Staying home for the summer?
With the way that the world is looking right now, you may have to.
With coronavirus causing the world to self-isolate, socially distance, or completely lockdown, getting away for a holiday doesn’t appear as though it’s going to be on the cards.
So, while times are challenging, how can you go about enjoying a stay at home vacation?
Stay at home vacations, or staycations, have been growing in popularity over the last few years. While in previous years they have offered a cost-effective way of enjoying your time off. However, with the current pandemic threatening to affect your finances and the ability to travel overseas, it may be the best option for this coming summer holiday.
Here’s everything that you need to know about having a staycation this summer.
What Is A Staycation?
Following the credit crisis of 2008, many people had to review their spending habits. With major problems affecting the banking and housing sectors, and unemployment rapidly rising, many people had to put aside plans for their annual holidays.
Foreign holidays were out of the window. But, what about staying in the same country?
With rapidly rising fuel prices, even driving to stay somewhere further away was becoming a pricey option.
It was during this time that the concept of a staycation really started to become very popular.
A staycation or stay-at-home vacation entails either staying somewhere that is close to home, or even stopping in your own home and using your holiday time to visit local destinations.
2020 looks as though it is going to be a very popular year for taking a staycation.
Why Take A Stay At Home Vacation?
Seeing the world is great. You get to experience different places and different cultures. It can be exciting and inspiring.
But they do say that there is no place like home.
So think about it, when was the last time you spent time actually enjoying your own home?
You probably use your home as a base where you can go and recharge whenever you’re not in work. But do you actually get to appreciate the space that you live in? When was the last time that you spend any length of time enjoying the home that you live in?
Use the time that you spend at home to actually relax and enjoy the place that you spend so much of your money keeping.
A Staycation Following Lockdown?
But if you’ve just spent weeks on lockdown, won’t you have spent too much time at home?
Chances are while limiting your movement due to COVID-19, you may have had to work from home. Even if you haven’t been working through the pandemic, you might have been stuck at home a lot.
But how much of that time would say that you’ve spend enjoying your home and the surrounding area?
You may have spent time in front of Netflix, you may have even managed to get some work down around the home, but did it feel like a holiday?
Now is the time to enjoy an actual holiday.
Preparing For Your Staycation
Before your staycation, you need to make sure that your home is completely ready.
The last thing that you want when you need to feel as though you are on holiday is for you to have to do everyday tasks such as cleaning your home or doing grocery shopping.
Plan Some Delicious Meals
When you are on your staycation, you want to eat the best food possible.
One option might be to eat takeout each night or visit some of the restaurants that are local to you.
If you are going to cook for yourself, make sure you have all of the ingredients that you need ahead of your staycation. The easier you can make it for yourself, the better. The meals that you cook should be memorable and much better than you would usually eat when you are at home.
You may want to organize a BBQ for one or more days of your staycation. Invite your friends around, or just have one on your own.
Put The Away Message On
When it comes to taking a staycation, it’s important to avoid disturbances. Turn your work emails to off, and make sure your colleagues know that you’re off work and you want time to relax. The last thing you want is to be hearing from work constantly and not be able to relax.
Similarly, try and ensure that your friends and family know you’re “on holiday”. If you want to connect with them during this time, let them know. But similarly, if you want a more relaxing, peaceful break, then let them know.
Lounging By The Pool
If you are fortunate enough to have your own swimming pool at your house, then make sure you get it cleaned out and ready to use ahead of your stay at home vacation.
Find the best pool floats and get your pool area ready to spend as much time relaxing out there as possible.
If you don’t usually get to spend too much time appreciating your pool, this summer is when you will get your money’s worth out of it.
Explore The Local Area
You don’t need to travel half the world away to find a beautiful corner of the planet. So often, there are places within a short walk or drive that are equally as spectacular.
Nature is all around us, and we just need to open ourselves up to the possibility of enjoying the things that are closest to home.
If you are able to travel locally, do so. Use the opportunity of any travel restrictions that may be in place to enjoy the places nearer to home that you have never been to.
Get online and look for places that you might not have ever been to, or that you have not visited in a long time.
Remember, whenever you go out, be sure and follow any official guidelines. If there is a policy whereby you distance yourself from others and wash your hands frequently, this is in place for a reason and you will need to follow these instructions.
Visit Local Museums And Art Galleries
There are probably a whole host of different cultural experiences in your local area that you may not have been to.
Many museums and galleries are actually free to visit, and even the ones that charge may not be too expensive.
Take a trip to your local museums and art galleries and use your staycation time to appreciate what is on offer closer to home.
Head To The Beach
Where better to feel as though you are on holiday than the beach?
If you live within driving distance of the beach, take a trip out there on a glorious sunny day.
Make sure you take a cooler box with your favourite drinks and snacks and take a sun lounger if you can.
Visit The Zoo
If you have a zoo close to home, take a trip out there for a visit. Zoos are a great day out, and a well-run zoo with lots of well-looked after animals from all over the world can be an exciting experience.
Go Hiking
If you live within a short drive of the countryside, check out local hiking routes that you may want to go and check out.
Make sure you go well equipped. Wear suitable shoes, take plenty of food and water, a map and a cellphone.
Try and plan your route before you go. You might want to look at taking a circular route which takes you back to the start.
Read A Book
Are you someone that buys books and never gets around to reading them?
Well, now is your chance.
When you’re relaxing at home on your staycation, grab a book or two to read. There is no better time to read than when you are on holiday. You never know, reading at home on your staycation may help you get into the habit of reading.
Take Photos
When you go on holiday, you are creating memories. But just because you are staying at home for this vacation, it doesn’t mean that you should overlook the memories that you are making.
Be sure and take plenty of photos. Whether you are lounging around the pool, sunbathing in in the garden, or enjoying a local beauty spot, photos will help you to look back fondly on your staycation.
Start Planning Your Staycation Now
If you’re thinking of having a staycation this summer, start thinking about what you want to do right now. The earlier you can plan, the better.
Staycations will save you money on your travel, meaning you can indulge in treating yourself to the food and drink that you love most.
One of the other great things about staycations is that because there is no travelling involved, you get to more time to enjoy your holiday than if you had gone away.
What are you doing for your staycation?
