Over 30 Staycation Ideas for Families
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Time off with the kids does not always mean it’s time to pack the suitcases!
Often times we take our own hometowns for granted. They are left unexplored while we tour other destinations.
Without the cost of transportation, hotels, and restaurants, staycations are affordable and less difficult to pull off.
Here are some ideas for planning a staycation for your family. Some will involve seeing your hometown sites, while others will be fun activities that you would not usually do while in your home. Some will cost money, while other ideas will be free.
Buckle up…Here we go!
Pick a few local attractions. Often we avoid these because we feel we can visit them anytime, and they may be expensive. Now is the time to splurge. After all, you saved money on transportation and hotels! Think local amusement or water parks. Maybe an art gallery?
If you have professional sports teams in your town, tour the stadiums and ballparks. The behind the scenes tours are fun and you may get to take a picture next to your favorite player’s locker!
Attend a sporting event. It could be a professional or college event. Grab a hot dog and root on the home team!
Get tickets to see a theater production or concert. Again this could be a big Broadway-type production, a local theater production, or a high school production.
Map out four or five new parks outside of your neighborhood. Pack a picnic lunch and go from one park to the next. Rate the parks. Did you prefer the playground equipment at one park the best, while the picnic tables at another had a better view? Which parks will you go back to now that you know they are there?
How do you pick a movie at the theater when there are a few you want to see? Binge at the theater! See a movie in the morning, then go to lunch and come back to see a different show in the afternoon or evening. Don’t tell the kids! They will never guess you are going back to watch another movie!
What recreational activities is your town known for? I live in Colorado and there is everything from hiking and rafting in the summer to skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. Step out of your comfort zone and try something new! Rock climbing? ice fishing?
Local recreation centers are a great way to spend the day! Swimming or shooting hoops? How often do you get to hang with the family just messing around?
Paint! Visit a local “paint a plate” or a “paint and sip” type of place and create some art together.
Your local library is a fun and free place to visit. Read books, or join in on a read-aloud session! If you visit your library regularly, visit a new one in a different part of town! The change in perspective may help you discover new books or media!
Attend a local festival or parade!
Take a cooking class together. Better yet, get out your favorite cookbook and prepare a new meal together. Part of the family can make appetizers and dessert while the others make the main courses!
Participate in a local charity race or event.
Volunteer for a cause important to your family.
Family slumber party! Have the kids set up the family room as your hotel for the night! Get out all the pillows and blankets!
Make paper airplanes. Who’s flies the farthest?
Visit a local craft shop. Try a new craft. Knitting? Model building? Sketching?
Create a treasure hunt. Give clues throughout the house for kids to go from one step to the next. Sneak a few chores in there! Ex. Go to the kitchen, put away the dishes and look for the next clue on the cupboard door. What will the treasure be at the end?
Rearrange the furniture in the kid’s bedrooms. It’s fun to have a new look and it may get them to pick up their rooms.
Board games and puzzles are always a great go-to for a little fun family competition and entertainment.
Take a tour! Is your town the home of a candy factory or a pencil-making warehouse? Often tours are free and if it is a food-related business, there will be samples!
Print photos from a recent family event or celebration and make a scrapbook.
Unplug. No screens. No electricity. What will you do? Get out the candles and figure it out!
Watch family videos, or create some!
Learn about your local history. Visit local historical sites!
Ride bikes, walk, take a bus or train instead of taking the car.
What season is it? Build a snowman, plant a garden, have a water balloon fight, jump in the leaves.
Bake cookies.
Play some music and have a dance party.
Make plans to visit family or friends that live nearby.
Visit a thrift shop and see if there are any treasures or fun items for a dress-up bin.
What ideas do you have or do the kids have? The possibilities are endless.
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