Planning a Staycation

With COVID flipping and flopping as well as fall coming, Staycations are becoming more and more popular. What exactly is a Staycation you may be wondering.. Staycations are when you stay home and become a tourist in your own city or at least within driving distance of home, in the same province / state. If a Staycation sounds like something you need or want to take then here are some tips.

We will leave COVID out of this and just focus on the non-COVID reasons to play a staycation.

1. Choose a local boutique hotel, B&B, Air BnB, or just stay home.
   Have someone else wash the dishes, laundry, or just ignore it for a week while you enjoy your luxuries in the comfort of your own bed. If you really want to be pampered then look at a local hotel or resort with a spa.
   
   
2. Enjoy your City
   When was the last time you had a night out on the town? Have you been to any of the tourist sights? Now is the time for you to be a tourist in your city and explore things you either have never done or haven't done in a while. Who knows, maybe you'll fall in love with the city all over again or find a new treat, habit, or excursion to do regularly.
   
   
3. Hit up the local Tourist Board / Info booth Website or Grab a Guide Book
   Just like if you were travelling abroad, take a look to see what the city has to offer and make a checklist of things you want to do or see.
   
   
4. You'll Have Your Bearings
   While a lot of travelling can be getting your bearings or finding where you are after you are lost. Not only will you not have to worry about using data for a map you will more than likely know where you are going or at least have a slight idea.
   
   
5. Being a Tourist Can Be Fun
   ​Depending on where you are, you may fit into the hordes of cruise passengers in the Spring, in the Summer you can blend in with all the tourists flooding the streets, and do not forget about fall & winter if you are in a year round destination! Once you get into the tourist mindset, it's amazing how many things there are to do.
   

1. Save Money on Your Accommodation - Book Offseason or Last Minute
   If there is a busy / peak season for your city or the area you want to go maybe hit up shoulder season when there won't be as many tourists and prices are lower. Another great way is if you are flexible with your dates then play around with dates while looking for a hotel or even leave it for the day you leave as a last minute deal could appear.
   
   
2. Look for "Local Resident" Deals
   Sometimes if you have an ID with an address that shows you being from the area (sometimes it is the city, other times it is the state / province) then you may be able to score 5 - 50% off of things like accommodation or even activities and attractions. Also don't forget to check out deal sites like Groupon (North America), and Tonic & Lime (Czech Republic).
   
   
3. Ask a Friend or a Friend's Friend to Stay / Things to Do
   Think about all the people you know, is there anyone nearby that might have an extra room that could let you crash? Maybe someone knows someone? Even if there is no one to stay with, maybe ask around for things you should do, places to visit, or even where to eat.
   
   
4. Remember: YOU ARE ON VACATION!
   Just because you are close to where you work or have family does not mean you need to work or see family. This is your vacation, you get to decide what you want to do. The goal of a vacation is always to relax and mix up your daily routine so make sure you do it!
   

The great thing about Staycations are that they are like a normal vacation. You can do as much or as little as you want; it can be as expensive or cheap as you want it to be. People are probably coming to visit your city often so clearly if there is a reason for them to come, it is worth you to stay.