Take a Staycation and Vacation Close to Home

Many do not have the finances for a long trip or to vacation far from home-especially during this time of financial instability. But instead of giving up on a vacation or just staying home, think local, think historical landmarks and local tourist attractions. Too often, we live and work in a location without ever examining all that our local area offers in activities, entertainment, history and fun, including historical landmarks and tourist attractions. These local vacations even have a name--staycation.

Why not take a local vacation or staycation? The first step is an attitude that doing a vacation close to home isn't second best and can be just as fulfilling and rewarding as a long drive or flight to some place else. A staycation, local vacation comes with huge additional benefits-less packing, less stress and more relaxing. Not to mention, you'll be able to sleep in your own bed.

The second step is to go online, check the area's web sites. What does your area offer? Are there golf courses, parks, recreation areas? What does your area offer in historical landmarks and tourist attractions? What historical museums, amusement parks, fun centers, nature barns, kid's museums or centers does your city or local area offer for residents or for a fun, entertaining or enlightening staycation vacation?

Once you have a list of places, activities, events, historical landmarks and tourist attractions in the area, discuss with your family what interests them and which fit into the staycation time. History enthusiasts might wish to check out local museums as well as historical landmarks. Kids might prefer an afternoon at a fun center or kid's museum. If there is a nature barn, the whole family might enjoy an afternoon interacting with the animals and learning about the different animals, mammals, maybe even rodents and fish exhibited.

In our town of Kearney, NE those who visit the nature barn can pet the larger animals and hold smaller ones. My grandchildren learned about one ferret. He was all pink and skinny because he had cancer. My grandsons held this, what to me was an ugly, specimen, not caring it didn't look like the healthy ones. They showed a great deal of care and concern and empathy for an animal that probably had little time left and learned about ferrets as well. Nature barns and places children can interact with animals helps them see beyond their own world to gain a little more understanding of other species who share the planet.

A warning is not to allow a local vacation to split the family in all different directions. This is a staycation vacation for the family. Plan things the family can enjoy together. Bend, compromise and plan a schedule to include something for everyone.

Add in a family eating establishment such as a pizza or hamburger place and an evening out for just the adults.

Once you have your staycation planned, put yourself in a vacation mindset and enjoy local places and events, historical landmarks and tourist attractions not as a resident, but from the viewpoint of an outsider-someone on vacation seeing everything for the first time. Take pictures. Make memories. Have fun.

Finally, talk about what you've done, what you've learned and the memories made. Just maybe, next year you'll take another local vacation staycation.