How to Make Every Weekend a Vacation
Photo Courtesy of Wix
With summer right around the corner, it’s easy to feel pressure to give your family the vacation of their dreams. If getting out of town isn’t in the cards for you right now, it’s all about finding new ways to make your home feel like a vacation! Try one of these 4 ideas to make every weekend a vacation for you and the kids.
1. Backyard Camping
One of my favorite things to do as a kid was throwing together a backyard campout. Grab a tent if you have it, but otherwise, throw a sheet over a few chairs and lay out all the towels and blankets you can find underneath. Battery-powered string lights really set the scene, but make sure plenty of snacks are around regardless. Set up an iPad or laptop with a favorite flick for the perfect camping experience right in your own backyard.
Tip: If you don’t have a backyard, set up shop in the living room! There’s nothing like a classic pillow fort to get their imaginations running wild.
2. Pool Day
One of the best ways to get out of the house in the summer is a day at the pool. Most areas have local pools with affordable day passes, but inflatable options are also available all over Target and Walmart this time of year. Add some watermelon and popsicles for the finishing touch to this beach experience.
3. Hiking Adventure
No matter where you’re located, a forest, park, or field is rarely more than a few minutes away. Little ones can hardly tell the difference between an oak and a redwood. Give them the hiking experience of a lifetime in just a few hours with binoculars, maps, an animal or plant guide, and a notepad to draw what they find.
4. Local Tour
It’s easy to get comfortable in our hometowns, to the point where we would never notice things a tourist would. Become a tourist in your own town for the weekend by exploring local restaurants, shops, museums, and any other attractions Google recommends. Make it a walking or biking tour to add a layer of adventure to your sightseeing.
More important than the places you go are the memories you make. Staycations have all the possibilities in the world to create memories they’ll cherish for a lifetime! This summer, don’t overthink it – it’s easy to make every weekend a vacation when you get creative and keep an open mind.
Rachel Rebecca Smith is a graduate student at James Madison University. After earning a BA in Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication at JMU, she decided to return to the program for her Master’s. She will graduate with her MA in WRTC this May.