How to Make a Staycation Work
The economic instability that many family households experience today put a damper on taking a vacation. A trip to foreign locales was an event that every family member looked forward to. But with the loss of jobs and the plummeting prices of homes, few people can afford a trip abroad. One of the few options available today is through taking a “staycation”.
Simply put, a staycations means staying in or near the home, rather than travel across the world. When done correctly, a staycation can become a fun event and a stress-free way to unwind for the whole family.Staycationshave several advantages than overseas trips.
Ease of Planning
A vacation abroad requires a good deal of planning. Since each member of the family has his or her own agenda, organizing time off so everyone can enjoy taking a trip together can be a nightmare. A staycation doesn't require meticulously planning as it can become a weekend event rather that a three week jaunt. A short trip is easier to plan.
Little to No Travel Costs
While a staycation can include a trip to a nearby village for sightseeing, travel costs are often limited to fuel costs hotel/motel rentals and food expenses. An exotic locale, on the other hand, includes paying for air fare, taxi service, car rentals, food costs and even health care if someone falls ill.
Reestablishing Family Ties
Few members in today's fractured families ever have time to sit down together and discuss problems or share a laugh or two. A stay-at-home vacation helps reestablish family ties. There's no relates stressful activities in having to rush to catch a flights and all the headaches associated with getting through airport security.
More Options
Whether you're looking at hitting an amusement park with rides for the kids or a trip to a local winery to sample exotic wines, there are far more options available than just a trip to the Bahamas. A stay-at-home vacation can be limited to taking a weekend off. You can pack a few bags and stay in a hotel at the the next town to sample cuisine and the attractions offered.
Fun at Home
Playing Scrabble may not be what you look for in a vacation, but your home presents a number of opportunities to make life interesting and fun. You could pitch a huge tent in the backyard, get dressed in a toga and pretend you're a Roman. Use the tent to make weekend themes that the neighbors can engage in. Use some of that saved vacation money to buy some exotic and unusual foods from the places you won't be visiting. Decorate the tent or your home to reflect exotic places.
Bonding Together
Take a weekend to get to know your spouse again. Dine under the stars and dance to romantic melodies in your backyard. You could look forward to a weekend to learn a new hobby instead of just watching television. You and the family could enjoy gardening, cooking or practice Tai Chi if you've never done them before. The point is simply to do activities everyone can share, yet activities that have an element of surprise and fun. You could set up a basement rec room into a theater complete with popcorn and chocolates while you watch and laugh to old movies like Charlie Chaplin or Marx Brothers. Not enough excitement? Take some of those old pillows and have a pillow fight outdoors.
A little imagination can make a staycation far more memorable than a trip to an exotic locale where stress and financial problems ruin whatever fun you might get.
