The art of a great staycation is to have a relaxing and enjoyable holiday, without the need to actually go anywhere. That’s sometimes harder than it seems, so with our latest Tinggly guide, we’ve put together some tips on how to staycation successfully, as well as some reasons why you should think about trying it this summer…
No Stress
There’s no avoiding the fact that arranging a holiday can often be a hassle. You’ve got to research the best deals on transport, accommodation and activities. It can take hours and sometimes be very stressful if you have a limited budget or you’re heading somewhere popular and feel overwhelmed with choice. A staycation involves no travel or hotel. All you need is your own two feet and maybe a packed lunch.
Minimal Travel Time
Our ethos is that getting somewhere should always be part of the adventure, but especially during summer, fate may have other ideas. Traffic jams, flight cancellations and poor weather can wreck your mood before you even arrive. Less time spent on flights, trains, boats or in the car, all of which carry the risk of delays, means more time for you to enjoy on your actual holiday.
Save Money
Holidays are expensive, particularly if you need to travel during school holidays. It’s not just the cost of accommodation, transport and food either. There are other little costs that all add up, from unexpected roaming charges to currency charges, airport parking, tipping and tourist taxes (both official and unofficial). If you then need to cut back while you’re away, or worry about balancing your budget when you get home, it can make your holiday less fun.
Support your local economy
Related to the above point – a staycation means you spend less, but also that what you do spend goes into the local economy, as long as you support local businesses. So for instance, if you need a caffeine boost to kickstart your sightseeing, maybe give the chains a miss and grab a cup of joe from your nearest independent cafe. Or if you want a good book to enjoy in the park on a sunny day, visit your local bookshop instead of buying it online.
Rediscover Your Own Home
Sadly, over time we can sometimes forget what we love so much about the place we live. We take the nearby beach for granted, or don’t get out into the countryside as much as we could. A staycation opens your eyes again to the reasons why you moved somewhere. There could be many new restaurants, shops, museums and attractions that have opened up in the last few years which have somehow passed you by, and which you can now discover.
Save Going Abroad For Bad Weather
Does it strike anyone else as a bit strange that people tend to go away during the summer, when the weather is usually at its best? Surely if we love a sunny beach resort, we should visit in the depths of winter back home, when we’ll most appreciate it.
No Recuperation Needed Afterwards
Even though we go on holiday to relax and unwind, when we get back it can sometimes feel like we need another holiday to recover! This might be down to jet lag, or the hassle of travel on the last day, or just the frustration of going back to work and sorting through the email inbox. Well, taking a staycation can’t really help with that last one, but the other two don’t even figure.
Tips for a Great Staycation
- Although you’re not actually leaving home, do try and treat your staycation as a real holiday. That means not getting slowed down with normal household chores or tackling last-minute work projects, or catching up on your latest shows. For this reason, a little planning of an itinerary beforehand goes a long way.
- Use your staycation to catch up with friends who you don’t see as much as you’d like, whether they’re on staycation too, during their lunch hours or after work.
- Treat yourself to meals out, or ordering meals in, to give you a little flavour of abroad.
- Try out some new experiences close to home. That could be learning how to cook a special meal, taking a cocktail-making class, or trying a new hobby. Anything that’s going to make it feel like you got something done during your holiday.
- Be a hometown tourist. Take your camera with you. Wander different routes to the ones you normally take. Chat to strangers. See your world with new eyes.
