Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Staycationing

I've shared my love for staycations many times before and I'll say it again, 
they. are. the. best.
  If you don't have time for a real vacation or just want to quickly get away without actually going away - there is no better answer.

Today I am linking up with Kate and joining in on Wanderlust Wednesday because really, what better a linkup than one to discuss travel???  Let's dive right in to my favorite parts of a staycation. 

Little Travel Time 
What is better than no flight and less than 30 minutes driving time to get to your vacation staycation destination.  For us it's about a thirty minute drive into the city and that drive is always very much appreciated at the end of the stay.  It's the best feeling to know you only have a short trip ahead of you to get home.

Cocktails & a night out in Center City 

Relax & Unwind 
Let's face it - a hotel is a relaxing place to relax, unwind, get a little extra sleep and leave feeling refreshed.  Whether it's just lounging on the couch (in a robe) in the hotel room or taking advantage of a nice spa treatment or even just the fact that you sleep in longer than you would at home, staycations are a great way to hit the refresh button.

Pedicures in Beverly Hills

Be a Tourist 
One of the things I don't take advantage of enough and would like to more is being more touristy in my own city.  Like lots of cities, there are so many sights to see, activities to take part in, restaurants to taste - why not see what's in your own area.

Safari Touring in Bora Bora

Treat Yourself 
Like an actual vacation, it's always nice to treat yourself to something to make it a little extra special.  Something like tickets to a show you've wanted to see, a nice spa treatment, a special meal, a boat cruise (one of our go to favorites) or an excursion are all great ideas and can be conformed to your needs & wants.

Wine tasting in Napa Valley 

Sporting
This one you don't really need to wait for a staycation to do if your avid sports fans like us but this could also be fun to tie into an overnight stay.  I know a lot of major cities locate their sports venues right in the heart of the city (although I know some are located outside the city) and ours happens to have all the venues right in an area together.  An afternoon or night at the ballpark or stadium could be a great activity to enjoy on your mini getaway.

Watching a football game in Dallas

Take in the Sunshine 
Who doesn't love a day of lounging by the pool or beach this time of the year?!  While a staycation for me wouldn't be able to include a beach, it most definitely could include a pool and that's something that I always look for when picking a hotel in the summer.  Laying out in the sun, enjoying the weather, reading, possibly sipping a cocktail near a pool is a favorite and another way to feel like your maybe a little farther away, like on an island or something :)

Enjoying the pool in Tahiti 

Indulge
On vacations we always indulge in what we want to eat - I mean there are always so many great meals to taste and we are total foodies! On a staycation you can bet I'm going to do the same exact thing - a delicious meal, a tasty pastry or a cupcake I can't say no to - I'm definitely going to indulge a little and enjoy some special treats.

Picking up cupcakes in Fort Myers

Our most recent staycations: 


You tell me…
Do you staycation??
What are your must have components of a stay in your city??
Is your city one that would be great for a visit??




34 comments:

  1. I am HUGE fan of stacycations. I don't HAVE to book a trip to go somewhere tropical to have a great time. Our one year anniversary was a stay cation in DC and it was the best idea ever. I love not having to travel or get on plane and it's SOOOO fun exploring somewhere you already know.

    ps.com do I see a Dallas fan?!?!!??! WOOOHOOOO!

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  2. Being a tourist in your own city is the best!!! I am 100% loving the idea of staycations because it's a chance to test out things in your own city you never get to!! xo, Biana -BlovedBoston

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  3. I have been on one staycation and I was hesitant at first but ended up loving it! Great tips!

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  4. That's what I say to Mark all the time! We live where people vacation. We definitely need to take advantage of it more often.

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  5. Great post! We've only ever done it once before, but hope to do it more in the future!!! I think it all depends on the location of where you live. We are in a pretty remote town that doesn't have anything close by.. at all! Haha so our choices are VERY limited. We did it more in the city we lived in before.

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  6. Staycations are the best mini getaways to fully relax! When I go on vacation somewhere I always want to sightsee and do a bunch of things but a staycation you can fully relax and be pampered!

    <3, Pamela
    Sequins & Sea Breezes

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  7. Staycations are amazing. And yes, vacations of any kind are meant for no diets and lots of indulgences!

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  8. These are the best staycation tips ever!! Mine mostly center around getting the most sleep I can and just feeling as if the change of scenery can revitalize me - but I love these ideas of making it more like being a tourist at home!!

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  9. Staycations are always great. Relax, unwind, and take in the wonderful things around you that you may not be able to appreciate on your usually busy weekly schedule

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  10. stay cations can be a blast! i love exploring new things that i haven't seen before :) and i'm loving all your snaps - can i go to Tahiti right now yes please! :)

    xo cheshirekatblog.com

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  11. I love staycations! When you live close to a city, there are always new things to try and experience! You are making me want to go on a stayction ASAP!

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  12. This is so fun! Ryan and I definitely need to embrace the idea of a staycation - there are so many neat towns and cities near us that we have yet to explore.

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  13. I totally need to do a staycation!! So fun! Love playing tourist in my own city.

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  14. I love staycations! These are great ideas! Thanks for sharing!

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  15. Those pictures are fabulous! Love how you tied in real vacays with staycays :) Where did you stay in Tahiti?? We honeymooned at Four Seasons Bora Bora :)

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  16. Love all of your outfits! And really great tips on staycationing
    I think we're doing a staycation this July. It is most definitely needed.

    liz @ sundays with sophie

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  17. These pictures are so fun! I would love to go to Tahiti one day!

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  18. love being a tourist in my own city! so much fun--great tips!

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  19. Ahhhh I love your pictures! Staycationing just doesn't work for this girl, I tell ya I have to be away from this place to relax at all!!! However, I love your tips!!!! xo Amanda

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  20. I love staycations! Sometimes we'll rent a house on the beach and just crash out there for a couple nights. It's perfect because it's only 15 minutes from our house and we get to hang out on the beach all day. :)

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  21. I have only been living in my city for about 3 years so I am still exploring everything that it has to offer. Staycationing is the best!

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  22. Staycations are the BEST! I haven't done any now that I'm back in Texas but I used to do them all the time when I was living in Florida and working for Disney. When you get 50% off hotels on Disney property and can get into the parks for free, it's pretty easy to have a staycation fairly often! :)

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  23. I love seeing what nearby cities have to offer, even we do not stay overnight. I don't need to go to Europe in order to have an exciting time (not that I don't want to see a couple of places in Europe).

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  24. Staycations are so much fun! We did one last year for our anniversary and it was a blast :)

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  25. beautiful photos! you are so lucky you have been to Tahiti! one o my dream destinations!

    lifeisashoe

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  26. LOVE this list, I've become a huge fan of staycations since moving to Florida. The options are endless, and even a short drive feels like we really got away and can indulge :)

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  27. I agree staycations can be just as fun as a real vacation especially since you can eliminate the stress of airports or traffic etc....Love all the photos from your travels!

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  28. I'll be honest...we don't do staycations well. I think about the money I'd spend on it and always decide I'd rather save it for a big vacation away from Texas. However, when company comes to town, we become tourists of our city too, and that ends up being little staycation for us.

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  29. Staycations are such a great way to relax...just like you said! No crazy traffic or flights is a great way to begin a break on a not-annoyed note ;)

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  30. I love exploring Seattle (where we live). We kind of have our go-to restaurants so we really want to branch out and go places we've been meaning to go, but haven't. Lately we've also been exploring Portland when we can since we can just drop our dogs by my parents' house and then drive another 45 minutes and be there!

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  31. We're doing a stay cation next week in Birmingham before we meet up with our friends to stay at their lake house for the weekend. It's something inexpensive and fun since a lot of us don't take time to do touristy things around us...we're so busy!

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  32. Yes love staycations! It's so fun to explore our city and the surrounding areas!

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  33. Right? It looks like Carrie never even had a baby. And I totally think someone on the inside told Blake and Miranda they weren't going to win, so they went on vacation instead :)

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  34. You know, staycations are definitely underrated. The weather never gets quite good enough here for poolside antics, but the rest is a definite yes. I'm particularly a fan of lots of eating, and visiting those places you always skip over because they're just down the road. We have a lovely river here in Bedford that's great for walking along, and the countryside is just so close and it's got heaps of pretty English walks. Lots of staycation material! And if all else fails, there's always London...

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