The great thing about a staycation is that the possibilities are endless! There’s so much you can do – and it ranges from jamming your schedule full of activities to doing absolutely nothing. There’s no right way to have a staycation, the important thing is that you enjoy it. So here are 12 awesome staycation ideas – I’m sure one of them will hit the spot for you and make your staycation epic!
1. DIY House Projects
A great reason to take some time off is to finish (or start) a DIY project around the house. Maybe you have a wall that needs painting, cabinets that need refinished, or gutters that need cleaning. Who wants to spend the limited amount of time they have during the weekend to complete these projects?
Okay, I’m sure you don’t want to spend your vacation time doing these projects either, but sometimes it just needs to be done. And some people actually enjoy spending time fixing and repairing things (I am not one of those people – the bathroom remodel project isn’t even finished yet and it’s been a disaster).
Either way, using a few vacation days to knock some of these things off of your to-do list is a great idea. You may not enjoy it while you’re doing it, but the end result will be worthwhile.
2. Build Your Empire
My main reason for taking a staycation this year was to focus on my side hustles. I got caught up on my blog, made a few videos for Youtube, and fixed a few things on my Twitch channel. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish with this stuff when you actually have the time to put into it.
The thing is though, this stuff is fun for me. I’m not advocating that everyone take time off from their regular jobs to work on their side projects. Although there are people that argue you should be hustling 24/7, I don’t agree with that. There are some folks out there who do it because they have no other choice, and I feel for them. Every person who works full time should be able to sustain themselves without a side hustle, and every waking moment doesn’t need to be dedicated to making money.
However, if you’re like me and enjoy trying to make money from home, it’s one of the best staycation ideas out there.
Gaming Marathon
The first staycation I ever had was for the sole purpose of playing and beating Champions of Norrath. It’s this old school PS2 game that is part of the Everquest series, and the first ever top down action adventure game I ever played.
After I stumbled across it at a garage sale, I decided that I needed to beat it. I got me a bunch of horrible for you munchies, took five days off of work, and parked myself on the couch for an epic gaming marathon.
Five days later, I emerged victorious and ready to return to work.
4. Indulge in Some Self-Care
Many people’s main priority on a staycation is self-care. Work is stressful, and taking time off to care for yourself is paramount.
Self-care looks different for different people. Some people want to go get a relaxing massage, while others want to spend time in a luxurious bubble bath. Still others meditate, practice yoga, or do a plethora of other things that de-stresses and relaxes them. Check out this post for a variety of different self-care ideas. I’m sure you will find something that works for you.
5. Explore Your Local Area
A staycation is a great opportunity to discover hidden gems right in your own backyard. Maybe some new breweries opened nearby, or maybe there are some cool parks or hiking trails just a few miles away.
If you’re lucky enough to live in a large city, there are tons of things you can discover while staying close to home. Check out some museums, visit the local aquarium, see an off-Broadway show. Use the fact that you don’t have to get up early as an excuse to check out the nightlife. Cities off a variety of sightseeing options, and a staycation is a perfect opportunity to explore yours.
6. Take a Few Day Trips
Whether you live near a city or not, a day trip is a perfect combination of staycation and regular vacation. You can explore areas that are about 4 hours away that you don’t have the time to explore when you are working.
I’m super lucky in that NYC, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. are all within a 4-hour drive of me. There are also tons of natural areas, like the Delaware Water Gap and the Poconos that are close enough for a one day road trip.
Wherever you live, I’m sure there is something interesting within a four-hour radius of you. Now is the time to go check it out!
7. Head to A State Park or National Park
State Parks and National Parks offer of ton of variety, and you can probably find one within an hour or two of your house. You can go hiking, kayaking, fishing, and just generally enjoy the great out doors when you visit your local park. Those of you who are lucky enough to live near the coast may even be able to find a state park with a beach! But I guess you can visit other local beaches to get the same atmosphere.
Either way, heading out to the nearest state park is a great way to enjoy nature during your staycation. You can even bring along some food and turn it into a picnic!
8. Try a New Hobby
Another great idea for your staycation is to try a new hobby. Is there something that you’ve always wanted to try? Perhaps you want to pick up a new sport, try something fun like rollerblading, or learn how to grow your own food.
When we are working 40+ hours per week, we don’t normally have time to dive in and try all these new things that we want to try. But when we have a few extra days off, it suddenly feels like we have all the free time in the world!
So take some of that time and give the hobby you’ve always considered a whirl. You may discover a new passion, or you may realize that it’s not your thing. Either way, you’ll be glad you tried it.
9. Reconnect with Friends
This one may be difficult if not everyone had the opportunity to take some time off. But one awesome thing you might be able to do while enjoying your staycation is reconnect with old friends.
We often get so caught up with the mundane necessities of life that we forget to stay in touch with the people who mean the most to us. A few stress-free days off work can clear our calendars and give us that time. Even if they can’t talk for long, the will appreciate the effort that you made to reach out.
10. Redecorate
Another great staycation idea is to give your living space a make-over! Redecorating is a little different than DIY, because in my opinion it takes less construction work. I’m not talking about fixing problems here, I’m talking about rearranging furniture, hanging new curtains, or switching out the seasonal displays.
Redecorating your living space can have an enormous impact on your well-being. This is also a great time to downsize and get rid of stuff that doesn’t bring you joy! This is a staycation idea that can have amazing benefits weeks to months after you return to work.
11. Volunteer
A unique staycation idea is kind of like work – but gives you a greater sense of meaning and accomplishment. That idea is volunteering.
I know, it’s a lot like work. But when you volunteer, you get to help someone, and you get to work for a cause that actually has meaning to you. We often don’t have the time to do things like this when we’re busy working, but taking a few days off from our normal lives can easily create the opportunity.
12. Rest
No list of staycation ideas would be complete without rest! Sometimes, we’re so freaking tired from work that we don’t want to do anything. And I mean that literally.
And that’s okay! Sometimes we need to take time to just sleep in, nap, and catch up on our down time. I never nap, but on the first day of my staycation, I went down at 230 and had the most amazing 1-hour nap of my life. And boy did I need it! Afterwards, I felt way more relaxed and rejuvenated, and was prepared to enjoy the rest of my time at home.
How Do You Make A Good Staycation?
Hopefully, trying out one or two ideas on this list will be enough to make a great staycation. But, attitude plays into it as well. So, in order to ensure your staycation is as amazing as it can be, follow these tips:
- Unplug from your work phone and computer
- Be a little selfish
- Take time to savor what you are doing
- Say no to things you don’t want to do
- Relax
Incorporate these rules into your staycation and it’s guaranteed to leave you relaxed and rejuvenated.
This article originally appeared on PartnersInFire.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
Image Credit: nd3000 / iStock
