Staycation away from home

written by Corey L. Stokes

I have often heard the statement you don’t have to be rich to live richly. In fact, my wife reminds me of this quite often. I hear her conversing with friends telling them about a great times we’ve had, awesome trips that we’ve taken, and great experiences that we have created for ourselves and the kids. To listen to her and to see the pictures, you would think that we often go on some extravagant vacation. Friends and family members all assume that we pay lots of money to create the experiences we share, when in truth the term staycation is the gold mine in our household.

There is a variety of reasons one would choose a staycation over a vacation. Lack of time and funds are two that top the list. Whether you have little time, or little funds staycations can be a way to still have a rewarding vacation time at low cost.

In the beginning when we would talk about vacationing at home, we would hear concerns about getting away from the daily hustle and bustle of being home. We’d simply smile and say that is exactly what a staycation for us is all about!

A normal staycation for us is usually a summer long event consisting of everything from going to beaches to zip lining over treetops, with the extra option of only occasionally stepping foot inside the house.

From one of our last staycations, here is a recap of a weekend, of a summer staycation:

• Day one – After getting off of work we packed a bag, food, and the camping gear, and made our way into the back yard. We set up the tent, started a fire, and began our staycation
• Day two – After a campfire breakfast that rivals any local dinner or International house of pancakes we drove to the local biking trail and set off. We had lunch at one of our favorite restaurants and followed that up with some time at the beach with some friends to cool off. We arrived back at our luxurious campsite in time for dinner, games roasted marshmallows, smores and bed.
• Day three – Breakfast, camp breakdown then off to a hike on the Appalachian Trail.

It was a great weekend! During this particular summer, several camping trips,in the national forest along with trips to water parks and local day trips, extended the summer into one of the richest experiences that we have ever had.

When we are told staycations are not real getaways we give people a look into the many trips we have had like these, to include a trip to Spain which we paid less than 2 cups of coffee (Now that was a real interesting week).

With a little planning and creativity, your staycation doesn’t have to be just added time at home. With the summer now beginning, I for one, look forward to the adventures that await. What do you have planned for the summer(Staycation for Vacation)?