Why we’re opting out of spring break and opting in to a spring staycation

by Lauren Bejot Feb 19, 2019

Greetings from Nebraska, where it just snowed six inches and the ice has no future of melting anytime soon. My parents vacationed in Hawaii for a week, my sister took a road trip to Arizona and my friend is currently 'gramming her beach days from Mexico. I am cold, I am tired and I want to feel the sun on my face and the sand in between my toes. The only cold I want to feel is that of a margarita in my hand.

But, we're saving up for a honeymoon which means skipping flying down south for the winter. It's a bummer, but it's also a smart way to keep your checkbook in balance. This cold winter, I'm going to take a staycation and create an oasis in my own home and an adventure in my own city. Especially being in my late twenties, it’s a great way to relax and take time for self-care without breaking the bank. Yup, turns out you don’t have to go to a beach in Mexico to feel refreshed.

Staycations also relieve a lot of stress on the designated travel planner. In my relationship, I always book the plane tickets, the car rental, the hotels or Airbnbs, estimate what we’ll pay for food and book any activities. Honestly, planning a week-long trip can feel like a part-time job, especially if you’re traveling to another country.

With that, I invite you to find the joy in being at home. Turn off your phone notifications, send your out of office email, kick back, relax and enjoy your simple, but wonderful vacation at home. Here are 3 ways to make the most of your staycation:

Local food tour

Do you devour anything with truffles in it (and not the chocolate kind)? Then you’re a foodie! Lean into your hobby of appreciating delicious, artful meals by making a list of restaurants in your area you’d like to try. Take a day or a weekend making your way around the city; like a mini-local food tour. Start off with breakfast, move to lunch, then grab a snack, then apps at one restaurant, a dinner entrée at another, and finish it with desserts or drinks at the last tour stop. This would also be a fun date night!

Reconnect with friends

We’re all so busy with work, school, kids, family and trying to find some peace in the meantime that we can often let friendships fall wayside. Take a day of two and schedule some friendship time in. Does your bestie live across the country? No worries, take a look at our list of ways to keep in touch. Community brings solace, laughter and joy into our lives and can truly invigorate us from the soul outward. A staycation with friends is all anyone really needs.

Play Hooky

Sometimes, my fiancé and I will get up on a Sunday, but instead of heading to work or starting our day, we just turn to each other and say, “let’s play hooky (on life)!”. We turn off our cell phones and fall back asleep. This is how I like to spend my staycations (with my fiancé, of course). It goes a little something like this: get up lazily, devour a good crime novel in the morning with a cup of coffee, drink mimosas and make breakfast together at noon, watch a Harry Potter movie, take a 3-hour nap in the afternoon, and only wear pajamas all. Day. long. Top it off with a hot bubble bath and listen to my favorite podcast.