Fun Family Staycation: 5 Ways to Plan the Ultimate Vacation at Home

If you’re anything like me (and most other parents), you and your kids may be getting bored with the same-old weekend activities. You need some fresh ideas to mix up your usual things to do with kids. You know what else you need? A family staycation!

Planning a staycation doesn’t have to be hard. You don’t have to spend hours researching or prepping. No need to spend a ton of money.

In fact, a family staycation is one of the most budget-friendly travel options you can find.

And since you don’t have to spend the time traveling (no TSA lines!) or the money on lodging, you can focus even more on what’s important: spending time together. These staycation ideas are perfect for making memories together!

So what are you waiting for? Read on for the ideas and tips you need to plan an unforgettable family staycation.

Staycation meaning??!

First, let’s define staycation.

A common staycation definition is this: A vacation taken without traveling far from home.

I use the staycation meaning in a similar but subtly different way. When I define staycation, I think of a mindset more than a list of specific things to do on staycation.

That means that you don’t actually have to stay at home. Consider day trips, excursions, outings, activities—basically anything that gives you the feel-good buzz of a vacation without having to spend the night away from home.

I’ve been thinking about at-home vacations a ton lately—so much so that I wrote a book about it! 50 Fun Staycation Adventures for Kids is full of fresh ideas and experiences for family weekend ideas. (Of course you can use these staycation ideas any day of the week!) Download the e-book or order your paperback by clicking the image below:

Now that you’re all jazzed about the idea of getting the benefits of a vacation—without having to research or pay for lodging and plane tickets—read on for planning a staycation.

1. Get staycation supplies

No matter if you’re planning a staycation in your neighborhood or a town several hours away, you’ll need some basic supplies.

The good news is this core list of things to bring applies for just about any family staycation you plan! Make sure to bring:

• Hand sanitizer and wipes
• Extra masks
• Water
• Sunscreen
• First-aid kit
• Optional: 50 Fun Staycation Adventures for Kids

These are likely things you have handy anyway. If you want to be ready to go on a family staycation at the drop of a hat, keep these supplies together in a small bag or kit. That way you can grab it and go!

In addition, make sure you do these things before you leave the house:

1. Fully charge your phone
2. Fill your car’s gas tank
3. Let someone know where you’re going and what you plan to do
4. Check the weather

2. Adopt an adventurous attitude

Like so much in life, the right attitude can make or break a fun staycation.

If you go into it thinking it’s going to be lame, your expectations will come true!

If, however, you start a staycation by thinking of it as an adventure—well, then you’ll get yourself an adventure. (Don’t just take it from me, though; check out this Amazon review of my staycation book.)

So how do you adopt the right attitude for the staycation?

So don’t think of a staycation as a runner up. It’s not something you settle for because you’re not traveling at the moment. Rather, it’s an opportunity to experience and explore the area near you in a whole new way!

3. Approach a family staycation like a vacation

I have a question for you. What makes a vacation a vacation?

On vacation, you see new places and try new things. You treat yourself. You spend quality time with your loved ones.

The same can all be said for an at-home experience, as long as you approach planning a staycation with the right mindset!

As you decide on what to do in a staycation, keep in mind the feelings you get while traveling and the experiences you plan. Aim to recreate those at home.

For example, let’s say one of your recent family trips involved horseback riding on the beach. You don’t have to duplicate that—in fact, you may not live anywhere near the ocean!

Instead, hunt for the feeling and experience underneath that activity.

You and your kids might have felt exhilaration while horseback riding. If that’s the case, look for an activity that would make you feel the same way.

If horseback riding on the beach was memorable because it was a new experience, look for something new to try as a family.

4. Plan fun things to do in a staycation

When you’re planning a staycation, you might feel overwhelmed by all the options. On the other hand, you might draw a blank of what to do in a staycation.

You can brainstorm fun family staycation ideas in these ways:

• By passions. Do your kids love one thing in particular? Whether it’s farm animals, emergency responders or dinosaurs (my kids’ favorite!), you can build a whole family staycation around a few activities.
• “I’ve always wanted to…” Are there things to do and places to go near you that you haven’t yet explored? Whether it’s visiting a local history museum or going antiquing in a nearby town, turn it into a staycation.
• Do a crawl. Pick a food or drink your whole crew loves. Then hit up the places that serve this goodness. Try it with donuts, french fries, smoothies or another favorite food. Visit several in a day (exploring the neighborhoods you visit, of course) and vote for your favorite.

If you’re having trouble coming up with fun staycation ideas, don’t worry! My book 50 Fun Staycation Adventures for Kids is all the inspiration you need. In the book, I share staycation adventures and instructions to make them fun for everyone.

The book is for busy parents of elementary aged kids, helping you plan out of the box and unforgettable outings for the family. It’s stuffed full of ideas of things to do near home, no matter where you live. Click here or the image below to get your e-book or paperback copy!

5. Document your adventures

Are you as into documenting your travels as I am? I absolutely adore taking photos, making photo books and doing other projects to remember our trips together.

This doesn’t have to turn into a massive scrapbooking endeavor! Just make a point to take some photos (including ones with you in the frame). Collect items from your staycation adventure, from menus to fallen leaves. Draw or write a few sentences of something memorable from the activity.

Do these things with your kids’ involvement. They may get really into it!

I love this step of a staycation because it keeps the feel-good travel buzz going even after you return home. Plus, you can look back on whatever you create to remember your fun staycation!

What do you think? Are you ready to plan a family staycation? Remember, if you want all the fun without having to come up with ideas on your own, grab a copy of 50 Fun Staycation Adventures for Kids. Click to get yours today!