Need Staycation ideas?

Here’s the ultimate list of Staycation ideas and things to do

Do you desperately need a break, or just want to escape and chill, but don’t have much time or $ to do it?

A staycation may be just the ticket for you! It could be an opportunity to be a tourist in your home town or country, or it could be as simple as enjoying being at home, but taking a break from normal home responsibilities.  Here are some great ideas to help you plan your perfect staycation.

So – just what is a staycation?

A staycation is a vacation at home. But it’s different to just ‘being home’. To make it an experience that relaxes and rejuvenates you, it needs to expose and offer you those same experiences you look for and enjoy when traveling on vacation.

And just like a normal vacation, a staycation requires a little planning, to make it the best.

The most important part of your planning, is deciding what it is that would offer you the break you’re yearning for? If you travel for a job, it could be that staycationing at home is your thing. If you work from home, it could be that getting away for a couple of nights for a change of scene is what you need. How do you relax and recharge? Is that a spa date, a day exploring a new city, or an outdoor adventure?

But wait – there’s one more key factor – you need a budget. My personal view is that you should never go into debt to go on a vacation. And you always need a budget – although this can sound constricting, once you’ve set it, you’ll actually see it makes decision making easier. You can plan spending that money. Believe it or not, there are plenty of great ‘savers’ out there who struggle to spend. Allocating a budget is also great for these people – your budget gives you permission to spend.

The absolute winner of your budget though, is when you return from your staycation. There’ll be no new stresses about paying for that staycation.

Once you determine what you want to achieve from your break, and your budget, then you’ll be able to plan your perfect staycation.

Whatever it is that floats your boat, I’ve got some ideas below to help make it the best staycation ever.

The Stay at Home Staycation – Staycation Ideas

This is the perfect staycation idea for someone who travels for work, or if perhaps you don’t have a lot of $ to spare just at the moment. If I’ve been traveling a lot, I get a huge amount of pleasure in being home, pottering in my garden, doing housework, or ticking off a bigger diy home project.

Here’s some ideas to spark your own ‘home stay’;

• Disconnect. With the increased demand on ourselves from the ‘life on our phones’ what can offer you the best respite from daily life, is to simply turn your phone off. Let your contacts know you’re on vacation, and unavailable until your return. Don’t be tempted to jump on FB or insta, or any of the other time sucking portals. Take a break – you really will feel amazing for it.
• Blob! Maybe you need time to just blob? Watch some movies, or binge watch a series on netflix. This is a perfect mid-winter staycation.
• Break out the cards and board games. These are summer holiday essentials for us, so bringing them into your staycation routine will bring those same summer vibes to the fore.
• Pack a picnic Take a picnic to your local park or beach. There’s something about sitting on a blanket on the grass that just screams relaxation.
• Tick off a ‘to do list item’ If you’ve got things that need doing around your house, maybe this is the perfect time to get one of them done. Knowing there’s a list can be a ‘flea in your ear’ so use this time off to tick an item off. When you head back to work, you’ll be more relaxed, because you’ll know that job is done.
• Plant something. If you’ve not yet tried gardening, you may not be aware of the incredible pleasure that’s gained from eating something YOU grew. It can be as simple as a pot of parsley on your window sill. Start with this, and build up as time and space allow. Gardening is good for the soul.
• Create something Just like gardening, working with your hands and creating something is a great personal therapy. Is there anything you’ve wanted to try? Now could be the time. See if there’s a class in your area you can attend. ie. cardmaking, scrapbooking, knitting, mosaics, painting.
• Book a cleaner Taking a break from your normal responsibilities is important. Book a cleaner to come in at the end of your staycation. How great will it feel not having to clean the house before you head back to work.
• Connect with friends In today’s busy world, getting together and really spending time with our friends often just doesn’t happen. All of our connections are online. Your staycation time is the perfect time to make a date to catch up. Invite them over, or arrange to meet somewhere for a meal. Try somewhere new!

Be a tourist in your own home town – Staycation ideas

This is a staycation idea that is often overlooked.  How well do you know the city you live in? Isn’t it funny how often a local will negatively label something as ‘touristy’, yet they’ve never done it themselves?! Key tourist activities become these because they’re often some of the best, most unique things to see and do in your town. If you haven’t done them, you could be missing out.

Here’s some ideas for exploring your home town;

• Search what are the top tourists to do in your own. If you’re on Instagram, use the search function and #yourhometown or #yourhometownmustdo and see what comes up. This will give you an idea of what tourists see and love in your city. You can also check with your local tourist bureau or chamber of commerce. And let’s not forget the good old google search. What could you do/see that you haven’t yet?
• Do a city walking tour. Many cities have free walking tours – these are a great way to learn a little more about your city, and see a side of it I bet you haven’t before
• Book a getaway in your home town. If you live in the suburbs, maybe book a night at an inner city hotel. It’s just like going ‘somewhere’, without the time & traffic hassles. It could be a great way to explore your city through the day, and into the evening. If you’re flexible on what day it is, check with the hotel directly on their rates – often a Sunday night can be cheaper than others.
• Do something different! Step out of your comfort zone, and do something out of the ordinary for you. Whether that’s going to the theatre, or going for a bush walk, changing the norm is always a great way to re-energise.
• Explore a different suburb – we tend to stick to our own backyard. Book lunch or dinner in a part of your city you don’t normally go to. Arrive early and go for a walk around the neighborhood first.

Get out of town! – Staycation ideas

In NZ years ago, our tourist bureau had a saying “Don’t leave town ’till you’ve seen your country”. It was designed to encourage kiwis to view travelling their own country as excitedly as they view heading overseas. It’s a great sentiment. And when you’ve only got a small budget (whether that’s time or $), it just makes sense to go explore another part of your country.

What’s more, there’s another ton of advantages of doing this. You don’t need to worry about;

• currency
• language
• passport
• culture

This option is way less stressful, and much more cost effective Perhaps you can drive to your destination, or try a local transport option for a change.

Use the same search options as above to search for the best things to do.

It is amazing how relaxed you can feel after just a couple of days away. I did just this a week ago. The photo below is from the deck of our AirBNB. How could you not relax when waking to this?  It was a short flight down country, and we used Transfer Car to get a car for ‘free’.  (Google ‘relocation car’ to find a similar service.)

Whether you’re staycationing at home, in your own city, or your own country, you will be amazed at how rejuvenating it is to take just a couple of days off.  Staycationing is always a good idea, that requires just a little bit of planning to make it an ideal break and re-charge for you.

PIN this now so you know just where to come back to when you’re planning your Staycation.

Have any other ideas to add to the list?  Comment below, I’d love to hear them, and will add any goodies in!