Summertime Staycations

A Way to Have Vacation Fun on the Cheap

May 15, 2009 Kelley Huston

A great idea for summer fun is a staycation, a vacation in your own hometown.

Staycations are vacations without travel. Follow these steps and have a great family holiday without spending much money.

Plan the Staycation

The first step to planning a vacation or staycation is to find stuff to do. Visit or call the chamber of commerce in your local area. They can give you information on things to do in your area. Once all the information of things to do has been gathered, the family should sit down and plan which things they would like to do. Reservations should be made at any of the attractions requiring reservations.

Lodging or Home Is Where to Stay

The family's lodging will be in their own home. A check-in desk could be set up and each family member could check into their room. The rooms should have do not disturb signs available. A schedule of events should also be left in each room to remind family members what will occur.

Another fun way to do the lodging during a staycation is to camp out in the backyard. A tent can be pitched and the barbeque grill becomes a campfire. The family can roast marshmallows, make s'mores, and even tell ghost stories all in their own backyard.

Dining in the House or Around the Town

When planning the staycation a menu should be set up. This is the time for parents to let the kids choose the menu for one night. If a meal isn't exactly completely balanced, it's okay because often on vacation meals are not exactly like what families eat at home. Planning a fun meal during hiking is another chose.

Another idea for dining during a staycation is to try some local restaurants. Perhaps there are new dining places in the area the family would like to try. Families should check out the different meal offerings in their area.

Room service is a fun event to try when staying in a hotel. Each night of the staycation one family member could be responsible for the morning breakfast room service. The room service menus are delivered to the rooms the night before with instructions to hand on the doorknob for delivery in the morning. Each family member sets up the room service menu based on what he or she is comfortable preparing.

Enjoy the Staycation

The plans are made, the lodging and food decided on so the only thing left to do is to enjoy the staycation. Family members should avoid the television and computer. The main idea is to spend an enjoyable time together on the cheap.

The copyright of the article Summertime Staycations in Family Travel is owned by Kelley Huston. Permission to republish Summertime Staycations in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Tent Camping