For us, this past spring brought cancellation after cancellation. Small trips Tony and I were looking forward to fell quickly in succession up against shelter in place orders. And all the unknown factors surrounding COVID, has definitely kept us from planning any faraway trips for this summer. So other than trying to squeeze in a possible trip to see family, it looks like we may be staycationing this year.

Anyone else?

Only, we also don’t want to spend the entire time doing things around the house or catching up on our to-do lists. The point of a vacation is to have fun, do new things, and rest. That is why I’ve been thinking about things we’ve done on previous vacations that perhaps we could retro-fit to a staycation. And, I’ve realized that some of these fantastic things, we already love to do. While others, could be fun no matter where you live.

The point of a vacation is to have fun, do new things, and rest.

For this reason, today I am sharing five fun staycation ideas, to help us all thinking through how to spend our vacations this year in a way that can offer us an escape—even if we can’t get away. Check out these ideas, and tweak them to fit you and the people you’re spending time with these days.

Take a Driving Tour

Pick a theme (history, food, nature, etc.), and create your own driving tour of your town or a nearby city. For example, when we went to San Francisco last year, I knew it had some fantastic bakeries. I went online, did a little research, and came up with some tasty stops for croissants, cookies, and bread, as we explored the city (check out the photos here)—but a similar tour could be done in almost all of our towns. Choose something that interests you and become a tourist in your own backyard. 

Recreate a Faraway Place You Love

When Tony and I went to Italy a few years ago, one of the things I loved most was sitting outside after dinner, drinking a glass of wine. The pace of Tuscany invited you to slow down, breath in the fresh air, and enjoy the moment. But—as getting back to Italy isn’t very easy—Tony and I’ve recreated a similar experience by sitting out on our small porch with a glass of an inexpensive Chianti (Melini is one of our favorites). In good weather, we’ll sit out there for a few hours and it is so much more refreshing than watching TV. Other friends we know, have put a fire pit in their backyard or a jacuzzi to try and recreate experiences they’ve had in other places as well. Where would you like to be? And what can you do at home to recreate some of that place?

Make/Take Out Food From Far Off Places

One of the best parts of travel, is eating new and different foods—but that opportunity is open to us all the time, no matter where we live. A couple of years ago, Tony checked out TripAdvisor to find a place for us to go out for dinner, and discovered the number one restaurant in our town was a Puerto Rican place we’d heard nothing about. It was amazing! On other occasions we’ve found delicious recipes online from Italy, India, and Africa, that we can make at home. For example, here are super easy recipes for Naan bread, and our favorite, Chicken Tikka Masala.

Get Outside

Search for new hiking trails, discover the perfect picnic spot, or see if any campgrounds nearby are open. Being outside puts us in a different head space, and gives us a sense of getting away, without actually getting away. Spend a few hours hiking, or bring games and good food, and chill out on a blanket at a local park.

Visit a Local Farm or Farmer’s Market

There isn’t a place in the world where the food is fresher than at a farm. And there isn’t a greater place for a variety of these fresh foods than at the local farmer’s market. Not only that, but they’re great places to get to know the local culture. Every time Tony and I travel, we seek out the local farmer’s market to try different foods and find fun souvenirs. Depending on where you live, there may be a great farm to pick your own fruits. Or, a great farmer’s market that you usually couldn’t get to because of your work hours. If you’re staycationing, find out what those hours are ahead of time, and make it a point to visit.

How are your plans different this summer?

What fun ideas do you have for staycationing?

Taking a Day Trip? Come back on Thursday, as I’m sharing our favorite tips to taking a day trip. 

Feeling a little adrift in this strange, new normal of being at home? Sign up for my email list and get your free copy of my Social Distancing Survival Guide: Everyday Routines. Sign up here.

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash