Many people plan to take vacations at the end of the year. But with current events and everything, you may not have enough money to afford a vacation. However, you have an alternative of taking a staycation where you don’t travel too far off from home but still get to experience the perks of vacation. Whether you decide to stay in your home area or visit a nearby city, the goal of a staycation is to enjoy a break from your daily life. A staycation will cost you less than a typical vacation. Here are tips to ensure you have the best staycation ever.
Plan and prepare well
When making plans for vacations, you research places to visit, things to do, and the like; you even check places you’re going, recheck and confirm reservations at hotels and also pack everything you might need while on vacation. Well, it’s also essential to do the same if you are going on a staycation.
Plan where you will be staying, restaurants you will eat if you will visit hotel indigo, confirm your reservations and everything so that you don’t run into any confusion, disappointments, or delays. Pick places you would like to visit in that area. You don’t have to have a minute-by-minute schedule but a rough idea of how you want your staycation days to look like.
Remember you don’t have to have a busy day going out and about you can even plan for relaxing days where you stay in the hotel, go to the spa or spend your day swimming or by the beach. Work with what you enjoy doing. A staycation is supposed to be fun and relaxing, not moving from one busy schedule to another.
Make your staycation longer, not just a weekend.
Most people make the mistake of planning a staycation on the weekend only. It is not much you can do for only two days. You’ll end up rushing your stay and feeling overwhelmed, which beats the reason for your staycation in the first place.
If you can take a week or two off from work and go out and have an awesome staycation where you can relax and do the same things you would on a typical vacation. If you can’t get a week, at least make your weekend a bit longer by adding two or three days that way, you can have a staycation to remember.
Do the same things you would do if you were on vacation
What are some things you normally do when you go on vacation that you don’t do at home? is it going out, eating out, or spending your day shopping?
Think about the little things you usually do and do them. If you take bubble baths on vacations, do it. If you eat everything, do that too. Remember also to take photos of those beautiful moments you have on your staycation. Live a little it’s the little things that matter and make it worth it.
Incorporating some of these activities into your staycation schedule will give your staycation that vacation spirit. Doing this lets your mind relax, and your body acts like you are on vacation far away from home. The change in scenery and routine is what will make your staycation a time to remember.
Do the same things a tourist would
Do you know that you have sometimes lived in a city for a long time and you’ve never visited some of the tourist attractions that attract people to your town? Your city may have theme parks, museums, historic buildings, a zoo, etc., but your every day to day life commuting to and from work, you get used to that routine and never have time to visit some of these beautiful sites that may be near your home.
Well, taking a staycation is the perfect opportunity to explore some of these spots in your city that you’ve never visited. Look for the famous tourist spots as well as some of the overlooked places and visit them. Some places also do virtual tours, giving the same amazing experience as if you were there. You can do the virtual tour from the comfort of your hotel room.
Don’t forget some of the outdoor attractions as well. If there are beaches around, visit some and partake in some activities, go hiking or even camping, take a biking adventure around your city. There are so many options for you to explore. You have to find the right one that fits your likes.
Set your budget
Now that you have decided you are going for your staycation, it’s time to make a budget. If you plan the amount of money you can spend on the staycation, ensure you stick to it. If you plan to eat, ensure you write it down in your budget, including the prices. List down the activities you wish to do on the staycation. Are you going hiking, kayaking, spa day? Ensure you find out how much these activities will cost and put that down as well. If a 5 star hotel is out of your budget, head to a site like Break Free Holidays where you’ll find a brilliant range of holiday parks across the UK – perfect if you fancy a seaside break.
A staycation is supposed to be relaxing and fun, not a time you are worrying if you have enough money for stuff. If you make a plan, you can enjoy your time out. Don’t spend more than what you have. This is supposed to be a budget-friendly affair.
Stay away from social media.
Most people go on vacation to unplug from the usual routine; why don’t you do that when on your staycation. Stay away from the tv and social media. Take your phone for important calls and emergencies but don’t spend time scrolling your social media pages. The aim of the staycation is to relax and unwind from your busy life.
Make your staycation as fun as possible, incorporate numerous activities, read a book so that you don’t have that temptation to reach out to your phone to check what’s happening on social media. It’s okay to post a few pictures here and there if that’s how you roll on vacation. But don’t get caught up and engage with people online. You can do that when you get back from your staycation.
