Making the Most of a Staycation

Sometimes, you just don't have the funds to take a full-on vacation. Maybe you lost your job or you needed a new refrigerator or your kid needed braces or any number of other unforeseen expenses can occur and you just can't fit it into your budget. Well, just because you can't go anywhere doesn't mean you can't make the most of a staycation, just to get out of the house and see more of your own town or a neighboring one. It's better than sitting on the couch watching old TV shows on Hulu.

Take a walking tour. All cities have one, so why not fork over a few bucks (or nothing) and go on one. You're sure to learn a bunch about where you live and maybe look at it much differently than before. You can find all kinds of walking tours by Googling or looking at your local Chamber of Commerce website. Many cities have free tours run by locals that are super fun and informative or you can download a free or cheap walking tour app to your mobile device and do it yourself! Bonus if you ever win on a gameshow because you knew historical or random fact about your town!

Get a CityPASS. If you've been reading my blog for any amount of time, you know I love CityPASS. Uh, who wouldn't want to save up to 50% off a whole slew of attractions? Skip the ticket lines and go straight in, plus never pay for anything after you buy your pass (except lunch and souvenirs). Not only does it save you time and money, but it's convenient and it comes with discounts on dining, transportation and more. They are good for 9 days starting on the first day of use.

Hop-on, Hop-off bus tours. Maybe I'm a sucker and I also like taking the bus on vacation, so the hop-on, hop-off buses are up there on my list of vacation activities. With gas prices on the rise in most places across America, paying $15-20 for one of these tours seems like a bargain. Check out all the touristy places in your neighborhood and don't waste any of your own gas!

Attend a sporting event. When’s the last time you went to the ballpark or stadium and got a hot dog and beer and rooted for the home team? You can sometimes find discounts on tickets, too. Check your Entertainment book or sign up for a daily deal site like Groupon and look for 2-for-1 tickets and other discounts.

Take in a Broadway/off-Broadway play. Most cities have plays and Broadway-style productions going on all the time (or if you are in New York City, you get actual Broadway shows) and you can get half-price tickets the day of the performance, find discounts in your Entertainment Book or find amazing deals online at Broadway Box if you live in NYC, Orlando, Las Vegas or London.

Shakespeare in the Park. In the summer, you can get free culture on the weekends by seeing Shakespeare productions done at your local parks. Who doesn’t enjoy free entertainment? My husband and I do this every summer and bring a picnic and our dog. The dog loves to be outside and check out people and then we all eat lunch or dinner during intermission. Toss a couple bucks in the donation box at the end of the show and you’ve just had a super cheap afternoon out. Kids love to watch the performances, too, even if they aren’t entirely sure about the language being spoken. Other theater companies do this with non-Shakespeare plays as well, but you will have to search for them or check your town’s local paper. You might even find listings via What’s On When.

Grace your local Renaissance Fair with your presence. Kings and queens, jousting, turkey legs and jugglers. What’s not to love at a Renaissance fair? You can dress up if you want, watch the shows, shop for swords and hand forged utensils, try on dresses and take your picture with a lute-player. Or not. People really get into the spirit of the Renaissance at these things, which can be awesome. Enjoy the cheese, buy a flower crown, eat something with your hands and have a fun day out. Don’t forget your sunscreen though, as many of these festivals don’t have much cover and they are always on the hottest day of the year (or so it seems).

Visit famous landmarks. Your city probably has one or two (or dozens), so why not look them up online and then make a point to tick them off your list. I can drive a half hour or so and visit the end of the Oregon Trail. Last time I was there, I learned how to make flour and that a covered wagon wasn’t really all that good at keeping you out of the elements. Maybe you have something cool in your hometown, like the house that Abraham Lincoln lived in, or Christopher Columbus’ ship (if that even exists somewhere). You know the places that you tell other people to visit when they come to your city (i.e. Alcatraz), but you have never been to.

What are your favorite hometown tourist activities?

How to Have a Fantastic Staycation

The weather is warming up and summer is going to be here before you know it. maybe you have plans to travel some other time of the year, but still want to enjoy the summer months and don't have the funds to swing another trip, plan a staycation or two. Don't take a typical one though. Anyone can stay home and drive around all day and then come back and sleep in their own bed. Why not make it a real adventure and be creative with your planning?

Just because you aren't flying anywhere, doesn't mean you can't stay in a hotel or pack a suitcase. Staycations are boring, because you spend half your time in your own house (and the word is also annoying to hear and say). Chances are you haven't explored your whole city or even nearby cities. Pretend you have never visited where you live before and get excited about tourist attractions. You probably haven't been to them in 10 years, or ever, so they are new to you!

Stay in a town other than where you live. Not up to hanging around your own town? Go a town or two over and explore that one! Stay in a budget hotel or a B&B and make an itinerary with all the touristy stuff there is to do there on it. Just that change of scenery can really help you relax. And even though you could drive there and do a day trip, why not make it a real vacation by putting some money on an affordable accommodation. Claim you're from out of town, (because hey! You are!) and ask "locals" where the best places to eat and visit are. Even if you've already been there, you might learn about some really awesome cafes, shops or parks that you never knew existed.

Get a hotel or vacation rental in the middle of the action. Come on! You haven't see everything in the city you live in, have you? There are still some things in Portland that I have yet to get to...and in Oregon. And I just found out that a couple hours away from here I can see a replica of Stonehenge! (Filing that away for future day-tripping, for sure.) If you live near a big city, chances are there is a fabulous downtown that is full of fun and weird stuff to do. I also bet dollars to doughnuts (yum!) that you don't live downtown, because it is wicked expensive. This is the time to cash in some miles or hotel points for free nights or look into gettng an apartment or condo rental in the middle of it all and set out each day to discover something new and awesome about where you live.

Look online for popular (and obscure) tourist attractions. You already do this when you go on regular vacations. Do it the same way for your hometown and find crazy things you have never heard of before, do things you always say you will or just go be a cheesy tourist and do things that you tell other people are musts when they visit.

Eat at all those food carts you always say you will try, but then never do. Oh the joy of looking at the Twitter feed and seeing a new food cart has opened. You vow you will try it, and then 30 new carts have come and gone and you have yet to drive the 2 miles into town and find parking and eat maybe some of the most delicious stuff you will ever call food. Okay, maybe it will be mediocre or downright disgusting, but you'll never know unless you try it. All in one day you could try salted cod, deep fried cheeseburgers, ham and cheese crepes and Korean short ribs on a stick! (Of course, you'll have to adjust for what your town actually has.) Seriously though. Your city probably has a ton of really cool stuff. If not food carts, like Portland is famous for, then maybe you can hit up a bunch of greasy spoons or taco trucks. At least you'll get exercise walking to each one.

Bring your camera and take lots of pictures. Don't take your city for granted. Just because you see that stuff every day, doesn't mean it's not cool. You'll be sad one day when you talk to someone about things and then realize you have no photos of it or you being there.

Want more ideas for taking the perfect staycation? Check out my staycation Pinterest board on things you can do to turn your backyard into an awesome getaway and what to do and where to go away from home. We use our backyard as a movie theater and are looking to make it even more luxurious for when friends and family come indulge.

Where did you spend your last staycation and what did you do?

Do You Travel With Kids?

Every once in a while I hear stories from adults who go to fabulous places and then they mention that they left their kids at home. It may just be the way I was raised, though my BFF and husband have the same views and we all had vastly different childhoods, but I feel like going on a vacation means you go as a family. Unless you are in need of a weekend getaway to reconnect with your spouse, wherever you go, your kids go as well. Not only does it bring your family closer together, it creates lifelong (usually happy) memories and your kids might learn a thing or two about a new culture, their food and their history. I feel like parents who go away, especially to exotic places, on their own are vastly depriving their children of world knowledge and life lessons, no matter what age they are. I'm aware travel isn't cheap, but your kids should not be left out because you can't afford for your whole family to go to destinations. You should save for longer or go to less expensive cities until you can travel more far and wide. Apparently, a lot of travelers agree with me. Do you?

Do you agree that children should travel when they're younger? Do you travel with your kids?