What is a Staycation
Luxury vacations are certainly amazing but when you’re looking for a simpler, more affordable way to spend your time off from work, staycations make a great alternative.
A staycation is a vacation that you experience at home or close to home rather than traveling a farther distance away. During a staycation, you leave your normal daily routine behind and enjoy the lodging, scenery, activities, and cuisine your local area has to offer.
With the hectic pace most of us live day in and day out, taking time away is a crucial part of taking care of our mental, physical, and emotional needs.
And after everything that’s already happened in your life this year, there’s no better time to take a break from the grind and treat yourself to some much-needed rest and relaxation.
Although most of us would love to be lounging on the beach in Bora Bora, drinking our way through the wineries in Tuscany, or playing golf under the warm sun at Pebble Beach, sometimes lavish vacations just aren’t feasible for a variety of reasons.
But you certainly shouldn’t let that stop you from enjoying life now and getting back to the simple pleasures of enjoying your days with no obligations. Even if it’s only short-term.
So when your daily routine starts to feel more soul-crushing than life-affirming, a great way to find your joy again is to take some time away and enjoy a staycation.
And the best part is that staycations have all of the same benefits of a vacation further away.
During a staycation, you can
- Sleep in your own bed or sleep at a local hotel or short-term rental
- Relax in your own backyard or relax in a gorgeous county park
- Enjoy leisurely activities at home or visit local attractions
- Cook in your own kitchen or sample foods from local restaurants
Many people even discover that they actually prefer staycations to more traditional vacations.
Staycation Benefits
There are many staycation benefits that you won’t enjoy on a vacation further away from home including affordability, less travel time, and supporting the local economy.
Here are 12 benefits specific only to staycations:
- Very affordable
- Very relaxing
- Less planning time
- Less travel time
- No time changes
- No currency exchanges
- Minimal planning required
- Minimal packing required
- Enjoy local cuisine
- Enjoy local experiences
- Support local businesses
- Support the local economy
The best part about staycations is that there’s absolutely no pressure to them. You can literally do whatever you want whenever you feel like it.
There’s no rush, there are no lines to wait in, and there’s no feeling like you have to see certain things while you’re there.
You can literally not spend a single dime or you can play tourist in your city trying all of the things you’ve always wanted to try but never made time for in the past.
Staycations are vacations that give you back your freedom and control. It’s really up to you how you spend them.
How to Plan a Staycation
Staycations don’t require months of legwork, budgeting, and family discussions to make them happen. So how do you get started?
The easiest way to plan a staycation is to decide how much time you’re taking off, who you want to spend your time with, and whether you’ll stay at home or use local lodging. Then, it’s as simple as deciding which activities you want to experience and what foods you want to try.
You can literally make no plans at all and wing it or you can make minimal plans by asking yourself a few basic questions:
- Do I want to sleep in my own bed or stay somewhere nearby?
- How do I want to spend my time off from work?
- Do I want to try out new recipes or try new dishes from local restaurants?
- What activities make me happy?
- What local attractions am I interested in seeing?
Learning how to plan a staycation is easy. There really isn’t much to it.
As you can see, staycation planning is certainly less time-consuming and stressful than planning a traditional vacation.
Staycation Ideas for Couples
The options are endless when it comes to staycation ideas for couples. Here are 30 ideas to get you started:
1. Be Lazy
Sleep in, eat breakfast in bed, and take naps in the middle of the day just because you can.
2. Watch Movies
Catch up on the movies you’ve been dying to see. You can even introduce each other to your favorite movies growing up.
3. Play games
Compete against each other in a card game, darts, or yard games outdoors.
4. Puzzles
Complete a puzzle together in the morning over coffee or late at night while listening to some great music.
5. Books
Lay on the couch together while you each read your own book.
6. Podcasts
Listen to a podcast together and get sucked into a murder mystery, a history lesson, or a comedy show.
7. Ted Talks
Watching a TED talk is the perfect way to learn together and get inspired.
8. Home Improvement Projects
Complete a fun home improvement project together like redecorating your bedroom or hanging string lights over your patio.
9. Fire
Light a fire, cozy up together, and have a deep conversation about life.
10. Bonfire
Host a bonfire, roast marshmallows, and enjoy a cool night outside.
11. Enjoy Nature
Make a point of watching the sunrise, sunset, or stars together while cuddled up.
12. Appetizers
Plan a meal for the two of you entirely out of appetizers. Enjoy grazing on a variety of small bites.
13. Picnic
Pack a picnic and head out to a local place with a great view.
14. Cook-Off
Challenge each other to a cook-off, sample each other’s dish, and declare a winner.
15. Takeout
Get takeout from a local restaurant you’ve never tried before and enjoy a break from cooking and washing dishes.
16. Exercise
Exercise is a lot more effective and fun when you have your partner there to motivate you and cheer you on.
17. Go for a Walk
Go for a long walk together exploring your neighborhood, a rural area, or a surrounding city.
18. Go Hiking
Hit the nearest trail in the woods, in the mountains, or near the beach.
19. Fishing
Pack a cooler, buy some worms, and spend a quiet day fishing together.
20. Water Sports
Jump in a kayak or on top of a stand-up paddleboard and enjoy some time on the water together.
21. Boating
Spend the day creating a wake on a speed boat or enjoying a sunset cruise on a sailboat with your love.
22. Adventure Sports
Get your adrenaline pumping together with adventure sports like kite surfing, snowboarding, or ziplining.
23. New Experiences
Commit to trying something the two of you have never done together before.
24. Wine Tasting
Set up your own wine tasting or visit a local vineyard and sample the different types of wines this location has to offer.
25. Beer Tasting
Plan your own beer tasting at home with a selection of local beers or visit a local brewery and sample their specialty brews.
26. Spirits Tasting
Spirits sampling can be really fun too. Set up a whiskey, vodka, or rum sampling tray with mixers at home or visit a distillery near you.
27. Mix-Off
Challenge each other to a mix-off, sample each other’s signature cocktails, and get a good buzz going.
28. Spa Treatments
Having a spa day is a fun way to reconnect with your partner. Give each other facials or hand and foot scrubs.
29. Massages
Help each other relax with a long massage and don’t forget the essential oils.
30. Hot Tub
Put on your bathing suits and enjoy a nice soak in a hot tub.
There are so many great ways to enjoy time with your partner and these 30 staycation ideas for couples will help get the ideas flowing.
Staycation Ideas for Families
There are so many great ways to enjoy family time during a staycation. Here are 30 staycation ideas for families:
1. Games
Host an epic family game night with kid-friendly board games, cards, or yard games.
2. Movie Night
Get the snacks ready and enjoy a movie the whole family will love.
3. Audiobooks
Download an audiobook and get lost in the story as a whole family.
4. Activity Books
Sit down together with an activity book and complete a maze, crossword puzzle, or hidden photo search.
5. Complete a Puzzle
Everyone can help find the missing pieces and complete a large puzzle together.
6. Art Projects
Gather a bunch of craft supplies or a craft kit and complete a group art project.
7. Science Experiments
Family science experiments are a great way to investigate and make observations that lead to learning.
8. Engineering Designs
There are so many cool engineering design ideas online that will get the whole family involved with building and experimenting.
9. Dance Party
Turn up some music and have a family dance party.
10. Build Your Own Pizzas
A fun way to get the kids involved with meal prep is to set up a make-your-own pizza bar. Everyone can help bake the dough, spread the sauce, and pick their toppings.
11. Bake Together
Grab your ingredients and bake some bread, cookies, or brownies together and then enjoy your treat
12. Dessert Bar
Set up a dessert bar so everyone can make their own ice cream sundaes or decorate sugar cookies.
13. Water Fun
Cool down on a hot day by running through the sprinklers or jumping in a pool.
14. Water Fight
Start a family water fight with water balloons or water guns.
15. Backyard Camping
Camping in the backyard can be just as fun as staying at a campground so set up a tent, spread out the sleeping bags, and sleep under the stars.
16. Bonfire
Teach the kids how to safely start a bonfire and break out the marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate for smores.
17. Star Gaze
Let the kids stay up late and spend the night pointing out constellations to each other.
18. Picnic
Pack a picnic with lots of good foods to try and don’t forget the Frisbee.
19. Beach Day
Beach days make for great family fun so pack the sunscreen, beach chairs, and sand toys and head out.
20. Take a Walk
Everyone in the family will benefit from the fresh air and exercise during a long walk.
21. Go for a Hike
Download the AllTrails app and check out a hiking trail near you.
22. Take a Bike Ride
Family bike rides are a great way to make memories during your staycation.
23. Play Miniature Golf
Miniature golf is a fun way to spend the day for people of all ages.
24. Visit an Indoor Water Park
Indoor water parks are available all year round so jump on a water slide or float in the lazy river.
25. Play Sports
Grab some sports equipment, pick teams, and hit the backyard or a local park for a game.
26. Go Fruit Picking
Visit a local farm and go fruit picking for apples, strawberries, or blueberries.
27. Laser Tag
Pick teams and play a high-energy game of laser tag in the woods.
28. Remote Control
Take turns steering a remote control car in a hilly area or a remote control boat in a lake.
29. Photo Scavenger Hunt
Download a photo scavenger hunt list, grab your cell phone or an instant camera, and search your neighborhood for everything on your list taking photos along the way.
30. Go on an Adventure
Go on an adventure together like horseback riding, go-carting, or a dune buggy ride.
The kids definitely won’t whine about being bred with these staycation ideas for families.
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What does your dream staycation look like? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
These ideas for a staycation are amazing, I might need to consider one for myself! Thank you for sharing them.
You should. Enjoy!
These are some great benefits of having holidays. I haven’t had a holiday in so long. I have actually never been on a plane only a boat. Thank you for your thoughts on the benefits.
Lauren
I’m right there with you. It’s been way too long since I’ve had a vacation too.
I’ve always loved a staycation, even before when travel was “normal” – it’s a great way to just relax, and have some time for yourself. I’ve always believed that you don’t need to travel far and spend huge amounts of money to have an enjoyable time. The hours you save on staying close to home, are just extra hours that you can spend enjoying your time with your family and loved ones. Certainly this year, I think people have truly realised the benefits of a staycation, and how even just doing the smallest of things at home such as cooking a good meal and watching a film together or even going for a walk can be just the ticket to help put a smile on your face after a long week at work. Of course, I’m looking forward to being able to travel just a little bit further afield someday soon, there’s a lot of castles in Scotland that I cannot wait to be able to explore!
You make so many great points in your comment. And yes, this has become the perfect time for staycations. I always enjoy your posts on castles in Scotland and hope to visit them myself someday.
These are all such great staycation ideas! I actually love taking staycations. They are a great time for me to relax and recharge!
Same. And we all deserve one after this year.
How funny, I’ve literally just posted about 10 staycation locations in the UK – great minds! These are really useful tips, you’ve just reinforced why staycations are such brilliant holidays, even when we can’t travel abroad 🙂
I read your post this morning. It is definitely the perfect time to plan an epic staycation after the year we’ve all had.
This is great. Thank you for sharing the tips. We need to buy a house near a beach or something like that haha.
Yes! A house near the beach would make an excellent staycation.
Great tips, there are a couple of questions I need to ask myself every time I take a trip. And I love the ideas too!
Glad you enjoyed it. I always ask myself questions before planning a trip too.
I consider a staycation as a holiday in my own country. If I’m using my own house, that isn’t a holiday to me. But I love a staycation so much. I’ve been taking them for the last 8 years or so and I’ve really missed them this year during the pandemic x
Oh, I love staying in my own home and sleeping in my own bed. But I live in a very large country too, so it would definitely not be a staycation if I traveled around the US. I am right there with you when it comes to missing travel during the pandemic.
Hurrah for the staycation. I’m going on one next week. I’m going to lie down, eat, drink, watch christmas movies and generally veg out for a week.
That sounds lovely. I think I need to take a staycation next week too.
These are some great tips and suggestions. I absolutely love staycations and enjoy going for walks and playing board games too.
Same. And we all need a good time after 2020.
I don’t have a hot tub, but even if I did, they don’t seem very hygienic to me, it just seems like you’re slowly making a human soap ha ha ha. Staycation sure are the right idea until this is all over, if you ask me, although that would look little different to have I’ve lived the last 10 months
My husband says the exact same thing about taking baths. All I care about is that they are both incredibly relaxing.