Staycations Can Be a Blast for Your Family This Year
You have tried to be frugal and budget accordingly. The commercials on your big screen show beaches and Disney World in high definition where everybody looks relaxed. Yet with the fuel prices rising and the economy still weak in the knees; is a vacation financially responsible? Why not compromise – save your bank account, ward off the hassles travel bring, and make the whole family happy – take a Staycation this year.
First, have a family meeting a few months in advance from the targeted date. Set the mood with calypso, Jimmy Buffet, or some other fun time music. Turn off everybody’s mobile devices that will distract. Propose your idea insuring everybody will be included in the making of the itinerary. This is a good time to decide on the price range of the events to look for. A water park one day, museum tour, band in the park, sporting events, maybe a flea market is what your family enjoys. Make a vacation calendar with deadlines and follow-up meetings.
Websites such as Living Social, area Chambers of Commerce, and various other sites are a great resource. This could be presented as a treasure hunt; encourage family members to look for unique places to visit or activities that encourage full family participation. Offer a top prize for different categories. Once everybody has their list, another meeting needs to take place so everyone has their input. Voting as a family to decide which activity is concrete also creates a togetherness atmosphere. Like any vacation, leave yourself open time. Sometimes a walk in the park or an extended meal because the conversation is too good to interrupt, is what will be the most memorable.
When the time is drawing near instead of packing luggage, use a recycled shopping bag for each family member filled with such items as disposable cameras, sunscreen, bottled water, and snacks. Make sure you have a blanket in case you find an impromptu picnic spot. Burn off a travel CD so everyone is listening to the same music instead of plugged into their own electronic devices. The latest issue of Ready-Made had a creative section on traveling featuring homemade travel journals.
Still not convinced? Afraid if you stay at home you will not be able to pull your family out of the humdrum of domesticity? Go one-step further and try a house swap. Check Google to find a reputable swap site. Read the rules; ask other participants until you are comfortable. Find a place with a view you have always admired or look for a style of house that catches your fancy.
Now the time has come, make sure there are many pictures taken and family stories logged in. Buy local souvenirs, eat local foods; see your city with the eyes of a traveler. Relax and enjoy, knowing you have provided the much needed break from your hectic schedules and saved money also. It is not always the destination that shapes a family. Sometimes it is the journey.
Tags: disposable cameras, family participation, impromptu picnic, picnic spot, travel cd