When planning a vacation, it’s typically pretty easy. You start by picking a destination, and then you plan what you’d like to do. But for some reason, it’s so much harder when you go to plan your staycation! Part of it is because it seems like you may have been to everything there is to do in your area. Or, some of it may be that you feel a bit stuck on ideas of what to do. But, I have 7 great questions that will help you plan your staycation, no matter where you’re hoping to experience it! I’m also providing a handy 4-page staycation planning guide that you can use to stay organized and jump-start your brainstorming using the ideas in this post!
1. What do we like to do?
One of the first questions you should consider when planning a staycation is what your family enjoys doing. Perhaps you have a really outdoorsy family. In that case, your family most likely would not have fun staying in a fancy hotel and going shopping. But, if you’re a family of shopaholics, you probably don’t want to look into kayaking… so, when you consider a staycation, think about what it is your family enjoys. By starting at this critical place, you’ll build the basics of your staycation plan.
Another way this question can be answered is to consider whether or not different members of your family have different interests. Perhaps your son is really into active, outdoorsy activities, but your daughter isn’t. When you consider the unique interests of different family members, you can formulate a plan that will help them each make sure their interests and needs are met, or help you determine whether your family should do all of your activities together or if it’s best to split up for some excursions. By knowing in advance what your interests are, you’ll have the building blocks for your staycation planning. The best way to answer this question is to have a family meeting– grab a piece of paper and pen for each person and have them write down the things they love to do most, then find where your overlaps are for the best choices. No overlaps? See if there’s anything you can work with as you answer the rest of the questions. The first page of the Staycation Planner will give you some starting points, as well as some blanks you can fill in with your own ideas.
2. What’s our budget?
Often, families will go on a staycation to save a little money, but sometimes it’s just because you don’t have the time to fully get away, but can have a brief weekend away within driving distance. Determining your budget will help you decide on some of the other questions, and help you figure out whether you can afford excursions around your city, whether it’s more cost effective for you to stay in a hotel or drive to your staycation destinations, or even whether you’d like to go minimal. If you have no budget, consider checking out free family fun in your area– Kansas City has free fine art museums, children’s hands-on art museums, free petting zoo (well, free on weekdays), and nature trails. If you have a minimal budget, consider planning to go to the more affordable options in your area. We have a few theatres with lower prices than others, for example, so when my budget’s lower, I plan on one show versus another. Planning out exactly how much you can afford to spend will help you narrow down your options later. The first page of the staycation planner has a few ideas of questions you can work through to determine the absolute limit that you can spend on a staycation.
3. When are we going (and what’s going on then?)
Knowing when you’re available to go is a big help! For example, we often like to plan our staycation during homeschool discount weeks in the area. As a homeschool family, we’re able to snag discounts typically reserved for school field trips during certain weeks in certain parts of our city, which means that instead of my son going on those field trips with a school group, he and I can enjoy things like the aquarium or science museum together as part of our homeschooling. It’s logical for us to turn that into a staycation, because the affordable excursion tickets free up more of our budget to stay in the city (and the gas money involved makes the hotel seem really worth it!). Other cities, especially counties and cities in more touristy areas, sometimes offer special discounts for residents, especially in the off-season. Branson, MO, for example, often offers area appreciation nights for people who live in the surrounding counties– meaning a resident can get in an expensive show for only a few dollars! It often makes sense to plan a staycation during the fall or winter, when anyone outside of the area isn’t traveling to your area, meaning businesses and hotels are more willing to offer up a discount. Knowing when you can go can help you scope out what’s free or affordable (and if you’re able to plan with flexible dates, you can look at what weeks will be most affordable and plan your dates around the cheaper items!) The staycation planner has a calendar so you can mark off when special events are happening, when your available days are, and then find a perfect time to enjoy your staycation.
4. Where haven’t we been?
When planning a staycation, one key thing to consider is where you haven’t been! After all, part of the fun of a vacation is exploring someplace new. But just because you’re staying local doesn’t mean you’re not able to have that same feeling. One option is to explore places who have recently had their grand opening and are new to your area. Another way you can do this is to check with local facebook groups in your area and ask what their must-visit places are or their favorite activities to do. You might be surprised at places you had no idea where around (or that you knew about, but hadn’t experienced yet)! On our recent staycation, I had been to the aquarium, but I hadn’t been to Legoland, which meant this was a perfect opportunity to see what Legoland was like! Make a list of places you’ve never been before, and compare it to your budget and interest lists to get an idea of what you’d like to add to your staycation wishlist! Page 3 of the Staycation planner has some great terms you can type into Google that will help you brainstorm on some new places you haven’t visited!
5. Where haven’t we been lately?
If you think you’ve been everywhere in your city (and maybe you have!) start making a list of places you haven’t been in awhile. A lot of places change over time– theatres will get new shows in, museums will get new exhibits, restaurants will change their menus. If you’ve not been somewhere in a few years, or even just a few months, you might be surprised at what’s changed! The last time I had been to our hands-on science museum was when my brother was 4 or 5. He’s now 14, so when I went back to the museum recently, I was surprised by a lot of the things they had now! There were a few exhibits that were the same, but there were so many new things that it felt in many ways like an entirely new museum, and I noticed they were even in the middle of adding new exhibits, which meant in a few months, it’ll be worth a trip back again!
6. Will we stay in a hotel, stay home and drive, or something else entirely?
This question is near the end of the list because this is when it’s worth taking inventory of your budget, interests, and excursion wishlists. When we planned a recent staycation, everything on our wishlist was 45 minutes from our house, and everything was only a minute or two apart from each other. It made sense for us, budget-wise, to make it an overnight stay. The gas of that 45 minute drive two days in a row didn’t make sense, and since everything was so close together, we could just stay up there. If you’re a really outdoorsy family and your wishlist includes fishing, kayaking, and more, it might be worthwhile to investigate campsites near where you’re playing during the day, so you can stay overnight. If you’re taking short trips and your house is a good midpoint, you might want to just stay at home!
7. How do we get ready?
This is the final piece of the puzzle… now is when you make your checklist! Book your tickets, keep track of your confirmation numbers, and be sure to pack any extras you definitely need– like a fishing license if you’re going on a fishing trip, or if you’ll be swimming, make sure you have your swimsuit! Page 4 of the planner will provide you a place to write down all of your confirmation numbers, reservations, and other details to make it easy to keep track of. I like to take this page of the planner along with me on my trip in a folder, with all of the printed confirmations, receipts, and finally, any licenses or extra pieces of information we need with us. I also stick mapquest directions to places as a backup!
With the planner, and these questions, you’ll have no problem planning the trip of a lifetime, right in your very own city.
You can download the 4-page Staycation Planner here. Still not convinced about going on a staycation? Read over my 5 reasons everyone should go on a Staycation here!
Have you planned a staycation? What’s your best planning tip? Share it in the comments below!
