The Wandering Washingtons

The travel bug did not disappear alongside those abandoned plans.  We still longed for the downtime and recharging that vacations allowed us.     

So what do we wanderlusters do? 

We plan a staycation instead.   

For those unfamiliar with the term, staycation is a blend of the words "stay" and "vacation" and coined to describe the concept of vacationing in or near your home.  Since the whole idea of traveling is to get out and about and experience somewhere other than your home, it can be pretty hard to re-imagine your vacations taking place in the comfort of your own backyard...literally.  

Home isn't always where you have to lay your head. Staying at home may not be everyone's ideal  vacation.  If the thought of vacationing under your own roof sounds unappealing, consider booking a hotel staycation.  Being away from home can help change how you view your staycation.  I personally, need to be away from my dwellings in order to fully take on the vacation mindset. I will otherwise, effortlessly gravitate back to my typical routine despite every intention not to.  I always seem to find something that needs to be done; another load to wash, another dish to clean, another clutter pile to attack.   Pretty much defeats the purpose, right?  Being away from home helps break things up a bit and forces you to disconnect and unwind.  

Unfamiliar, familiar places.  We are originally from Southern California, so we have visited San Diego many times and know the area well enough.  Somehow, we had never thought to ventured across the bridge to the adjacent city of Coronado.  There is sure to be places you have never explored, even around your own stomping grounds.  A hotel stay in an unfamiliar part of town will give your staycation that exciting vacation-like feel, but with the familiar atmosphere.   

All roads point to sun and sand.  Especially here on the west coast, the beach is a vacation must.  Visit a local beach to take in the sun and the sounds of the ocean.  This will definitely recreate the illusion of  travel. In our case, the resort sat on an amazing gold-sand beach, so we did not have to venture far.  No beach?  Lounge poolside for a carefree water day.  

Tag team you activity plans.  It can be difficult choosing activities that suit the whole family.  There were a few times when we wanted to enjoy one thing and Miss kiddo wanted to do something else.  Depending on the length of your stay, consider having a different person choose the day's main activity.  This will help take the pressure off of any one person planning every aspect of your stay.

Consider a club level or concierge upgrade.  Want to really feel like you're on a luxurious vacation?  Consider the ease and comforts of the exclusive services that some hotels offer.  From private lounging areas and complimentary meals to upgraded bedding and bathroom amenities, this will give you all of the vacation feels without the hassles of traveling.  A great option for when you'd prefer to remain on hotel grounds during most of your staycation. 

Duty Calls.  Sometimes you can't always escape home or work responsibilities.  Consider devoting specific times during your trip to keeping your affairs in order.  Dedicate the remaining time to enjoying yourself and your family.  Hubby found that early mornings worked best for him and he was able to check in with work and complete several tasks before kiddo and I even rolled out of bed.

Don’t overpack your luggage.  Make things easy on yourself by packing light with simple,  comfortable, multi-purpose clothing that support the lounging and relaxing vibe you're going for.  But just in case you forget to pack something important, a benefit to staying local is that you are familiar enough with the area to confidently venture out to purchase it.  You may even be close enough to home that you can swing back by and grab it.  Also, keep your scheduled plans just as light.  When we travel, we try to see and do as much as we can, on the off chance we are not fortunate enough to ever return.  This makes for a busy, jam-packed itinerary.  Sometimes less really is better.  Keeping your plans simple can be a great change of pace.  With the advantage of being in a familiar place, we had very little need to explore and more time to relax at the resort hotel. 

But having a plan can be a good thing.  We always create a travel itinerary to maximize our time in a particular place.  If you like creating itineraries for your trips as well, by all means, do the same for your staycation.  Afterall, a staycation is still a legitimate vacation and having a clear idea of how you'd like to spend your time can help with the ease of your stay.  

Learn something new. It is easy to miss some of the gems right in your own area.  Choose a local spot to visit and explore.  If your hotel or surrounding area has an interesting history, read up on it or ask the front desk where you may learn more information.  The gift shop of our hotel had several books available about the hotel's history.

Don't forget to relax.  How about doing absolutely nothing but enjoy the majority of your staycation right in your hotel room.  Sometimes the best part of any vacation is choosing how you want to spend it.  Go ahead and take that well-deserved break from everything, including the typical vacation activities.  Order takeout or room service and settle in to binge watch your favorite tv shows or a few good movies.