How to Plan a Fun and Affordable Family Staycation

With the economy in it's current condition, lavish family vacations are more increasingly becoming staycations. Here are some tips to help you plan an affordable family staycation that will be so much fun you'll want to do it again next year.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A Budget for your Staycation
• Internet Access
• A vehicle
• Picnic Basket/cooler and Supplies

1. The first thing you will need is a solid budget of how money much you have available to spend on your staycation. Divide this amount by the number of days that you have for your staycation. Make a list of the things that you all enjoy doing and consider the ages of the children and determine what the most age appropriate activities are for them. Plan for the season, if it is winter and there is snow on the ground substitute amusement park trips for skiing, snow boarding, cross country skiing, ice skating or snowshoeing.
   Armed with your list get on the internet and pull up your state's travel and tourism page. For each area of interest, investigate the possible destinations, choose the most appropriate ones and compare hours, pricing and services available. Choose the one that offers the most flexibility and the best pricing for the activity while staying within each days budget. While planning these activities browse the long range forecast for the weather predictions for each day of your staycation. Weather sites such as www.accuweather.com offer a 15 day forecast that can assist you in your planning. List a couple of extra activities for both dry and rainy days in case the forecast changes.

2. Once you have your list of activities and your weather forecast, plan an activity each day that is weather appropriate. For example plan activities such as trips to the zoo, amusement parks, state parks and all other outdoor activities on dry days. Museums, trips to malls, movies and any other indoor activities should be saved for rainy days. Plan your travel route and departure time in advance to allow you to arrive when the destination opens for business, this will allow you to spend the maximum time at this activity. Dress appropriately for the activity so that you will be comfortable.

3. Pack a picnic lunch if your destination has a cafeteria or picnic area that you can eat in. Put cold meats, cheese, vegetables and salads in a cooler along with soda and bottled water. Pack condiments and picnic supplies in a bag along with chips. Bringing your lunch will greatly reduce the cost of your day trip.

4. Be creative in planning. Consider activities such as a trip to a working farm, a historic site, a scenic drive through the mountains with quaint villages and unique shops to visit. Browse your state's travel and tourism sites for activities and destinations that you did not think of or weren't aware of. If you live near the border of another state, check their travel and tourism site for activities that may not be available in your own. Ensure that each person in your family has input into the decision making so that they won't feel left out and they get to experience something that they are longing to do.

Tips & Warnings

• Vary your activities and put some adventure into your staycation. Do not choose destinations that are something that you would normally do.
• Check each activities web site for discount coupons for admission or discounts available to members of groups such as AAA. This can greatly reduce your expenses.
• Write down any questions you have and email or call the destination with those questions.
• Pack a digital camera and extra batteries and memory cards, take plenty of pictures of each activity and create a staycation photo album or scrap book that includes flyers, admission tickets or other memoribalia.
• Remember when planning each days activities to include the cost of admission, gas and food for that day as well as any souvenirs of the trip you wish to purchase.
• This is a vacation, do not answer work related calls or go into work. Treat this time as you would any vacation away from home.
• Limit yourself to destinations that are easily done in a day.

[lighthouse1958]

on 6/23/2009 nice article and clearly explained well. 5*

[Gourmet2Go]

on 3/6/2009 Great info, thanks for sharing!

[lastgunslinger]

on 2/21/2009 Great advice for having a vacation at home. Thanks for sharing. 5*

[ginafur]

on 2/10/2009 A very good idea. Looks like long vacations are over for us for awhile, although we are driving 1 hour and staying the weekend for Mardi Gras. 5*

[aheart4home]

on 2/7/2009 Great ideas for a "staycation"!, By the way, did you come up with that term? It's brilliant.