How to Plan Your Fun Family Staycation!

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Have you ever taken a staycation with your family?

I love taking trips with my family & traveling to different places, but sometimes it can be stressful & tiring!

Enter the family staycation!

If you haven’t heard, a staycation is where you take a vacation at home or somewhere near your home.

Sure, getting away from home can be a big reason to take a traditional vacation. But there are a lot of good reasons to take a staycation too!

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Why Take a Family Staycation?

Staycation- the Cheaper Family Vacation

Vacations can be so expensive, especially if you have multiple kids. If you’re looking for a way to save money on your family vacation, consider a staycation.

Staycations help you save money on family travel by getting rid of or drastically lowering the money you spend on things. Like airfare, gas, hotel costs, rental fees, reservation fees, & more, depending on what you plan.

A Less Stressful Family Vacation

The staycation should be less stressful in that you don’t have to worry about delayed flights, canceled reservations, long wait lines at restaurants, or forgetting something at home.

Also, you don’t have to stress out about the crazy amount of money everything costs! You can be more flexible with your plans & focus more on the time you spend together & things you’re doing together.

Simple Step-by-Step Guide to Planning a Family Staycation:

1. Set Goals & Expectations- Before your staycation, gather the family to discuss your goals & what you each hope for. Remember, everyone might have different ideas, especially the kids!

2. Pick the Right Dates & Length for Your Staycation- Choose when your staycation will be. Consider work, school breaks, camps, & other commitments. Check the weather too! Decide how many days feels good – not rushed or stressed, but with time for relaxation and fun.

3. Plan Your Staycation Budget as a Family- Decide how much you can spend. Think about the costs of where you’ll stay (if not at home), food, activities, & other possible expenses. You can make a staycation as low-cost as you want, depending on your choices.

4. Choose Where to Stay for Your Staycation- Decide if you’ll stay home or go somewhere nearby. If you choose to go away, think about renting a vacation home with cool stuff, like a pool or games. A cabin close to family activities, or a hotel near a water park or theme park can add extra fun!

5. Plan What You’ll Do: Activities & Schedule- Look into nearby attractions, parks, museums, & events that match what your family likes. Make a schedule that balances adventure, relaxing, & family time. Keep it flexible, but still make an itinerary.

6. Eat Well During Your Staycation: Meal Planning- Plan meals ahead to avoid stress. Everyone can join in – pick recipes, make grocery lists, & cook together. Of course, don’t forget to enjoy your favorite local eats too! You might not want to cook on vacation!

7. Get Your Space Ready for the Staycation- If you stay home, make it feel special. Before it starts, clean up, organize, & add nice touches like flowers, cozy blankets, or even towel animals. Put out snacks, or rearrange the furniture a little. Anything that makes it feel like a getaway for you!

Unique & Fun Staycation Ideas:

Theme-Based Staycation: Choose an exciting theme for your family, like a tropical paradise, a certain country, or the beach. Decorate your home & plan activities that match the theme!
Outdoor Adventures in Your Backyard: Turn your backyard into an outdoor playground. Set up a tent, blow-up pool, have a picnic, build a fort, play sports, stargaze, or create an obstacle course. Let your imagination go wild!
Exploration in Your City: Research local & cultural attractions, museums, galleries, or historical landmarks in your city or nearby towns. Attend local events & attractions, like the theater, a sports game or the zoo, & try out different cuisines at local restaurants. Use local city guides to help you out!
DIY Camp Out Experience: Pitch a tent in your backyard or even indoors. Roast marshmallows, share ghost stories, & enjoy the simplicity of camping with home comforts nearby.
Home Spa Retreat: Pamper yourselves with a spa day at home. Make homemade face masks, soak in bubble baths, give massages, & relax with calming music. Transform your bathroom into a tranquil oasis.
Family Game Tournament: Challenge each other to a family game tournament. Set up board games, card games, or video games and let the friendly competition begin. Add small prizes to make it even more exciting.
Explore Nature: Go hiking, biking, geocaching, or spend the day at a local park, national park, lake, or beach. Add in a scavenger hunt or two! Just enjoy the beauty of the outdoors.
Have a Virtual Experience: Take advantage of all the online tours & concerts that are offered. You can visit the world right from your living room!

Need More Family Activity Ideas?

Want even more ideas? Check out my other posts below for even more ideas to use on your family staycation! Some even come with free printables!

Make the Most of Your Family Staycation:

Unplug from Technology: Encourage the whole family to disconnect from screens & be present during your staycation. Phones & tablets are so distracting. Use this no-screen time for talking or doing activities together!
Document Your Fun: Capture memories by taking photos & videos. Don’t forget to create a photo album to re-live your favorite moments later!
Trying Something New: Challenge yourselves to try new activities or hobbies during your staycation. It could be learning a new board game together, a new dance, frisbee golf, or even attempting a new recipe together. Whatever you want!
Create Special Moments: Plan surprise activities or special moments for each family member. It could be a movie night under the stars, breakfast in bed, or a heartfelt handwritten note expressing your love & appreciation.
Practice Relaxation & Self-Care: Encourage relaxation & self-care activities for everyone depending on what they like. Set up a cozy reading nook, meditate as a family, practice yoga, or have a family spa day. Focus on rest!
Don’t Work: Make sure everyone is caught up on bills, laundry, homework, etc. This is not the time to catch-up on your to-do list!

Don’t forget to splurge a little– it’s a vacation after all! Whatever you do though, just enjoy being together!

It’s YOUR Staycation

Everyone’s staycation is going to be different depending on what you find fun & relaxing. If you’re just tired of your family doing all of the things, you don’t have to plan much of anything!

Just veg out on the couch, or in bed, watch movies or read together, eat comfort food, & relax! It’s your staycation, you don’t have to follow anyone’s rules or expectations.

Start planning your staycation today!

Let me know what family staycation advice you have below!