20 Things To Do On a Staycation

If you’re hoping to plan a staycation, then you’re in the right place! Simply put, a staycation is when you vacation without actually going to a different destination. There are no real rules for a staycation so you can decide for yourself, but the idea is to have the fun you might have on a vacation without actually leaving your house or your area. Below you’ll find some information on stacations along with a list of 20 things to do on a staycation to get your ideas flowing.

Why a staycation?

There are so many great reasons to have a staycation! We all love the relaxation, or adventure, of going on vacation, but there are a lot of different reasons that you might want to opt for a staycation instead.

One reason might be that a vacation can get pretty expensive. When you factor in travel, hotels, activities, etc. it can really blow a budget pretty quickly. By having a staycation instead, you can do all the fun things without having the cost of travel or accommodations.

Another reason could be that you don’t have a lot of time off of wor. Maybe you just have one or two days and you don’t feel like that’s enough time to go out of town and enjoy yourself. Instead you can focus on finding fun or relaxing things to do nearby.

How to plan a staycation

Before you plan a staycation, consider what kind of staycation you’re going for. Do you want to relax and do a whole lot of nothing? Do you want to go on adventures? Or maybe the idea is to have a lot of fun bonding time as a family. Once you know what your goal, or theme, for your staycation is you can start planning!

One great thing to do is to make it feel like a real vacation. When you’re at home it can be hard not to see all the household chores that need to be done and different things you should take care of. Set a rule that during your staycation there will be no laundry, no chores, etc. Really enjoy your time as if you weren’t at home. You can catch up on all of it with your staycation is over!

20 Things To Do On a Staycation

Backyard camping

If you have a backyard and camping gear a fun idea would be to camp out in your backyard. The change of scenery and being outdoors can really feel like a real vacation. And as a bonus, if you forget something you can run inside to get it.

 Home spa

Everyone loves a spa vacation, but the costs can really add up quickly. Prepare for your home spa staycation by buying some spa treatments so you can treat yourself. If it’s in the budget and you’re comfortable with it, you can also try to find a massage therapist who will do a home visit to make it extra special.

 Outdoor movie night

When the weather is nice, there’s nothing like an outdoor movie. Set up your TV outside, get some popcorn going and pull out the lawn chairs so you can watch one of your favorites, or a new movie, in the fresh air.

Go on a hike

If you’ve been telling yourself that you’re going to get out in nature and go on a hike soon, but haven’t found the time to do it then you can make this part of your staycation! Find a local hiking trail and allow yourself to be in nature. 

Visit a museum

Most cities have at least a couple of local museums, have you been to any of yours? Look up a museum nearby and take a trip over there as if you were visiting from out of town.

 Do something touristy

A lot of us don’t take the time to be tourists in our own towns. Going to local tourist attractions can be a fun way to staycation because most of the time, as a local, you’re focused on day to day errands and not what makes your area special to people visiting.

Take a day trip

If you want to take a trip, but don’t want to go on a full vacation you can go on a day trip. You still get to go on a bit of an adventure by going out of town, but by staying close by and coming home to sleep you’ll save a lot of money and get to experience something new nearby.

Have a picnic

Take some time to prepare some delicious picnic food and plan a picnic with your family. You can do this in your yard or go to a nearby park and just enjoy a few hours hanging out and eating together.

Have a baking challenge

If you have older kids, hosting a baking challenge can be a fun (and delicious!) way to do something different during a staycation. Maybe you have a cupcake decorating contest or you want to see who can bake the best apple pie.

Visit a national park

If you live near a national park, go explore it during your staycation. If not, you can look into state parks as well.

 Go to the beach

If you live near the beach there’s a good chance that you don’t actually go as much as you’d like to. A full beach day with a cooler full of snacks and drinks is the best kind of staycation.

Visit a neighboring city

Maybe you spend a lot of time in your hometown, but have you taken the time to visit a neighboring city? Look up some fun things to do and go check them out.

Take a walking tour

In our day to day life we’re generally just going through the motions of working, running errands, etc. If your city has a downtown area or a historic area, try taking a walking tour.

Eat around the world

If you love food a fun idea would be to order takeout from cuisines from around the world. Fill your table with different food from all different countries and have a feast!

Go on a bike ride

If you find your bikes are sitting in the garage getting dusty, get them out and take a bike ride. You can simply explore your own neighborhood or drive your bikes over to a nearby trail. 

Hang out by the pool

Who doesn’t love sitting by the pool on vacation? If you have a pool, or have access to one, go out and hang out by the pool swimming and relaxing like you would if you were at a hotel.

Visit a bakery

It always feels so indulgent to pick up food from a bakery. If you have a local bakery, try stopping by and grabbing a few treats to bring home and enjoy.

Get a massage

You don’t have to leave town to relax! You can go get a massage locally and still be transported to a calm, peaceful and relaxing place.

Build an obstacle course

If your family is on the sporty or more athletic side, plan out and build an obstacle course. Of course when you’re done it’ll be time to see who can get through it the fastest!

Have a board game night

Remember playing board games as a kid? Get out those old board games and have a board game night! Play all the classics like Monopoly, Life and Scrabble.

Just because you don’t leave your home, or your local area, doesn’t mean you can’t have a memorable experience. A staycation is a great way to stay close to home, but still have fun with your family.