First you may be wondering, what exactly is a staycation? It is basically a chance to take a vacation while staying in your own town and sometimes your own home. After all, everyone needs to get away. But sometimes money can be issue. Not everyone can travel out of state or out of country just to get away. Sometimes the best remedy for work stress is just to stay at home while on vacation, and that is why so many families are enjoying the idea of a staycation. A staycation gives you all the benefits of relaxing on vacation while enjoying the comforts of home. Here are the top five fun staycation ideas for families that will help you relax but still make happy memories.
Best Family Staycation Ideas
To begin with, a staycation can be means staying in your town. You can can stay in your own home or even get a hotel for a night or two. The local hotel option is especially perfect for romantic staycation ideas if mom and dad need a couple days to escape. Either way, you try to strike the perfect balance of doing things a tourist might do and enjoying all the comforts of your own home. It is a great way to schedule some fun and to get some down time too. Here’s what to do on a staycation with your family.
Go Swimming
Swimming is a fantastic time for the kids and a relaxing time for adults. Find a local public swim center, or get a hot tub for some real relaxation. Swimming is great cheap or free activity the whole family can enjoy. Search for a natural swimming hole or waterfall near you! Or if you have a water park or water slides nearby, this may be the perfect time to indulge.
Wander
Take the kids and set out for an old-fashioned wander. Because we are so reliant on our cars these days, it becomes a lot easier to simply drive from place to place, and that means that we miss a lot. If you want to get to know your town and your region during your staycation, take some time to go exploring. Dress your kids up to go walking, and make sure that everyone brings along a snack and some water. Find a park, do a short hike, or walk to a friend’s or family member’s house.
Get Ideas from Your Kids
Remember that it is their vacation as well. Tell them that they can suggest things to do as well, but these things have to be done as a family. You may be surprised and impressed at what they come up with. Remember that no matter how odd their request sounds, you should give it a try. You never know what might become a fun family tradition! Sometimes the best things are unexpected things. So go ahead and give the scavenger hunt or ghost stories a try. Or maybe it is a family bike ride a trip to the movie theater. Whatever it is, they will enjoy it twice as much knowing they got to pick it.
Picnic
Why stay home when you can get out and enjoy the great outdoors? If you want to make sure that you have a great time out there, why not think about bringing a picnic lunch? Take the time to cook food that is both delicious and safe to sit out in the sun, and head out for a fun day. Do a quick search on the internet to find out if there are state parks or a national park with trails you could explore near you. If there are any parks within driving distance, head there for some hiking to work up an appetite for your picnic. If you prefer to stay closer to home, think about just having lunch in a city park. Your own backyard may even be a great place for a picnic and overnight campout experience. Don’t forget to add a fire pit and marshmallow toasting party to your backyard camping.
Slumber Party
Even if you can’t get away to go camping, it doesn’t mean that you can’t have a great time when you are out on your staycation. Drag some bedding to the living room and try having a slumber party that’s for family members only. Young children will be delighted by the change in sleeping environment, and you can bet that everyone is going to have fun picking out movies. This is a fun way to gather every one together for some good old fashioned fun. A movie night complete with board games and fun snacks is a great way to relax.
More Of My Favorite Staycation Ideas:
- Local library trip to find good reads for the entire family
- Check for free events in your area
- Visit a local farm
- Explore a local park
- Visit art galleries
- Have a treasure hunt
- Visit a children’s museum
- Explore a nearby large city
- Have a movie marathon
- Visit the farmer’s market
- Take a short road trip to a nearby amusement park
- Take a food tour of your city
- Have a craft day
- Work on a project together, like building a fort or treehouse or doing a room makeover
- Take family photos to remember your perfect staycation!
Conclusion
These staycation ideas can be fun for both the kids and the parents. Without the cost of travel, you may be able to indulge in a few extra leisure activities that don’t fit into your usual routine.
Another great idea is to explore some new local restaurants during your staycation. Trying new things is always fun. Whatever you decide to do on your staycation, get creative! Adapt these top five fun family staycation ideas to make the best staycation for you and your family this year. What are your best staycation ideas?
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Bethany says
Some really great ideas! My mum and dad did alot of this when i was growing up and it really didn’t make that much of a difference that we couldn’t go on fancy holidays! I loved the adventure of having a few days of going to the beach and watching films at home. I also loved making the front room into a tent with bedding and sheets!! 🙂
The Mama Pirate says
I am so happy now that the pandemic has come down and finally can move out of homes. Last weekend, we spent a memorable day in a national park with kids.