When You Can’t Travel: How to Get the Most out of Your Stay-cation

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Even the most avid travelers and wanderers will sometimes find themselves stuck at home. Whether it’s financial constraints or work restrictions, there will be times when you simply can’t up and leave the country like you want to.

But that doesn’t mean that you’re stuck in the same daily routine. Even when you can’t get away from your city, you can still find ways to live like a traveler when you have the right stay-cation ideas. If you’ve got a travel itch that you just can’t scratch, here are some stay-cation tips to make the most out of your time at home.

Live like a tourist for a day

When you live in one place for a while, it’s easy to take things for granted. Because of this, a lot of locals haven’t really seen the city they live in. They get caught up in work, grocery shopping and doing laundry, and they forget that their city has more to offer.

This explains why a lot of New Yorkers haven’t spent much time at the Statue of Liberty, why people living in Chicago don’t visit The Bean, and why Vegas locals haven’t seen the Grand Canyon. It’s easy to overlook the wonder that your city has to offer. But when you need a stay-cation, it’s time to undo that apathy and take a day to live like a tourist.

Plan a trip around your city the same way that you would plan a trip to a city you’ve never been to. Take a step outside yourself and do some research to find great mini stay-cation ideas. When tourists visit your city, where do they go? Which tours are highly rated, and which do people rave about afterward?

It may make you feel less like a local to look at your city this way — and that’s the point. Put on your tourist hat and take some time to see your city as if you’ve never seen it before.

Check out unique and group activities in your city or town

Go beyond the typical tourist experience and search for some more activities that you may not even know your city or state offers.

You can use the internet and specially tailored websites to find unique adventures and experiences in your area — such as helicopter tours, climbing classes, and culinary lessons.

Adding one or two of these activities to your itinerary can make for a great stay-cation weekend, and an excellent way to step out of your comfort zone without ever leaving your zip code.

As an added bonus, one of these classes or activities could even jump start a new hobby. And, since you took the original class right in town, you know exactly where to go to keep this hobby going.

Book a hotel or bed and breakfast

If you have a bit more cash to spend and you really want to make the stay-cation feel like a vacation, then book a night or two away from your home.

Just as you would when you’re traveling, look up unique, cozy, or highly rated accomodation near you. Narrow it down to a neighborhood you’ve always wanted to visit, or a bed and breakfast with top-notch food.

When you’re trying to figure out how to have a relaxing staycation, you often need look no further than a hotel booking. Packing your bags and heading out for a couple days will make your vacation feel even more authentic — even though you don’t have very far to drive.

Although it may take a little while for you to get into the stay-cation mood, do your best to treat it like any other trip. Step outside of your perspective and your comfort zone, and a weekend in town will begin to feel like a far away trip.