Check them out below:
1. Backyard Camping
Almost everybody loves camping, right? Well why pay fees for organized camps when you can turn your own backyard into a camping site. Pitch a tent in your yard, seal your television, unplug that Internet router, put those laptops and desktops away and spend some quality time with your family. You could also take it a step further and declare your house a no-go zone (except for the kitchen and the bathroom/toilet). If you are single, invite some friends to stay at your makeshift camp. Put up a hammock and some beach chairs and lay back. Prepare several board games, books, crossword puzzles and other forms entertainment which you normally enjoy while camping. If you have a pool, you turn it into a real beach with some sand and/or pebbles. Tell stories to each other in the evening and enjoy some old-fashioned low tech entertainment.
2. Virtual Visits
Even if you had enough money for a proper vacation (and you don't, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this), chances are you'd only visit one destination. Well, why not make a virtual visit to several of them during your staycation? Rent some (preferably illustrated) country guides, load up some mapping and visualization software and embark on a virtual voyage. You can also make a virtual visit to some interesting landmarks through 3D visualization software; for example check out the ancient beauty of Macchu Picchu or the fascinating architecture of the Forbidden City in China. You can also take screenshots of places you find interesting for future reference - who knows, when you budget improves you might want to actually visit these locations.
3. Theme Evenings
Instead of keeping to the tried and tested "local" cuisine, why not celebrate another culture? And what would be a better way to do it than through its characteristic food, drinks and music. Read up on your target country - Ireland, for example - dig up some nice recipes, buy some CDs with Irish music (you can even download some for free), buy a case or two of Guinness, O'Hara's or similar beers, brush up your Gaelic a bit (OK, that may be a bit too much)... Throw a party, invite your friends over and explore the target culture until you've had too much. Keep in mind that these "evenings" need not be about existing cultures; why not host a pirate party with a lot of grog, arrr matey? Be prepared for some theme-specific cleaning the next day, though. Rinse and repeat with another country when you recover!
4. Hometown Tour
Why not explore some sites that are located right under your nose? Depending on the size of the city you live in, you may have more or less sights to visit, but your tour need not be confined to just your home city - adjacent urban areas are just as good if not better. Visit some local museums, theaters, landmarks, churches, galleries, planetariums, amusement parks and other "touristy" sites that you never had the time to explore before. Treat yourself with a dinner in a nice restaurant you've never been to, but always wanted to go to. Take a night stroll through the green areas, and just generally take the time to stop and smell the flowers. Don't forget your camera!
5. Frequenting Pools & Thermal Resorts
A perfect vacation for most people includes beaches & all that stuff that goes along with baking yourself under the Sun for hours. Well, since you are considering a staycation, why not behave like you're in a nice summer resort - instead of to the beach, go to the pool in the morning, and stay there the whole day. Thermal resorts & spas are also great fun if you have some in the vicinity. If possible, go to a different pool/resort every day for a week, as it will not cost you that much and you will have an opportunity to pick the best one to eventually visit more often, even while not on a staycation. If you live in a coastal town, don't forget to throw your local beaches in the mix (but chances are you are already familiar with them, so try something new instead).
6. Sloth Week
Step one - go shop for supplies to last for a while. Step two - do nothing you absolutely don't have to do. You're on a vacation, remember that. Do absolutely nothing that could be classified as work. Do not even think about work. Sleep till noon, make a giant sandwich, collapse in your sofa and watch TV. Read books in bed all day. Play video games. Don't forget to feed the cat/dog. Sleep some more. Stare at the ceiling. Visit the video store and throw yourself an Indiana Jones/Star Trek/Sex and the City marathon. There is just one rule for this type of staycation - be lazy and enjoy it. You're on a vacation, so you're NOT accessible to any work related issues. No exceptions.
7. Build Something
Some people prefer to be active on their vacations, so it might be a good idea to make the most of your staycation. If you're good at woodworking, why not build a new table for your garden, or something along the lines of a new bird/cat/dog house? More artistically inclined staycationers might mold a small statue for the living room/garden/shelf, a garden gnome or some piece of contemporary art. Other ideas include building a custom mp3 jukebox out of your old computer, a small fountain for the yard, origami decorations, glass painting etc. Be creative and try whatever comes to your mind; even if it doesn't turn out exactly as you planned, you will probably brush up your manual skills.
8. Home Exchange
This is a somewhat "radical" idea, but if you can trust the other party, why not? Contact that friend across the state/country/ocean and propose that you swap houses with each other for a week or so. Strictly speaking, this does not qualify as a staycation, but it is an excellent way to cut those enormous accommodation costs. As a bonus, you can exchange first-hand local information with each other, so that you don't waste time on unnecessary stuff. Afterwards, both parties can get together and share all the perspectives on both locations. Who knows, considering the saying that "the grass is always greener at your neighbor's", maybe you decide on a permanent trade. In which case this would become a staycation! Mission accomplished.
9. No Plans Whatsoever Week
Tired of planning routes, calculating budget, scheduling work and similar activities? Why not spend some time without committing any of your time in advance? The best way to do this is to switch your mobile phone, plug out your landline and avoid logging into any instant messaging clients. Live for the moment - whatever comes to mind (within reason, of course), do it. You might want to check out the recent movie "Yes Man", starring Jim Carrey; it should give you some ideas about what to do and what might be too much. Don't do this for more than a week though, because you might get too used to it. Be careful not to infringe on other people's freedom while enjoying this lifestyle, because your staycation might turn out to be more costly than you had anticipated!
10. "Hunting" Stuff
Chances are you have a hobby. If you don't, then there is certainly a "category of items" that interests you - be it antiquities, tech gadgets, art, stamps, cigarette boxes, books, clothing, vintage items etc. Devote your staycation to your hobby or interest, and focus on "hunting" for cheap deals on items you are interested in. Electronic auctions are one option, but it is far more enjoyable (at least for me) to visit local flea markets, yard sales, fairs etc. Finding good deals isn't easy, but we are all familiar with that good feeling which comes after you finally manage to find that XY item that you've been searching for ages. Don't confuse this with regular shopping - I'm talking mainly about collector's items here, something you really enjoy browsing, but anything you consider fun will work!
Vedran_Banjeglav
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