Depending on your situation, taking a long vacaction to a destination may not be an option, but don’t get discouraged. You can still have an enjoyable vacation spending time with your family without spending a ton of money. How? By simply blocking out some time to “be present” and do things together.
If you are not financially able or can’t take time off, look for other creative ways to “vacation”. I’m sure everyone has heard the term “staycation”. You may roll your eyes and say “It’s not the same as a regular vacation!” but it is truly worth trying.
Just like it sounds—a staycation means you’ll be staying at home while on “vacation.” Think of it as a way to “get away from it all” by going nowhere. A staycation is an awesome (and much cheaper) alternative than traditional vacations! —R.Solutions
We were blessed last year during the pandemic to “staycation” a lot. My husband was laid off for a couple months and due to the situation, we suddenly had a lot of “free time”! —We began to have almost daily “adventures”
We really enjoyed our “extended” staycation!!
My husband discovered that he enjoyed fishing early on last year. We bought our fishing licenses and spend a ton of time at our local lakes. (Kids are free under 12 in our states.) In just our immediate area, there are 3 major lakes. We were able to spend multiple weekly afternoons and most Saturdays at the lake. It was so peaceful. There is something very special about spending time in nature with those you love.
(I’m a huge fan of sunrises and sunsets! There is nothing more gorgeous in my book than to see a sunrise or a sunset across a lake. 😍⬇️)
We were able to spend quality time with the kids while fishing. We were able to talk, laugh, and enjoy each other’s company. The kids’ excitement when they reeled in a “big one” was very entertaining to watch. Most of the area around our local lakes does not even have phone service/signals so that alone forced us to unplug completely. There were no phone calls/texts/emails to interrupt the quality family time...We were 100% present with no distractions!
Even though the pandemic was terrible, and I hate that it happened, it actually brought our family several blessings in disguise. We discovered our love for the outdoors and being surrounded by nature. We discovered we love spending time at the lake. We became closer as a family. We began to prioritize what really mattered in life— God, first and foremost, and then our relationships!! We found out you don’t have to go hundreds of miles from home to enjoy a vacation. It is all what you made it!!
Besides the initial fishing licenses and the gas to drive to the lakes, our “adventure” outings were free. We could go spend an entire afternoon or a whole Saturday doing fun things and not have to spend any money. We packed a cooler and enjoyed picnic lunches! Not only did they fish, the kids explored, found “treasures” in nature, picked flowers, splashed in the shallows at the lake (with life vests on!), and had a wonderful time! They even able to take home free souvenirs—unique pieces of driftwood, some freshwater mussel shells, shiny rocks, a piece of a fossil, etc....We was able to take a lot of beautiful family photos!! We created a wealth of fun, family memories!! All without going away somewhere or spending a dime!!
Even if you don’t enjoy fishing, try going out to a lake or a state park. A lot of the lakes have marinas where you can rent pontoon boats, pedal boats, kayaks, canoes, and fishing jon boats for reasonable prices if you have room in your staycation budget for a little splurge. Even if you don’t fish, spending a few hours on the water is so peaceful and relaxing!! I highly recommend it!!
Or it can be as simple as taking a walk down a hiking trail with your family. (My kids used to call these nature walks—“wood walks” “Come on, Daddy, Let’s take a wood walk!!” Lol 😂 )
You will be surprised at all the interesting things you will encounter. There is wildlife, interesting plant life, beautiful scenery, and much more. Most lakes or state parks have playgrounds for the kiddos to play on. Most also have picnic areas! Pack a picnic lunch and go spend some time with your family! Make memories!! Those seemly small, insignificant “adventures” are often the ones the kids will remember the most...
Another idea is to check your local library for passes that you can rent to local attractions. Our library used to rent passes for a family of 4 to our local museum. There was the regular museum to explore and downstairs, there was a children’s play/discovery floor. There were sections for all ages. It was fun for the kids to go spend an afternoon there, exploring and playing. All without me having to pay a dime!
We also have a old pioneer farm village close by that we took the kids to a few years back. That was a neat excursion. The kids got to experience a small taste of what it was like for the pioneers to work, do chores, cook, and play. They enjoyed that trip immensely. They still talk about it today.
Another idea is to have a family game night...make homemade pizzas or if your budget allows, get takeout pizza. Play some fun board games as a family... Have snacks or popcorn as finger foods.
Download a free audiobook. Cuddle up on the couch and listen together as a family... even if your kids are smaller, there are tons of classic audiobooks that interesting for littler ones and adults alike.
Camping is another fun idea for a cheap (if not completely free) activity depending on where you decide to camp. Some campsites charge a small fee while others are free... and there is always the “backyard camping” option to try lol 😂 just in case somebody doesn’t make it through the night. Pitch a tent in your backyard or on your back porch. Build an outdoor fire and roast hot dogs and marshmallows for s’mores. Tell the kids stories and sing songs by the light of the flames. We took the kids camping last year in Indiana and they enjoyed the entire experience so much!! Cooking food over a fire and “roughing” it was definitely interesting to say the least.... ( My husband said it’s wasn’t really “roughing” it —but to this city gal, it sure felt like we were!)
There is even the living room camp out option!!
If you have smaller kids, make blanket/pillow forts with them... kids love to play in blanket forts but it is especially fun when Mom and Dad join in as well!!
Another idea is to ride bikes together. My husband does this with our kids and they love it! They seem to enjoy it so much more when Daddy joins in on the fun!!
There are tons of ideas— there is no way I could even possibly cover them all!! — Do your own research of your town! Look around your area...Are there places that you have never been before? Sometimes, living locally we forget just what attractions/activities are around us ! You could be sitting on a goldmine of fun!!
Whether you have the budget to go away on a traditional vacation, or if you decide to stay home and “staycation”, remember, spending quality time together is the main thing!!
The hustle and bustle of everyday life has a way of making us neglect to take the time for the simpler moments in life. Often, our proverbial plate is full of responsibilities and tasks at hand. Sometimes, we need to allow the Lord to a “reset” us mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and even sometimes physically! Too much stress and anxiety can do a number on your health!!
Unplugging from everything, changing up your routine, resting, and spending quality time as family (just having fun!! ) for a few days will reset/refresh you and your family.
Those memories made with your kids will last a lifetime!! Invest in them! Spend time with them!! You will never regret it!!
-🌸Tiphanie
Hope you enjoyed these helpful tips!! Comment down below if you too have tried the staycation method!! What kind of activities did your family do??
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