Families around the world opt to have their vacations within their local area because of the high expense associated with traveling long distances. It has become very expensive to visit exotic locations around the world, prompting several people to appreciate the local attractions within their own communities. There are many excellent staycation ideas for families that will offer the same thrill as visiting another state or country. Domestic tourism has slowly been gaining popularity as people come to appreciate the beauty of their immediate vicinity without having to travel too far. If you’re looking for fun staycation ideas for families, consider one of the following activities.
Go for a Swim
A key priority for any fun-filled vacation is sunbathing by a swimming pool or enjoying the crystal clear waters of a coastal area. However, it is possible to find discount pool supplies and still enjoy all the joy that comes with swimming without having to travel far. Most people have it in their minds that they must visit a five-star hotel to enjoy excellent swimming facilities, but this is also very possible within your own community. Swimming can be very fun when you do it with loved ones and will offer the same joy as visiting any exotic beach.
A simple search on the internet and even advice from neighbors can point a family to a good swimming pool that will allow them to have unrestricted excitement for several days on end. Instead of going to a fine hotel where the fees will be quite high, swimming locally is one of the best staycation ideas for families as it is expensive and will involve minimal travel. This will also allow you to visit the swimming pool as many times as possible throughout the vacation period without it having a significant dent on your pockets.
Take a Dance Class
Taking part in fun activities as a family is a good way of spending vacation time together as it allows for bonding and developing a sense of togetherness. One such activity that can aid in this cause is taking a dance lesson that can be enormously exciting as each member can explore a passion for music and movement. Dancing together in a dance class relieves your family of the day-to-day monotony of being in the house and allows you to do something unique.
There are several dance schools in local communities that your family can visit during your staycation. This is a source of good laughter and a chance to learn something new as you take in your local surroundings and enjoy each other’s company. It’s a good opportunity for the whole family to take part in an activity that you may have never tried before. Dancing is one of the ideal staycation ideas for families that will offer a lot of excitement.
Visit an Arcade
Young children enjoy arcade visits because there are several activities that they can choose from to keep them busy for the better part of the day. From enjoying unique foods to playing arcade games and interacting with other youngsters their own age, this should be a top staycation priority for a family. Arcades are usually fun-filled because there are activities specifically designed to occupy youngsters for the better part of the day. They’ll completely blend in with their surrounding environment and not want to leave at the end of the day.
A visit to an arcade is also a good opportunity for the older members of the family to bond as they watch their youngsters put their troubles behind them. It frees them up to enjoy each other’s company without the hassle of dealing with the children, and it offers a completely different environment to the hustle and bustle of everyday work. This is one of the most beneficial staycation ideas for families because there is minimal work involved and everybody can enjoy a sense of freedom they might not otherwise get at home.
Take a Cooking Class
Everybody enjoys preparing their favorite meals, particularly if it is for the family to enjoy when you are all together. A cooking class will allow family members, even youngsters, to showcase their ability to prepare a meal, even dessert, and it is an excellent way of occupying time during a staycation. Seeing a family member hard at work and happy over a kitchen countertop can only mean one thing: finger-licking fun! Cooking classes are also fun for the whole family because they allow everyone to learn a crucial life skill that will benefit them in their personal lives.
There are many cooking classes hosted by familiar faces in the local community that allow families to interact with each other and avoid the expense of traveling long-distance. These lessons offer an opportunity for the chefs of the family to take away a new skill that will be useful even after the staycation. The chance to learn and, at the same time, have fun in the presence of family makes this one of the best staycation ideas for families. This type of bonding will leave the family eager to take up cooking classes on their next holiday.
Go Clothes Shopping
A key highlight of a vacation is purchasing clothes that will act as a souvenir of your visit or even apparel that you can use in your day-to-day back at home. However, it is also possible to enjoy this fun activity locally, as it will be easier to access clothes that will be more useful for the rest of the year. There are likely many clothes stores in your community that also offer exotic items that the family can still enjoy without having to leave the local area.
Shopping for different types of attire in clothing stores can be quite exciting, and it’s something that can take up an entire day. You can also spend multiple days shopping, and you can divide your time based on the clothing that you are looking for. This is one of the finest staycation ideas for families as it’s both fun in the moment and useful later on. Having a partitioned approach to purchasing clothes will be quite entertaining, and many stores allow people to try out different clothes that will be a source of laughter for family members as they pick out things they would otherwise not wear on a normal day.
Have a Garage Party
It’s always fun to entertain guests, especially if it involves the outdoors and food. There is nothing more fun than opening up the garage door and setting out a barbecue in the summer heat, maybe even letting the children have fun with the sprinklers. Similarly, there can’t be a better scent than roasting meat that wafts through the entire neighborhood and everybody is invited in for a bite. The parents can lie back on lawn chairs and enjoy crisp, cold beers while the children set up a mini-soccer tournament that will keep everybody entertained.
Parties hosted out of the garage offer a good opportunity for neighbors to get to know each other better as well as pass the staycation time in a cool way. Interaction among the children does not have to be restricted to school alone, but they can also enjoy each other’s company outdoors without having to travel too far. As far as staycation ideas for families go, this is one of the finest options as it is cheap and very convenient for everyone.
Go Boating
Younger family members will often argue that a proper vacation must involve visiting a large water body to take in the great outdoors. It may be possible to find boating activities within your local community without ever stepping on an airplane or taking a distant train journey. It is also possible to take advantage of used boat sales for the family to own their own vessel that can be used on subsequent staycations.
Boating activities are particularly fun if different families from the same neighborhood can go together and enjoy each other’s company. There’s no need to travel to distant coastal locations; even man-made dams, lakes, and local rivers are fine options. Of the many staycation ideas for families to engage in, this one can prove to be quite fun, particularly if you get your own boat. This removes the urge to travel very far to enjoy aquatic activities, as you can enjoy the same activities in your own locale.
Do Some Gardening
Tending to the flowers both indoors and outdoors is also a good activity for the family to participate in during staycation time. Flowers and other different types of plants liven the atmosphere in the house, and taking time to ensure that they are growing well and getting all the care they need is an excellent way of passing time. These beauties will require supplies like fertilizer and mulch to achieve optimum growth, and showing the youngsters how to get the plants ready will also give them something to learn as they spend time with the family.
Gardening indoors will involve flowerpots, and an activity that can also go with gardening is decorating the pots with paint of different colors. Gardening doesn’t have to be treated as a chore, particularly if all family members contribute, and the youngsters can be made to understand that the plants are very much a part of the family just like their pets. Gardening will help pass time during the staycation while making the house more beautiful.
Go for a Drive
The image of a pet dog sticking its head out of the backseat window of the family station wagon is an enjoyable highlight that marks any fun staycation. Families often want to explore distant, exotic locations, but your local community also probably has attractions that family members can go their whole lives without seeing. By opting for the tires of the family car rather than the cramped space of an airplane cabin, family members can explore their surroundings and take in the key attractions.
Family members taking the time to be in the car together also allows for fun interactions such as spotting unique things they might not otherwise notice on a normal work or school day. Taking in the fresh air away from home can be very refreshing and will leave all family members feeling very relaxed. It’s also a chance to tell each other stories, emphasizing this activity as one of the excellent staycation ideas for families. The youngsters will also have a chance to see things that they otherwise wouldn’t by following a single route to school on a daily basis.
Families are slowly finding out that staycations are just as fun as traveling far away. This is because, for the most part, people treat home as home and never have the chance to enjoy their surroundings in a different way. The days of traveling to distant lands for vacations are over, as exploring unique staycation ideas for families offers an even better opportunity for families to bond with each other. This is a chance for you to take in the exciting environment of your surroundings and do things you may otherwise never try. We hope you have a fun staycation!