We have all had to cancel our vacation plans over the last few years, and the vaccine rollout is going a lot slower than we all would like. However, we do have the option of treating our local area in the same way a tourist does. If we can put ourselves into this mindset, it is surprising how many placed we can discover to create our staycation the best one ever. Here is our guide to having the best holiday in your own backyard.

Do Some research

This saying should really be retired in certain circumstances but for travel plans, it can be very useful. You may know your local area very well, but you know it as a resident. You need to think like a tourist. Thinking and researching an area like a tourist may bring up some surprising places that you can visit. It could be the building you have walked past a million times is a tourist attraction, or you discover some new restaurants. Think outside the box and see what you can find.

Mini spa at home

One of the first things you should do on vacation is to make sure you are completely relaxed. You might not have the option of a full-body mud mask and hot stone treatment, but there is no reason why you can’t enjoy some relaxation time. Even a bath with Epsom salts can be incredibly relaxing. Grab a facemask, light some candles, and soak your feet. Do whatever it is that you think will help you to relax. If you are a busy parent, get your other half to watch the kids for a while so you can relax without any interruptions. After an hour or two, you will feel like a new person.

Travel Bloggers are your friend

Going back to the idea of doing your own research, you might want to look at travel blogs for an outside perception of what is in your local area. There are so many people who have been in your area who are tourists and have loved what they have seen. If you have been Googling and discovered some travel blogs that mention your area, have a loom and see what they have to say. There is a good chance that they know more about the place than you.

Vacation vibes

You have probably been on vacation loads of times and came back with the memory of food or drink that reminds you of the place? This is your chance to create your own food-based memory of your homestay. Pick a food that you wouldn’t normally throw on your shopping list and make it your special treat. It could be a signature cake from a local bakery or a special cocktail that you have never tried before. Think outside the box and see what you can come up with to create some vacation vibes.

Get outside

If you have kids, there is a good chance that they have been stuck inside for the last year and a bit. This summer, get them outdoors and explore every green area that you can find. Not only will you have play parks to use (if they are open again in your local area), you can take advantage of smaller country trails and parks for walks. If you have plenty of space, you could try some tent camping in the local woods. Just remember, no campfires and always take away your rubbish when you leave.

Read a book

If you are jetting off in a plane, there is a good chance you have picked up a book in the airport to read on the plane or beside the pool. You probably have a reading list that you have been meaning to get to. Have a look at your own bookcase and see if there are any books that you have bought but not read yet. And if you don’t have anything, check out your local bookshop and see if there are any local authors that have new releases. You might even be lucky enough to grab a signed copy.

Put on music

It’s time to turn off the tv and put some music on instead. The tv has a habit of sucking us and wasting our time. Don’t get us wrong, we love a good show, but not when we’re supposed to be relaxing. If you use Spotify or another music streaming service, there are probably plenty of pre-made playlists that are packed with summer songs. Try and listen to something that you wouldn’t normally listen to and get yourself in the mood for summer.

Explore the history

It’s time to get your thinking caps on and do some more research about your local area, but this time you need to see what happened in the past. If you have no idea where to look, there are plenty of people who have written history books about your area. Some of the subject matter might be a bit weird for your kids, but there is no reason why they can’t learn about the area that they live in. Where there pirates? Did they have royalty come to stay? What are the stories behind those buildings? 

Flavoured water

Cast your mind back to your last vacation and think about the hotel that you stayed in. What were those little touches that sat about that made it special? Thinking back, it was probably things like the fluffy towels, the tiny hotel products in the bathroom, and the water flavoured with slices of fruit. You might not want to go and invest in some new towels, although we won’t stop you if that makes you happy. But having big pitchers of water available in your home with fruit and ice can make your home feel that little bit special.

Order in

Keeping with the idea of staying in a hotel, you could order a takeaway for your dinner for a few nights during the week. Try and order some from a few different places to keep the variety of vacation on your mind. Also, try and order food that you won’t normally have. We aren’t saying to order something that you know you will hate, but try something on the menu that you have probably skipped over. If you are lucky enough to order in, make sure you tip your driver the same way you would tip your waiter.

Ditch the phones

Having a phone is great, but sometimes we need to put it down and take a break from it. Here’s the thing, before mobile phones, if someone went on holiday, they couldn’t be contacted. If you were lucky, you would get a postcard from them before they got back from their trip. As part of your staycation, disconnect from the world for a few hours when you are having family time. Pretend it is the 1990s and you can’t be reached while you are on vacation.

Clean Up

If you are planning on a week-long event (or longer) you probably don’t want to do much while you are on holiday. When we go on holiday, the hotel or restaurants prepare our food, and we don’t have to do much in the way of cleaning. A few days before your staycation, clean up and clear out your home so it will be relaxing. Get those chores out of the way that you might be tempted to do, and do nothing else. Sure, you will still need to do your own dishes, but no major cleaning up while you are on holiday.