick is to be intentional about how you want to spend your staycation. if you aren’t sure what to do while you’re on staycation, here are five ways you can make the most of it:
1. Plan What You Want to Do
Planning a staycation is an easy way to save money and time doing activities, exploring, and taking other adventures.
You might be able to do everything you want without spending any money — you just need to set aside the time and make sure you don’t get cabin fever.
If you do, you can choose to explore the tourist destinations in your town or city. Often, we take for granted the beautiful sites, scenes, and history when it’s nearby. Before you set out, do some research about tourist-worthy attractions in a short driving radius from home.
One way of planning your staycation is to pick a theme and go from there. Perhaps you want to visit all the historic sites in your county, or plan a walking route to appreciate the city’s street art. It can be any theme that inspires you, so get creative.
Then, make a plan to ensure you don’t get overwhelmed with too many activities and won’t run out of time. Since it’s so close to home, you can always go back again and tick all the boxes on your bucket list.
2. Set a Budget
When you plan a staycation, you still need to be mindful of your budget. Even if you’re not going far, there may be some small expenses. So, set a range for expenses.
Some costs might include:
- Transportation (train, gasoline)
- Food
- Tours
- Accommodations
Just because it’s a staycation, doesn’t mean you can’t stay some place other than your home.
You can also save more by taking advantage of special offers, such as discounted hotel rates and packages, group rates, or even discounts on attractions and entertainment.
A great budget can help you fit your plans and turn your staycation into the perfect local vacation.
3. Treat It Like Any Other Vacation
Staycations are a great way to take some time off from your daily routine so you can spend time with your family or get a much needed solo break.
The key point is to intentionally declare the time off and let others know you will be unavailable. The hardest part will be keeping your word and sticking to it.
Even if you stay right at home, you can get all the benefits of a vacation without having to set out on the road. But it can be tempting to forget you’re on vacation and find yourself doing things you would normally do while at home, such as cleaning, cooking, doing laundry.
It’s important to remember it’s a vacation. Splurge on the cleaning lady this week and send the laundry out. It’s also a great excuse to go to restaurants and eat out.
Related Article: Staycation Ideas for Singles
4. Don’t Do Any Work
The lines between work and home have blurred, especially in the last couple of years where many people work remotely. While you’re taking your staycation, don’t do any work.
I mean it.
This is because if you do any work, you will feel like you didn’t take a break and that you wasted your staycation. If you must check emails, set a certain time of day and time limit, and try not to get sucked into a work mind frame. This is a time to disconnect from work, because it can really ruin a good time for everyone if you’re not present.
If you work a lot, you may be a little lost as to what to do to fill the time. Instead of doing any work on your staycation, try taking up new hobbies or activities that you haven’t had the chance to do before.
5. Stay in a Hotel
You’ll find good justifications for why you should stay at a hotel on your staycation.
One of the biggest reasons is that hotels usually offer more amenities than other accommodation options. Many include restaurants, pools, gyms, spas, and other good ways to spend your downtime without going far.
In addition, staying in a hotel–even if it’s down the road—can be a great way to recreate that vacation feeling, and you can choose to stay as long or as briefly as you wish.
Final Thoughts on Staycation Tips
Now that you know some important points about how to plan a staycation, it’s time to pull out your calendar and pencil in a break. Even if it’s just a long weekend, you won’t regret making time for staycation. The best thing is you won’t have to worry about spending a lot of travel time to get there!
Need some staycation ideas for two? Continue reading these 31 great couples staycation ideas.