With restrictions easing and vaccinations hopefully bringing the pandemic to a slow conclusion, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic. Travel abroad is difficult in many places, though, and a staycation remains the best option for escaping the daily grind:
#1 Home Tourism
No matter how long you’ve lived in an area, the chances are that you haven’t explored all of it just yet. Being a home tourist means looking at your local area through brand new eyes and discovering hidden gems in the process. Go for walks. Visit parks you’ve never set foot in, museums, art galleries, libraries. The choices are endless and you’ll be surprised at how much your home town offers all year round. It can help to do a quick web search of “things to do near me,” just as a tourist might if they were arriving.
#2 The Activity Holiday
If you feel like you’ve spent too much time sedentary over the past few months, an activity holiday can be a brilliant reprieve. Search your local area for gyms, tennis courts, swimming pools and football pitches. You can also branch out into taking classes, perhaps even hiring an instructor for something like yoga. The chances are that you’ll end the staycation feeling exhausted but invigorated, and you might even come away with a new hobby.
#3 Food Adventure
One for gourmets, this type of staycation involves scouring your local area for restaurants that you haven’t visited before and cuisines that you’ve never sampled. The results can be surprising and you’ll almost certainly discover something new. Again, it pays to do your research in advance. People are creatures of habit, so you likely eat in the same places time and again.
Search for the top-rated restaurants in the vicinity, but also look for different types of cuisine. Sampling new dishes is an easy way to make a staycation feel a little more exotic.
#4 Pure Relaxation
The last year has been stressful for everyone. Homes even became workplaces, but a staycation is a perfect excuse to take back control of your environment. This kind of holiday involves relaxation in the form of treatments, soothing baths, scented candles – anything you like! You could even indulge in some home yoga with an app or video course.
#5 New Home
You might be staying in your local area, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to stay inside your house. Look for local hotels and Airbnbs close to attractions and amenities. Leaving your home behind really feels like a holiday and new surroundings will leave you invigorated.
Moreover, staying in new surroundings encourages you to get out and explore, seeing your hometown through the eyes of a tourist rather than someone who’s lived there for years.
#6 Camping
Similar to the above but for lovers of the great outdoors, camping is a wonderful option. Depending on where you live, there are likely to be camping opportunities close at hand. Failing that you can even set up a tent in the garden.
This option is great for kids, who will love the adventure. Roasted marshmallows, campfire songs and wood fires are all prerequisites, of course.
*Photos by Los Muertos Crew
