Stay, Play, Slay: Hot Staycation Ideas

As winter comes to an end and we start moving into spring, we inevitably start thinking about summer and vacation time. But when summer feels far away, what are we to do? Maybe you don't have time to plan a whole family getaway, but you still want to take a break this spring.

Enter the staycation. A staycation is the perfect way to keep yourself sane in those months before your traditional vacation. And staycation ideas are also a wonderful way to get more familiar with your own town. You can check out places you've always meant to go, or take yourself to local restaurants and even local tourist attractions.

Keep reading for 6 of our favorite fun staycation ideas for the whole family and couples staycation ideas that are easy, cheap, and romantic.

What is a Staycation?

A staycation is a mini vacation that you take in your local area. Some staycation ideas can be as simple as taking a mental health day off work to stay home and pamper yourself. Or you could take a day trip up to a local tourist site or spend a weekend at a bed and breakfast in the next town over.

The main purpose of a staycation is to be fun, easy, and relaxing, so staycation ideas should be simple and take advantage of local places. Since your staycation may only be a day or two, your staycation ideas shouldn't take a lot of planning or effort.

6 Creative Staycation Ideas to Escape the Noise

Here are our best staycation ideas for families, and our favorite romantic staycation ideas for couples.

Fun Scavenger Hunt at a Local Park

A scavenger hunt is a fun way to get the whole family out of the house and into the sunshine. You can even get other families involved or make it a community event! To cut back on the planning, consider having each family member contribute a clue or an item to be found.

Expand the hunt by including more locations in your town, or make it smaller by hosting it in your own backyard. If you live in a major city, include local tourist attractions and make it a point to go and check them out if you've never taken the time to visit them before.

Check Out a Local Museum or Attraction

If you have kids, a fun kid-themed museum is a great staycation that can be done in a single day. For couples staycation ideas, why not find out if any local museums have special events or exhibits coming up? Many local attractions and museums host wine-tasting, classes, romantic dinner events, or even their own film festival screenings.

Staycation ideas can be a great way to get out and do something you wouldn't normally do - whether that's a cooking class or simply checking out new restaurants.

Local Spa Day

Treat yourself to a spa day! When you're burned out from work and need a relaxing afternoon, a local spa day is just what the doctor ordered. If you can afford it, turn it into a spa weekend at a local hotel or resort in your own city. You might be surprised to learn that many hotels offer steep discounts during their off-seasons, and many also offer discounts to locals.

Don't have a spa near you? Turn your house into a spa! Invite a friend over, trade mani/pedis, slice up some cucumbers, get some ice water going, and spend the afternoon relaxing. (This staycation idea also works great for Galentine's Day!)

Food Tour

Put together a food tour of neighborhood farmer's markets, or the new restaurants in your city (or perhaps just restaurants you've been meaning to visit.) This staycation idea is great because you can do it every weekend! Invite other families and pick kid-friendly restaurants one weekend, then take just your significant other on a romantic food tour next weekend.

You could even organize food tours in your neighborhood. Take turns hosting each other and sharing the recipes that are favorites in your own home, or organize a "moving feast" where you eat appetizers at one house, dinner at the next house, and dessert somewhere else.

National Parks Hike

If you're lucky enough to have national parks near your own hometown, it can be easy to forget to take advantage of them. National parks offer seasonal and year-long passes that locals can use to get discounted entry all year, and trips to national parks make great staycation ideas.

Why not pack up the sleeping bags and take a weekend camping trip to a nearby national park? Nothing makes you feel disconnected and recharged like being out in nature - even if that nature is only a few miles from your own home.

Movie Marathon and Board Games

If you don't have time to drive, organize an event, or look something up, how about a weekend-long movie and board game marathon? This great staycation idea requires almost zero planning - order some pizzas, pick your favorite movies, and spend the whole weekend lounging around in your PJs on the living room floor with your kids (or spend the weekend "Netflix and Chilling" with your partner.)

You'll be surprised at the memories you can make just playing board games and hanging out at home.

Which Staycation Suits You?

We love staycation ideas that bring you closer to the people you love and maybe help you rediscover the beauty in a place you think you know well - whether that place is your own hometown or your own backyard.

What are some of your favorite staycation ideas?