Dare we say it, but the staycation trend is here to stay! If you’re planning a staycation this summer, here are a few ideas from the Blueprint team to help you make your staycation memorable.
A staycation can’t be just about treating yourself to a few late morning lie-ins and catching up on sleep. To really feel like you’ve had a break, it’s great to try something new. After all, it is said that “a change is as good as a rest”.
Put that notion to the test with these ideas for staycation activities.
#1. Take a hike
Put on your walking shoes and get outside into the fresh air for a day. How many of the local footpaths near your hometown have you explored? Perhaps there are river or canal paths? Or perhaps a long-distance route runs past – or even through – your city?
Or you could try something more bespoke. Treat yourself to a paper map and create your own route through your city or local footpaths. It’s a great way to get some exercise while seeing a new side to the region you call home.
#2. A culinary tour in the comfort of your own home
Teach yourself to cook the delicacies from your favorite vacation location! If you love New Orleans, for example, you could teach yourself how to bake tasty beignets and serve them up with an expertly mixed Hurricane.
Or if you’re dreaming of Paris, learn how to bake croissants and treat yourself to some French champagne to serve up a breakfast mimosa!
Whatever your favorite vacation spot, let it inspire you to master some new skills in the kitchen that will last longer than any trip.
#3. Backyard camping
If you have space in your yard, pitch a tent and spend a night under the stars. Enjoy the camping experience with convenience of being close to your home’s modern conveniences!
Gather some friends, build a campfire and make smores together. Sneak inside to make some decadent hot chocolate to share around. Then, as the night draws late, tell each other creepy ghost stories around the dying embers of the fire – with prizes for the scariest, craziest or silliest story or the one that garners the loudest screams!
#4. Movie night
Take the home entertainment up a notch by creating an outdoor cinema experience in your own backyard with a projector and your pick of your favorite movies.
Find a wall or string up a bed sheet over a washing line to make your screen. Make some big buckets of popcorn, gather together some outside cushions and beanbags and enjoy your favorite films under the stars.
For a full-day event, why not pick a series of movies – like Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings – and have a movie marathon? You can invite friends or family and invite them to dress up as a character from your chosen movies. Why not up the ante and offer movie-themed snacks and drinks?
#5. Be a tourist in your own city
Sometimes we take the places where we live for granted. While you might spend hours of your vacation time travelling to visit local landmarks, art galleries and museums, how often to you visit these places in your own hometown?
A staycation is a brilliant opportunity to remind yourself why you love where you live! Take a bus tour. Visit a museum you’ve never visited before. Explore a local park that is new to you. Or look online to find the hottest new restaurant in town and give it a try!
Your local tourist office can usually provide walking maps for you to take a self-guided tour – who knows, it might be just the thing to discover parts of your city you’ve never seen before. Or look online for local scavenger hunts or treasure hunts for more reasons to step outside your usual paths and explore.
What next?
Read more insights into vacations, staycations and optimizing your work-life balance on our blog: