6 Ways to Staycation Like You Mean It

Making memories at or close to home this spring break? Traveling far for spring break isn’t an option for all families. Plus, we love where we live, so why not enjoy and make the best of our area that we call home. In fact, these tips can be used all year long! Here are 6 ways to make the most out of family time together.

*Photo above by Windows on Unsplash

1. Do Something For The First Time, Together

Find an experience no one in the family has tried or learned before. Hit up a planetarium, set up an ant farm or a butterfly habitat, try lazer tag, or go go karting.

Ask your child(ren), “What do you wonder?” At a minimum you’ll get entertaining responses, but you’ll also likely find the perfect topic or interest to explore together.

2. Visit a Town You Haven't Explored

Build your own day trip! Find a town within two hours’ drive that you haven’t visited before. Do some research on the best restaurants, playground, museum, park, and/or shopping and create your own adventure! If the kids are older, plan out the day together.

Our Spring Break Staycation Ideas article lists nearby cities worth a visit! In 2022, Erin and her girls checked out the Dinosaur Discovery Museum in Kenosha, the Racine Zoo, and IKEA in Oak Creek.

3. Make It Standout from the Norm

Find something to do at your house that you wouldn’t typically put thought and effort into.

Camp in your Living Room or Basement. Set up the tent, eat dinner on a picnic blanket with a lantern, roast s’mores over a Sterno can’s flame.
Host a Scavenger Hunt
Construct a Fairy House or Garden in your yard
Create a “laser maze” through a hallway using streamers
Girl’s Spa Day at Home
Organize Olympic games to compete in against family members or neighbors

4. Listen to Uplifting Music

Need a break from Surface Pressure and Bruno? Listen to songs that provide a heartwarming reminder of the fact that these are the days. Someday the house will be quiet instead of chaotic. Someday it’ll somehow feel too neat and we’ll ache for those tiny muddy boots again. We are going to miss the moments where the kids are vying for our attention while we are trying to finish something else. Soak up these moments while they still think we are funny and maybe even cool.

Life is Short, Make it Sweet – Old Dominion
The Nights – Avicii
Good Old Days – Mackelmore and Kesha
It’s a Great Day to be Alive – Travis Tritt
We Are Young – Fun

These songs often give me the nudge I need to stay in the present.

5. Brainstorm Outings

Consider jotting ideas for out-of-the-house activities on paper as a family and dropping them in a jar. With spring showers as sporadic as they are, write rainy day options on blue paper so the chooser can be a bit more targeted. Each day, family members take turns drawing an idea to determine what is on the day’s agenda!

Here are some options to spark ideas:

Hike or Bike Ride (to ice cream, picnic, etc)
Adventure Rock
Trampoline Park
Escape Room
A Museum
Zoo Day
Swim at a local pool or drive to an indoor waterpark
Go Bowling

See Spring Break Staycation Ideas for more inspiration!

6. Staycation Theme Day

Dreaming of a Spring Break in Mexico? Spend the day in beachwear at home, cook tacos, read a book or watch YouTube videos about the Mayans, and dance to Salsa music!

You can do this with any state or country you have your eyes set on. Get creative; the cheesier the better.

Sometimes the Best Vacation is the Staycation

Cut back on commitments, take it one day at a time, and after a hassle-less week of togetherness, your staycation will no doubt become a treasured family memory.

Spring break is a GREAT time to start making those Summer Break care plans for your kiddos. Find awesome local summer camps here. Plus, enter to win a $100 gift card by March 21!!