How to Plan a Staycation
As the world has seemingly been put on hold, are you missing travel? Like many of us, you probably haven’t been able to take a major trip in close to a year! If you’re anything like me, this is your favorite past-time, and a year seems like a lifetime. You may not be able to fly international or stay at an oceanside resort right now. However, there are still some things you can do to relax and “get away” amidst the stress of the pandemic. Hence my topic of “how to plan a staycation.” In the spirit of keeping travel alive, here is one of several posts going over everything travel and the COVID…
So, you can’t necessarily hop on a plane and visit anywhere you want at the moment, right? Considering there are a lot of restrictions in place still, it might be best to stay at home. Yes, believe it or not, it is possible to vacation at home! This is where a staycation comes in! Do you want to know how to plan a staycation in your own hometown? Keep reading and I will show you!
Accommodation
1) Stay at home
When questioning how to plan a staycation, the most obvious accommodation choice is your own house. The risk of staying home is that it might not feel like a true vacation. There are a few things you can do to make staying at home feel like a real getaway. First and foremost, make sure you take time off work! Secondly, get your “to-do” list done before your staycation begins. This can include deep cleaning your house so you can fully relax during your days off. If you can, hire a house cleaning service afterward so you don’t have to stress about cleaning up after yourself. As far as where to sleep? Change it up! Sleep in the guestroom or you can even camp out in the living room!
2) Rent a local airbnb/vrbo/etc.
At this time, both airbnb and vrbo have recommended their hosts implement COVID cleaning protocols, consistent with CDC guidelines. Before booking, check if the listing notes whether or not they are complying with these cleaning protocols to be safe.
3) Stay at a nearby hotel
Hotel websites should outline their updated cleaning policies and other COVID-related protocols. You can see if they follow through with these procedures by reading recent reviews on google, trip-advisor, or other travel booking sites.
4) Offer to house-sit for a friend, family member, or neighbor who might be away
Perhaps you may even want to house-swap with someone you know! There are also a number of website that allow you to house-swap with a stranger. However, most of these services are currently on hold while COVID is still a threat.
5) Set up camp at the local campground
Don’t have your own camping gear? CruiseAmerica, Outdoorsy, and RVshare are great resources to rent an RV for your staycation! If the weather is nice, you can also check your local outdoor sporting goods store to purchase or rent traditional camping gear.
Activities
1) Relax and indulge
A spa day is always a good idea when you’re on vacation! A Swedish massage, a mani/pedi, or a facial would be a great start to your staycation. When traveling, I always love visiting local coffee shops and bakeries to get a true feel of the destination. You’ve likely sampled products from many shops and bakeries near home. But there has to be at least one within a ten-mile radius that you have yet to visit. What about a nearby town or city that you’ve never been? Surely there are some shops, cafes, or bookstores you can check out. It will really seem as if you are in a new place!
2) Entertainment
Unfortunately, a lot of the entertainment industry had to temporarily close down due to the pandemic. Typically, you may want to go to the movie theater, an amusement park, a bowling alley, or a sports game. These may no longer be an option for you during this time. However, there are some places that have chosen to reopen with new social distancing guidelines. Escape rooms, casinos, bars, cooking classes, paint nights, fitness classes, and museums might be open (with modifications) near you. A google search of “things to do near me,” can help you narrow down activities for your staycation! Check the website to see what the business has chosen to do regarding reopening during COVID. Also, make sure you check out Groupon, Living Social, or similar sites for deals and discounts in your area.
3) Explore the outdoors
When thinking about how to plan a staycation, start with something simple: find a new street or neighborhood to take a nice long walk down. Is it warm outside where you are right now? Do you live near a body of water? Try renting a kayak or paddleboard! There is likely a state or county park, perhaps even a wildlife refuge, within an hour’s drive from where you live. Check google maps and explore. Go for a hike and have a picnic.
4) Volunteer
Volunteering may not seem like something you do on a vacation, but this is not your normal vacation is it? For a staycation you’ll want to do something that is different from how you normally spend your time. If you haven’t done much community service recently, this may be how you’d like to spend your time. Not to mention, a lot of people are in need right now! It always surprises me how rewarding volunteering can be. Perhaps you would like to purchase canned goods to donate to a local food pantry. Maybe you can go through your clothing and select items to give to a homeless shelter or Salvation Army. With COVID numbers rising, it might be appreciated if you were to send cards out to hospitals or nursing homes.
Food
1) Eat out at a new restaurant
There has to be at least one nearby you haven’t tried yet, right? Perhaps there is that one restaurant you’ve only been to once or twice for a special occasion. Now might a good time to go out and dress up for no reason at all!
2) Order take out from that place you keep saying you want to try
See above about that restaurant you’ve never tried before, except you would be ordering out instead of eating in 🙂
3) Cook up a new recipe
If you normally cook your meals, try amping it up a bit. Attempt that recipe that scares you just a little bit. Maybe you can cook up a five-course meal or try a cooking technique you’ve never used before. If you normally eat out, try out cooking, even if it’s for the first time! There are plenty of easy recipes for beginners out there. You can also look up YouTube tutorials that will walk you through cooking a meal step-by-step.
4) Sample a new cuisine
Whether you choose to cook, eat out, or take out during your staycation you should devote one meal to sampling new cuisine. It might be a bit out of your comfort zone, but who knows? You may just discover a new favorite meal.
Do you need help planning a staycation where you live? I would love to help you discover how to plan a staycation! See my contact page for my email and social media info. Hope to hear from you soon!
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travelswithkayy@gmail.com
Owner and creator of Travels with Kayy. Travel blogger and adventure enthusiast, creating content to inspire and help fellow travelers plan amazing itineraries and explore all the corners of the earth!
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