How To Plan An Epic Staycation

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Whether it’s for budget reasons or time constraints, a staycation can be an enjoyable getaway from the pressure and busyness of our daily lives without the stress of packing, flight delays or traffic jams.

With our current situation, finding ways to make life more enjoyable while we wait out this pandemic at home also makes planning a staycation more appealing.

There’s no question that jetting off to an exciting destination or hitting the highway on a family road-trip are welcome escapes from our hectic schedules but with a little planning, you can experience the same sense of relaxation and excitement at home.

How to Plan For an Epic Staycation

Like any vacation, good planning will ensure your time is enjoyable. Whether you plan to never leave your home or to be a tourist in your own home town, here are a few planning tips to help you make the most of your staycation.

Pick a theme. Is it a spa getaway, a beach vacation, a cozy cottage escape or sightseeing in your home town? It doesn’t really matter the theme but choosing one will help you plan your activities.
Determine the dates of your staycation. Knowing when your staycation begins and ends will help you plan your activities.
Decide on a budget. You can plan a luxurious staycation or one that costs very little but it’s important to determine this ahead of time.
Plan your days. If you don’t map out what you will do during your staycation, you will end up doing chores or mindlessly scrolling through social media and rob yourself of the pleasures of a staycation.
Before your staycation begins, clean the house or better yet, hire a cleaning company to do it for you. And don’t ignore your bedrooms. Be sure to clean your bedclothes so that you and your family are crawling into a cozy, fresh-smelling bed each night.
Set the mood. Purchase a vase of fresh flowers, pick a candle or an essential oil blend to diffuse that goes with your theme, fill a beautiful water pitcher with water and lemon or cucumber slices, buy summer cocktail drink accessories or specialty coffee.
Plan your meals. Will you be dining out, ordering in, hiring a chef or making your own meals? Head to the grocery store and indulge in food items you would likely enjoy on a vacation.
Create a playlist depending on your staycation vibe…poolside pop songs, spa tunes, romantic love songs or a family dance party.
Buy souvenirs for your staycation. Depending on your theme and budget it could be his and her robes for that romantic spa staycation, fun coffee mugs for your cozy cottage escape, or mementos from your hometown sightseeing tour.
Unplug. Add an out-of-office reply to your email, shut off your notifications and even consider canceling the newspaper and mail delivery during your staycation.
Take lots of pictures just like you do on any vacation. You don’t have to leave home to make memories.

Epic Staycation Ideas

Weekend Spa Retreat

Turn your home into a spa retreat and get ready to relax with some of these rejuvenating ideas.

Pull out your comfy clothes and slippers.
Put your cellphones on silent and keep the television shut off.
Fill a beautiful water pitcher with sliced lemon or cucumber.
Have plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables available for snacking.
Download a spa playlist.
Diffuse some lavender.
Have a bubble bath.
Read a book.
Give yourself a spa service like a facial, manicure or pedicure. Better yet, hire a massage therapist or esthetician to come into your home for a spa service.
Use a yoga app or online videos and schedule a home yoga class each day.
Meditate.
Go for a walk.
Take a nap (in your bed or outside in a hammock or chaise lounge).
Give yourself turn down service in your bedroom with chocolates or another treat (you and your spouse could take turns doing this).
Have breakfast in bed.
Plan healthy meals like spa bowls, stirfries, and soups.
Stock up on prosecco and orange juice for mimosas.
Have a wine or beer tasting.
Watch a comedy.
Just be still and breathe.

Family Staycation

You don’t have to stray too far from home to have a quality family vacation. Here are some fun ideas your whole family is going to LOVE that won’t break the bank.

Have a film festival by allowing each family member to choose their favourite movie to watch. Don’t forget the popcorn and junior mints!
Have a board game night.
Go for a bike ride.
Make a meal together or have a bake-off.
Have a kitchen dance party.
Choose a book to read aloud or listen to each day.
Plan a community scavenger hunt.
Have a camp out in your backyard (weather permitting) or living room.
Go Geocaching.
Be tourists in your own town by visiting local museums, galleries, and other landmarks.
Plan a picnic or marshmallow roast in a nearby park.
Pack some snacks, create a family playlist and pile into the car for a road trip to nowhere.
Host a talent show.
Plan a project like building birdhouses, creating a cardboard arcade or do an art project.
Have a Minute to Win It tournament.

Pool Party

Turn your backyard or living room into the Lido deck and enjoy a day poolside. Recently, I planned a pool party for me and my husband in our living room after a few stressful weeks living in self-isolation. It was a really fun day for both of us.

Burn a tropical smelling candle or a beach diffuser blend.
Find some summer cocktail recipes.
Create a pool party playlist.
Choose a trashy novel.
Play an ocean wave soundtrack quietly in the background.
Put on your bathing suits and sun hats.
Shut off your cell phones.
Sit back and relax in a beach lounger.
Fire up the barbecue and grill up some steak and shrimp or hamburgers and hotdogs.

Cozy Winter Escape

Embrace the cold winter days by recreating a staycation in a mountain chalet. Plan activities for playing outside in the snow followed by warm, cozy experiences inside.

Go snowshoeing, cross country skiing, ice skating or sledding.
Build a snowman or snow fort.
Have a winter bonfire and roast wieners and marshmallows.
Make snow paint and create masterpieces in the snow.
Get cozy inside with warm fuzzy blankets and a cabin fever candle or diffuser blend.
Make hot cocoa bombs.
Bake chocolate chip cookies.
Make a big pot of chilli or stew.
Do a puzzle together.
Make some Vin Chaud and snuggle up in front of the fire.

2 Comments

Tamara says:
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Watching you (through pictures) turn your house into a cruise ship was delightful! You really know how to make lemonade out of lemons! Thank you for being the sunshine during dark days!!
1. mrslazyspoon says:
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  You are the sweetest. Thank you! xoxo