A staycation – the idea of taking off time from work to stay right where you live – rather than a vacation, has grown in popularity over the years. A staycation can mean staying in your own home, or just staying in the local area where you live instead of traveling out of state or internationally. Usually, staycations are pretty easy to plan since you’re generally the expert on your own neighborhood and happenings, and you don’t have to worry about booking a non-stop day with activities planned back-to-back. The best staycations for families are planned with leisure in mind, and are usually well-received and anticipated by kids since they’re already in a place that is comfortable and familiar so they can just focus on having fun.
Other benefits include little to no time being lost by traveling, and the stress from being stuck in traffic is nonexistent. Staycation ideas are also inexpensive and help you catch up on activities or adventures locally you’ve been putting off for years (like going to the aquarium, a local water park, the science center, or just hitting the bowling alley!).
There is really nothing better than a getaway without actually having to get away too far. We have some great family-friendly staycation ideas to keep your adventures fun and exciting, even when they’re close to home:
Go camping in the backyard as a family: We shared our tips on successful backyard camping on the blog, with a checklist of everything you might need to make it a hit with the kids.
Take a train ride to the next town: Even a train ride from the Kiddie Academy headquarters near Baltimore, Md. to Capitol Hill in Washington DC can offer a big change in scenery without going too far. Staying at the next town or city over can also expose your family to other new adventures, museums and events you don’t get to take part in regularly.
Do a house swap. Swap houses with another family who lives in a different neighborhood and keep all the conveniences of home on hand – at someone else’s abode. If you live in the country, swap with someone who lives in the city.
Rent a hotel room: For rural dwellers, renting a hotel room in the city can open your eyes to the fast-paced excitement and activities happening downtown. For city kids, renting some time at a bed and breakfast in the country can offer more room to play and run than they might be used to at home.
The trick to enjoying a staycation as a family is to deviate from your regular (potentially mundane) at-home activities to truly embrace the vacation mindset of relaxing, holding off on family chores and projects and finding the fun close to home.
