Saturday, June 6, 2009

Vacation Planning for a "Staycation"

If the word "vacation" makes you think of the kids saying, "Are we there yet?", maybe its time to do a staycation. This can be a less stressful & economical friendly way to spend your vacation time.
You really don't have to leave home to have a great vacation. You will be more rested plus have more money in your pocket. Finding great activities & places to visit that aren't overrun with tourists is the key to a relaxing time.
You should still prepare for a staycation. Pick a beginning time & an end date. When "vacation" starts go into vacation mode & forget home chores that can be put off till later. Also plan on how much you can spend & stay within that budget.
Find the off-the-beaten track things to do: One day antique sales or look in your yellow pages for antique auctions in your area (believe me they are addicting), check for local high school or college plays, and garden shows. Check out the State Parks, they have activities for kids throughout the summer. Go mining...find the gold or gem mines in your area & go panning for treasure.
To make it really feel like a vacation invite out of town family or friends for a visit. Having them there will get you out of your normal routine & you may do things that you normally wouldn't do. If it is in your budget stay at a local hotel for a couple of nights to totally get away from the daily grind.
Charge up your digital camera but try & leave the cell phone & computer off limits during your vacation. I know this can be hard...I am addicted to my computer. Also many attractions are cheaper in the middle of the week plus there are less crowds than on the weekends.
If you know you will be home all summer consider buying a season pass or memberships to places like zoos, aquariums, & museums. If you are in the Atlanta area check out The Georgia Aquarium, it is the largest one in the world. Remember to bring your vacation to an end otherwise you may go over your budget.
Plan a last night event with fireworks or organize your photos & start planning your next vacation. With less stress & less expense you may fall in love with the idea of staycations & never leave home again!

1 comment:

  1. I totally agree! Staycations are sometimes the best solution! Coming from a Homeschool background myself (I was home-schooled all twelve years) We would camp a lot as a family for a more economical answer, this also allowed us to travel with my dad and school at the campsite!!!

    ReplyDelete