In this day of tight budgets, some of us cannot afford to take that vacation of our dreams. Memories can still be made with a vacation at home – stay-cations are one of the newest trends. With a bit of simple planning your children will have something to write about when asked to tell all about what they did over the summer.
Vacation at Home
- The first step is to coordinate schedules. Find a time when both you and your spouse can take time off at the same time. It might only be a long weekend, but that’s ok. Make sure it also coordinates with your children’s summer schedules. You will not want to interrupt your vacation at home for a basketball camp or even a doctor’s appointment.
- Next, contact your local chamber of commerce or tourism website to find any local activities happening during your vacation. You might find time to visit a new exhibit at the local museum or even check out the farmer’s market or just walking in the park. You will want to plan something to do as a family each day just as if you were on vacation somewhere. I would plan at least one day for a family day at the pool. There might be a movie debuting at the local theatre that everyone would enjoy. And you can have some good old backyard summer fun, too.
- While we are on vacation, we don’t want to bother with cooking. Stock up on some crepes and juice for a continental breakfast each morning. Now is the time to use up some of those fast food coupons for supper. My town has a website just for places to eat that offer some great discounts. Since you are not spending money on fuel or lodging on this trip it might be fun to check out a restaurant you haven’t tried before. Alternatively, if you have a child with a passion for cooking, why not spend some time cooking up something fun together like this fun breakfast recipe – pig pancakes.
- I would suggest, especially if you have teens, that at some point during your vacation you announce that you are “out of the signal area”. Go device free for a set amount of time. Take the time to actually talk to your children and spouse without the interruption of the cell phone or computer. You might get some protests, but the time you spend together will be worth it!
I think there is some quality fun time to be had this summer. Remember it is not about the money or the destination. With a little advance planning, you will be making memories this summer. Enjoy time with your family!
What are your favorite things to do when you vacation at home?
Updated by Kimberly January 2014
Gas prices are changing many people’s vacations this year. We do not have lots of state parks near our home but we have lots of nice bike paths. We are going to enjoy them this year as my 10 year old can go long distances.
Have a great holiday
Olfa
Great tips! We have done these kinds of things before. In fact, I compiled a list (well, 2 lists now) of fun and cheap things to do over a school break (spring break, summer break, etc.). We’re a road-tripping family, but this year, with gas prices, we won’t be going much of anywhere. We’re planning to visit a different city park every day, many of which will require very little driving to get to. Our city has great walking trails and green space connecting everything, so we’ll have lots of places to walk to and through. Looking forward to it, actually! Not having to run around everywhere or pack for long trips. Sounds nice to me for this year! Thanks for these thoughts today. GOOD stuff!
~ Raylene @ It’s OK to be WEIRD!
I am having fun locating lots of free or nearly free things for my children to do this summer. Have a great summer, Raylene!