Well, you might need to consider a staycation.  This is the latest term for a stay-at-home vacation.  Isn’t it nifty?

With proper planning and an open mind, a staycation can be relaxing and enjoyable.  It might be just what the doctor ordered for the recreation and rejuvenation you need!

Here are ten articles to help you properly plan your staycation

The key to a fantastic staycation is to put a little forethought into it.  You need to plan it just like you would a vacation away from home.

Fortunately, several authors (including me) have already done a lot of the work for you.  We have written some terrific staycation articles that will cut your research time in half.

Here’s everything you need to know to have a wonderful staycation!

1.  Convincing your family a staycation is the right thing to do

Last year when gas prices were so high, I wrote Beat High Gas Prices This Summer With A Staycation.  In that article, I detailed how a hometown vacation could not only save you money, but could also be more relaxing than a traditional vacation.

Well, gas prices have gone down, but the need to conserve our money and to chill out are probably even more desirable now than a year ago.  The benefits I offer should make a staycation very attractive to even the most seasoned traveler.

2.  A staycation can even be a good choice for teens on spring break

Our teens may have to stay a little closer to home this year for spring break.  Family budgets are tight so, airfare may be out of the question.  Fortunately, this article offers 10 At-home Spring Break Activities That Can Turn Blah to Fun.

Honestly, some of the suggestions in this article appeal to me too!  They are a little more on the adventurous side.  In fact, your teens might gain a whole new respect for their local area after you help them use these ideas to plan a spring break staycation!

3.  College students can even enjoy a spring break staycation

Cancun and Fort Lauderdale might be a little quieter this year.  However, lack of funds is no excuse for co-ed boredom.  Yes, even college students can plan themselves a great time while staying close to home or the university.

In Staycation, All I Ever Wanted: 10 Ideas for Your Spring Break at Home, Emily offers some terrific ideas like hosting a dinner party and having a weeklong film festival as ways to recuperate during the week without classes.

4.  Got preschoolers?  You can still enjoy a successful staycation

Let’s face it, preschoolers can be a challenge on any vacation.  They can be cute, cuddly and loving one minute and holy terrors the next. 

Have you ever experienced the frustration and embarrassment when your toddler has a meltdown in a restaurant or other public place?  If you have a child under five, then chances are you have.

Well, Simple Mom says a staycation can still be fun even with a preschooler.  In Maximize Your Staycation With Preschoolers, she offers some tips you absolutely should read to ensure your time away from work is the pleasurable and relaxing time you desire!

5.  Staycation fun for school-aged children

Okay, we’ve covered the teens, college co-eds and preschoolers.  What about school-aged children?  Well, in Frugal Living: “Family Fun Staycations”, you’ll find all kinds of fabulous ideas to entertain your students during their free time.

This article offers suggestions on everything from fun web sites to theme days.  You can pack a week with back-to-back activities with what you’ll find here.  It will save you from hearing the dreaded, “I’m bored” during the break!

6.  Still need more ideas for things to do on a staycation?

I hope you’re not superstitious because Debbie offers us 13 things to do on a staycation.  The only thing that will doom your alternative vacation is not reading this article!

This list of fantastic fun will help keep you out of your normal routine and on track to rediscover all the recreation available just minutes from you home!

7.  Enjoy the outdoors?  This will set your staycation on the right path

For most of us, there are a ton of great adventures to be found just around the corner from our homes.  Our local state parks and recreation areas are super places to unwind and reawaken the Grizzly Adams in us all.

Sound inviting?  Well, this article will provide you with excellent tips for getting the most from an outdoor staycation.  I love the suggestion to go geocaching or take a hike!

8.  Staycations aren’t just fun, they are also green!

A staycation is not only inexpensive and fun, it can be eco-friendly as well!  Staying close to home can have a lower impact on the environment.  For instance, it preserves fossil fuels and reduces pollution.

How to Take a Money-saving Eco-friendly Staycation gives us tips on vacationing at-home and being green at the same time.

9.  What about the food?  Good meals make a staycation great!

I love eating new and interesting foods when I travel.  Well, fortunately you don’t have to sacrifice the culinary experience when you choose a staycation this year!

Here are some tropical recipes to spice up your staycation.  This article includes ideas for complete exotic meals.  You can learn to make everything from Caribbean salsa to Acapulco Chicken!  No duds for your taste buds here.

10.  A big list of ways to enjoy yourself to wrap things up

The simple pleasures in life are the best!  Marc and Angel offer us 101 Dirt Cheap Ways to Enjoy Yourself.  This one isn’t exclusively about staycations, but it certainly provides things to do that fit very nicely with the concept.

You are sure to discover some things that would have never otherwise crossed your mind in this fantastic list.

A staycation can be a fun-filled time for the whole family!

Even if you were skeptical at first, I hope you can know see all the possibilities that a staycation holds.  Who knows?  It might turn out to be the best time you’ve had with the whole family in a good long while!

Have you tried a staycation?  What was your experience?

Photo by Thunderchild tm

School is out and summer vacation is upon us.  So, now that it is here, what do you do with the kids?  Gas prices are officially averaging over $4.00 per gallon and it seems that the cost of everything has gone up.  As a result, you may be looking for less expensive forms of entertainment.  A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about staycations as an alternative to traveling this summer, but what options exist for keeping your children from driving you crazy on a day-to-day basis over summer vacation?

The old-fashioned way of thinking about summer.

At my house, we have decided to have an old-fashioned summer vacation.  What does this mean?  Well, it is really more of a mindset than anything.  We are choosing to slow down and enjoy the simpler things in life.  We want to teach our kids to savor the good things.  We hope they’ll learn that shopping at the mall is not recreation.  Besides, it isn’t usually the expensive or luxury items that make us happy anyway.  It is the simple things.  Its things like:

1. Buying a snow cone on a hot summer day
2. Eating ice-cold watermelon outside where you can spit the seeds on the ground
3. Getting a treat from the ice cream truck as it passes through your neighborhood
4. Running through the sprinkler in the backyard screaming all the way
5. Spending a whole day swimming at the local lake
6. Having a picnic in the shade at your favorite park as a family
7. Playing in the rain and splashing in the puddles
8. Buying fresh peaches at a farmer’s market and eating them right away
9. Having a sleepover with your best friend where you try to stay up all night
10. Seeing who can blow the biggest bubble gum bubble
11. Laying on the ground and watching the clouds pass over
12. Going to a Little League baseball game and listening to all the sounds
13. Riding bikes on the trail alongside the river
14. Going for a lazy walk in the evening after it cools down
15. Pouring sand over your feet to cover them up in the sandbox
16. Making mudpies with sticks and leaves and grass for garnishments
17. Setting up a tent and camping in the backyard
18. Going swimming in a creek where the water is ice cold
19. Learning to ride your bike with your dad’s help
20. Going to grandma’s house where everything is better
21. Playing a board game in the air-conditioned house
22. Going fishing at the pond
23. Playing fetch with the best dog you’ll ever have
24. Hunting crawdads to see who can catch the biggest one
25. Playing hide-and-seek or kick-the-can outside

Make your summer vacation more fun the old-fashion way.

Don’t get caught up in the crazy way that others spend their summer.  Many rush from one activity to another without ever really soaking up the real pleasures of summer.  Try a few of the things from the list above without feeling the need to hurry to the next thing.  Your kids will thank you for it!

Photos by magnusfranklin and Nagyman

High gas prices may make people consider alternative stay-at-home vacations or staycations this summer. The average price for a gallon of gas in the United States is up again this morning according to AAA. The national average for a gallon of unleaded is $3.95. This combined with a 15-year low consumer confidence index makes the idea of a staycation very attractive.

Why we should consider a staycation.

There are a number of benefits to staying close to home with a staycation this summer. I’m a big fan of traveling. I like to get out and see the world. However, I am also practical and this year it just doesn’t make much sense to go very far on vacation. After all, what is the goal of a vacation in the first place? It is to relax, unwind and have a little fun. A staycation will give you more bang for your buck because you will be spending less. Spending less will allow you to relax more. Plus, there is plenty of fun to be had close to home. More on that in a minute, but first lets look more closely at how a staycation can save us some money.

Ways a staycation will save money.

There are a number of ways that we can save money on a staycation versus the traditional vacation. Here are a few that come to mind:

1. Less gasoline. A full tank of gas in the typical passenger car with about a 12-gallon capacity will run you almost $50. These cars usually get about 25 miles to the gallon on the highway. This means that if you travel just 500 miles to your vacation destination, you will spend over $150 on gasoline alone for a round-trip.
2. No hotel. If you stay at home, you will not need a hotel room. Last summer, USA Today reported that the average cost of a hotel room in the United States topped $100 a night. With fewer people traveling, it might be possible to negotiate a better rate, but for the sake of argument let’s use $100 per night for a hotel room. If you stay five nights, you’ll spend $500 for a hotel and then you have to tack on taxes and fees.
3. No airfare. If you aren’t driving to your vacation destination, then you will likely be flying. Of course, the cost of fuel has also made the price of airline tickets go up as well. In fact, they have risen 10% in the last year. A stay-at-home vacation eliminates this cost all together.
4. Less eating out. Restaurants are expensive. A staycation will give you the opportunity to eat at home at least some of the days during your time off. This will help to save additional funds.

Ways a staycation is more relaxing.

A staycation can also be more relaxing. There is a lot less preparation time required when going on a staycation. It seems that we are practically worn out before we ever leave to go on a trip from all that has to be done beforehand. If you stay at home, you won’t have to do many of these things. Here’s a few things you won’t have to worry about going on a staycation:

1. No packing. You can relax because you won’t have to worry about what you’re forgetting to pack. Packing can be a time-consuming and stressful event when you are doing it for a family of four. Why bother?
2. No travel time. Why spend all that time in the car? With a staycation you get more time to actually be on vacation instead of traveling to and from your destination. Flying? Don’t even get me started on airports!
3. No maps or getting lost. Since you are already familiar with your local area, you won’t waste so much time figuring out how to get to where you want to go. Think about it. No maps and no getting lost! This could save you from a fight or two with your spouse as well. The peace you will enjoy will definitely be worth it.
4. More time for fun. This all adds up to more time for fun. Why not spend your vacation doing what you’ll enjoy instead of packing, traveling, and fighting about how you got so lost? A staycation is a great option!

Things to do on a staycation.

Your first reaction to the idea of a staycation may be that there won’t be anything to do. It is true that when you travel to a new destination, it is exciting exploring all the new sights to see. However, I think this has a lot to do with attitude. How many times have you asked a local about a museum or other attraction only to hear them say that they’ve never been? It happens all the time. In most cases, we haven’t fully explored our own backyards. So, why not start this summer? Here are some ideas of things to do on a staycation.

1. Spend a day at the spa.
2. Visit local museums.
3. Go to the zoo.
4. Have a long leisurely lunch on the patio.
5. Take a day trip to a nearby town or city.
6. Go to the movies.
7. Visit an aquarium.
8. Go to the best steak house in town.
9. Have a day of fun at a local amusement park.
10. Go camping.
11. Attend a sporting event.
12. Take the kids to the swimming pool.
13. Go to the park and play.
14. Rent that movie you missed at the theater.
15. Spend a day at the lake.
16. Have a picnic.
17. Build a campfire for roasting hotdogs and marshmallows.
18. Go to a local festival.
19. Visit a local garden.
20. Take a nap in a hammock or lounge chair.
21. Go for drinks with friends.
22. Catch up on reading the newspaper at Starbucks.
23. Go to a water park.
24. Go fishing.
25. Read a book or your favorite magazine.

Save money and have more fun on a staycation.

Staycations are a great way to relax and have more fun on vacation this summer without spending a fortune. Why pay $4.00 per gallon of gas when you can stay close to home and get more enjoyment from your time off? Please leave a comment and let me know how you plan to spend your summer!

Photo by Lin Pernille ? Photography