6 Tips For An Amazing And Successful Staycation

I love to travel but cannot get away nearly as much as I would like due to a variety of reasons including watching my budget and time constraints. When I need a break but cannot get out of town for a vacation I have established the habit of having a staycation.

Although I will always likely have a permanent case of wanderlust I have come to appreciate the perks of a staycation. A staycation allows me to save money, explore my local area, avoid the hassles that accompany traveling, and end my holiday well rested. Over the last few years I have discovered a few helpful tips to fully enjoying a staycation.

Tip #1 // Start off in a vacation state of mind. Mark your staycation on your calendar. Wrap up any work that needs to be done before your staycation starts and do not bring any work home. Also in the days leading up to your staycation make sure your house is clean and you have all of the errands you need to do for the next few days complete. You don’t clean or run to the drycleaners while on vacation so you shouldn’t during your staycation either.

Tip #2 // Unplug. Turn off your laptop and cell phone off. I suggest spending most of your staycation avoiding social media. Don’t let anyone know you are staying home for your vacation.

Tip #3 // Have a plan. I cannot stress the importance of having a plan. Preplan meals, choose a couple activities you want to do each day, have a book to read and some movies chosen to watch, and block out time each day to relax.

Tip #4 // Explore your local area. Do some research on what is available in your area. A few activities of my favorite staycation activities are: visiting a local pool, taking a day to explore a museum, going to a drive-in movie, and shopping at a farmer’s market for picnic necessities. There are some beautiful parks near my home with a lot of trails for hiking and some parks even have events like Free Friday Flicks or Shakespeare in the Park. During my next staycation I plan to visit the planetarium. Consider even taking a mini roadtrip to a nearby town.

Tip #5 // Treat yourself. Although many times staycations are meant to save money it is important to splurge a little so it feels like an authentic vacation. Before your staycation set aside a budget for splurging on something like a spa treatment or an amazing meal at an upscale restaurant.

Tip #6 //Document your staycation. Take pictures, send postcards, and pick up a couple souvenirs during your outings. You want evidence of all the great memories you created.

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