By Catherine Tu
Sure, vacations are fun. They let you relax and spend quality time with the family in a different, exciting atmosphere. However, they can also be stressful, as they require a lot of preparation, and they can also be expensive. Staycations, or vacations taken at home or near to home, are a great alternative, as they provide a break for the family while saving time, energy, and money.
1) Camping out in the backyard is a great way to feel like you’ve left home and experience a new adventure while staying close to the comfort of home. Parents can create many camp-related activities that the family can do while camping outside: creating a fire, making s’mores, and telling ghost stories.
2) Having an indoor picnic is great for a staycay as well as for rainy days. It’ll be fun for the kids because it’s a change from the usual sitting down at the dining table or kitchen counter. Place a picnic blanket on the ground of an area big enough for the picnic and place prepared food on the picnic area. Make sure to have a board game or some other activity to keep the family occupied, in case conversation dies out. Be sure to have a dessert to finish off a fun and delicious picnic!
3) Try touring the city you live in. Your town may seem dull and you may think you’ve seen every inch of it, but if you open your eyes, you could find something intriguing. Look for historic sites or try restaurants you’ve never tried before in your town. It could be very likely that after you search around, your town won’t seem very boring anymore!
4) Set up a scavenger hunt for the kids. You can place items or people at various locations nearby, print out a list of them, and set the kids loose to find them. If you’re afraid for their safety or if your scavenger hunt makes it that you can’t see your kids at all times, you can have an adult accompany them as they search for treasure. Whoever finds all the things wins.
5) Have a movie night at home. You can rent movies or borrow one from the local library and let the family watch it. You can prepare some snacks usually sold at the movie concession stand like popcorn, soda, and chips, though these snacks are bad for your health. If you would like healthier alternatives, you can set out trail mix, dried fruit, juices, and fruit chunks.
With these ideas, you can have a cheap hometown vacation. Perhaps you’ll even consider “home” a fun vacation spot!
