In lieu of holiday travel, 60% of Americans are choosing to stay home this year, according to Travelocity’s recent survey. It provides an opportunity to save money, plan future travel, and reinvent new traditions with close friends and family. While staying home can feel a bit ordinary, it definitely doesn’t have to be. In this post, I’m sharing 25 Best Staycation Ideas and why home is all you really need.
This post is in partnership with Flyhomes, a real estate startup with clear processes, more services under one roof, extras like same-day tours, and a team of experts who show up for you because buying a home is personal. More heart, less hassle.
Photos by Gray Mountain Photography // Apparel by The Shop Golden
25 Best Staycation Ideas
Whether you’re wanting to create a girls’ night in, a romantic rendezvous, or a self-care weekend, I guarantee this list will inspire your very own staycation.
I’ve mixed in a few specific ideas, along with general recommendations to make the most of your vacanza a casa.
If you’re still trying to find that perfect home-sweet-home, checkout Flyhomes to browse current listings, book same day tours and get instant notifications.
1) Set Your Out of Office
For those of us that work from home, the lines between in, and out of office are always blurred. Especially if you work in the digital space which never turns off. 44% of working adults say they check work email every day while on vacation, according to the American Psychological Association. About one in 10 check email hourly. If you want to really take a break, and avoid any and all temptation to clean your inbox, add a vacation responder, or try one of these email tricks from Business Insider.
2) Log Off Social Media
This is definitely a personal preference, but a day or two off of Instagram might just be exactly what you need. And help you realize the world you live in, in real life, is actually pretty great.
3) Play Vibey Music
Your favorite album doesn’t just sound good — it may also be good for your mental health.
That’s according to a new report from the Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH), an AARP-founded working group of scientists, health care professionals, and other experts. Their latest report, “Music on Our Minds,” highlights research showing music’s positive effect on emotional well-being, including improving mood, decreasing anxiety, and managing stress.
As the report details, that impact starts in the brain, where music activates many regions, including those associated with emotion and memory. “The music that was played at your wedding or in a religious service, or even at a concert you attended or a dance you were at — that music remains preserved for those neuropathways that connect that music with really positive feelings,” Hanser says.
Play something reminiscent of a past holiday, maybe a Andrea Bocelli, or “La Vie En Rose.” Maybe you created a Spotify playlist for a particular vacation – this is a perfect opportunity to resurrect those songs, and the memories!
4) Level Up Your Water
Add a few fresh cucumbers, a little mint, or perhaps some berries, to a water-filled pitcher for a fruit-infused detox. Make this a daily habit for vacation vibes year-round.
5) Create Ambiance
Time to savor your senses. Light a few candles, diffuse your favorite essential oils, make it a whole mood. The key to the perfect staycation is ultimately being able to relax. Create space in your house, room, or backyard to let the past few seasons go. You deserve time to rest and recharge, on your own terms.
6) Splurge on Self-Care
Take it up a few notches and focus your entire weekend on self-care. A few at-home spa essentials: bath bombs, face masks, nail polish, and hair masks. Lather up, get oily, deep condition, and bask in this moment meant just for you.
7) Practice Yoga
There are thousands of free online yoga classes that you can easily tailor your very own retreat a la casa. From sunrise vinyasa, to mid-day hatha, and sunset yin, mindfully use this time to release what is no longer serving you, and welcome only what you need, and deserve.
Alo Moves offers yoga, fitness, and meditation classes with a 14-Day Free Trial.
8) Take a Virtual Cooking Class
Bless the ability to stream nearly anything! We have the ability to nurture nearly any skill online, anytime. The Institute of Culinary Education offers a variety of free online cooking classes. You just register for the Zoom Webinar and you’ll receive an ingredient and equipment list via email.
9) Order Take Out
Personally, one of my favorite experiences while traveling is always the food. So to create my kind of staycation, have something really delicious delivered. This is the time to “treat yo’ self!” Also – theme it up if you’re going that route!
10) Host a Wine Tasting
As I’ve rediscovered more of the Pacific Northwest over these past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy some of the best Washington State wine! From wine tasting in Woodinville, to roaming vineyards in Walla Walla, it’s inspired me to learn more about vintners in my region.
Invite a friend or two over, sip some delicious wine, and enjoy a girls’ night in. Check out some of these tasty local favorites from Whidey and Camano Island.
11) Play golf at home
Every golfer has dreams of playing a round of golf in the comfort of their own home. Having a home golf simulator is now within reach for many golfers due to advancements in technology and cost reductions, get yours at www.pineclubgolf.com.
12) Have a Puzzle Party
Much like the rest of America, we discovered our love for puzzles in 2020! They’re incredibly relaxing and a fun way to spend time with friends and family, screen-free.
Dowdle Folk Art makes traditional, wood, and custom image puzzles. We’re currently working on a 280-piece Wooden Puzzle of Florence, Italy.
13) Play a Board Game
Like puzzles, we’ve been rolling dice, playing cards, and pulling out old favorites like Monopoly…and since that game seems to take days to finish, it would be perfect for a weekend staycation if you’re in the mood.
14) Take a Walk
The best way to start a staycation – go for a walk. It can do wonders for your mental wellbeing, wipe your slate clean of the past week, and reset your total body energy.
Walking improves self-perception and self-esteem, mood, and sleep quality, and it reduces stress, anxiety, and fatigue.
In fact, go for a walk today. If you’re not quite feeling the staycation vibes yet, a walk may be just what you need – and a reminder, that yes, in fact, you do need a vacation, even if that means from the comfort of your own home.
15) Read a Book
A 2009 study at the University of Sussex found that reading can reduce stress by up to 68%. This is because your mind is invited into a literary world that is free from the stressors that plague your daily life.
I love the Overdrive App, which allows you to borrow and read free ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines from your library using your phone or tablet. It’s easy to get started―all you need is a library card!
16) Make a Vision Board
For a truly elevated staycation experience, I highly recommend creating a vision board.
A vision board is a concrete representation of your desires and aspirations for a compelling life. They are fun to create and can serve as an invaluable tool to motivate and inspire you towards concrete daily action in pursuit of your biggest and most important life goals.
Faison
With just a few supplies like poster board, magazines, and glue, you have the power to manifest your dreams.
17) Have a Movie Marathon
This is the perfect season to snuggle up and binge holiday movies or your favorite series again, and again. If you have not watched “Schitt’s Creek” a minimum of 3 times, catch up.
18) Camp in the Backyard
Craving an adventure, but don’t want to go far? Pitch a tent in the backyard! Add some dreamy string lights and a mini projector for an outdoor theatre experience.
19) Write All Weekend
As someone who enjoys writing, I would LOVE a weekend without distractions. Give me a quiet home, phone on silent, and I am thriving!
Something to consider if you’re experiencing writer’s block.
20) Sleep
More than a third of American adults are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis.
Listen, if you’re a parent, especially of young children, I’m going to bet sleep is at the top of your ideal staycation list. If you can swing it, send the kids to their grandparents, close the blinds and rest your tired mama eyes. If guilt creeps in, tell it to GTFO, you need rest to survive.
21) Clean & Organize
This is definitely not for everyone, but I crave a clean home. I cannot fully relax, especially in my own home, unless the house is clean, and put together. Besides the interior of the house, I also make sure that the exterior is also clean like the front yard, driveway, roofs and gutters. For my gutters, I use a gutter protection system from mastershield.com. This is one of the better gutter protection systems on the market today because of it’s patented copper technology. If need be, maybe hire a house cleaner, just this once, to help you find peace at home. It is your staycation, after all.
22) Take a Virtual Travel Experience
While travel is currently limited, we can still enjoy experiences from all over the world from the comfort of home. A variety of travel partners are offering free virtual experiences, including my friend Alessio Mazza, founder of ALMA Tours & Experiences, based out of Florence, Italy. We actually did an IGTV this summer, as he walked us around Sicily!
23) Update Your Home
If your Pinterest is overfilling with home upgrades, maybe it’s time to take on a project or two. Clear your schedule for the weekend, and make it a productive staycation! Everyone channels their energy in different ways – maybe painting a room is how you vibe.
24) Make Art
Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.
Pablo Picasso
Activities like painting, sculpting, drawing, and photography are relaxing and rewarding hobbies that can lower your stress level and leave you feeling mentally clear and calm.
Creating art provides a distraction, giving your brain a break from your usual thoughts.
The average person has roughly 60,000 thoughts per day and 90% of them are exactly the same, day in and day out!
Take a break and make art.
25) Just Dance
When all else fails, dance it out – it’s so good for the soul! Dancing has been shown to reduce depression, anxiety, and stress and boost self-esteem, body image, coping ability, and overall sense of well-being, with the benefits lasting over time.
Check out The Fitness Marshall on YouTube for the best free dance workouts.
Home Is All You Need
The best staycations have one thing in common – home. It’s about creating space to rest, while nurturing your mind, body, and soul. Home should be a place you find solace, creativity, and comfort.
As I mentioned in the beginning, if you’ve been thinking about making a shift, whether that’s buying, or selling a home, I recommend Flyhomes.
Flyhomes
Flyhomes is a tech real estate company that helps solve problems for homebuyers at every part of the real estate transaction. The home buying process is difficult and buyers are juggling multiple people, organizations, and complex rules and technicalities at every step of the process. They not only save money and heartache, they unlock more of the market for their buyers.
How It Works
Flyhomes is the next generation of real estate, providing multiple services under one roof.
Their financial programs give homebuyers the edge to stand out in competition. Because they provide sure-thing deals and move fast, these programs benefit both buyer and seller.
FlyHomes Products
Cash Offer
With a Flyhomes Cash Offer, they make a cash offer to the seller on behalf of the client. Later, their client officially buys the home from them for the same price.
Guaranteed Offer
A Flyhomes Guaranteed Offer is a traditional home offer backed by their on-paper promise that they’ll buy the home if something unexpected happens.
Trade Up
Flyhomes Trade Up empowers homeowners to buy a new home with a Flyhomes Cash Offer, move right in, then sell their current home (no need to move twice or deal with the hassle of living in a listed home).
All the services you need, under one roof. Flyhomes is a brokerage, a mortgage lender, and a closing company under one roof.
Market Areas:
Seattle, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Orange County, Boston, Portland, and San Diego.
To learn more info and find the perfect home for your next staycation, visit flyhomes.com.
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