Staycations

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Most of the responses so far aren’t about staycations. A staycation is when you stay at home and do local attractions and day trips. When I was working, we did that a few times over the years. Now that I’m retired, that’s just our normal everyday life.

If you’re packing up and going to a hotel an hour or two away or spending a couple of nights at a campground, that’s called a vacation.

I agree, I don't consider overnight stays staycations, although I can see how short stays an easy drive away from home are in a different category than what most people consider vacation trips. But then, were they vacations when we drove 3-4 hours to visit friends in NYC and slept at their house? The week+ we took off when we bought our house to paint and then move in order to save money? Days when I take off of work to go to lunch with my adult daughter and run a few errands with her? The work holiday party we went to in downtown DC, and got a hotel room rather than trek home to the outer suburbs late that night? There are no hard and fast rules for this.

 

[ElizabethT]

In San Diego there's a snarky saying that "There's no life east of I-5"... that weekend we were saying there's no life east of the low tide mark.

Same saying here in S Orange County. DH and I refer to it as 'Going inland."

Because we've been remodeling, we stayed home this summer instead of our usual travels. And being in an area so popular with visitors in the summer has been a good reminder of how fortunate we feel to live here. So I think there will be more staycations in our future, less vacations. At this point we've been to over 65 countries, and 40 of our 50 states, so we're well seasoned travelers. But staycationing here in our newly remodeled home for a few years sounds awfully appealing, particularly in that we are a pleasant 20 minute walk to the beach.

 

[MarieIG]

For me, a stay cation is using home as a base. We can easily reach beaches and beautiful parks from home, as well as "sights" if we so choose - and I can't imagine being more comfortable in a hotel bed as my recliner at home. Also, DH is a wonderful cook and consults me on ingredients, so I prefer his cooking to any restaurant.

Due to "our" elderly dog, I am not leaving home for extensive periods right now. (DS is taking a vacation to stay with her when I visit family on an upcoming trip to Florida.)

Our plan for future trips (subject to family needs) is that DH will need to book hotels that have a recliner in the room.

 

[aja8888]

When we were younger with kids at home, just getting away for a few days in a local hotel was a vacation (staycation) .

 

[Ronstar]

Staycation is also when you book a local hotel/resort and relax and do whatever you want. It may include going to a concert or dining at nice restaurants around/at the resort.

What do you consider “local” by that definition?

A hotel within an hour's drive.

I remember that my former girlfriend and I stayed in some hotels within an hour of home back in the 70's. I had no idea that those overnight stays were "staycations". I haven't stayed at a hotel within an hour of home since.

 

[Midpack]

DW and I used to augment vacations with staycations while working, but it’s not the same in retirement when you’re already off every day. Usually they included some day trips nearby. Once or twice a year our former staycations included going out for dinner every night for a week (e.g. a week off cooking). I wish I could get her to do that again, but so far no luck. Guess I shouldn’t complain as we go out for dinner 3 nights/week every week now that we’re retired. Only went out twice a week while working.

 

[brett]

We stay home in the summer. Sometimes drive to the mountains, one hour, or to the west coast for a few days to visit friends/family.

We typically travel in the late fall, winter, or spring.

 

[Midpack]

We stay home in the summer. Sometimes drive to the mountains, one hour, or to the west coast for a few days to visit friends/family.

We typically travel in the late fall, winter, or spring.

+1. We never take vacations while kids are out of school, didn’t while working either. Why pay higher prices, for hotter weather, and bigger crowds made up of more kids? Always seemed like a no brainer to us. Fall vacations are our favorites, then Spring.

 

[pjigar]

We live on an acreage with peace and quite so are on a permanent staycation. I do like to go on vacations once/twice a year but lately my DD is rejecting the idea of going out of town on a vacation. In her words: "We already live in a vacation home so why go out?"

 

[Midpack]

^^^ I thought DD was dear or darling daughter. DH and DW are Dear Hubby and Dear Wife?

 

[Koolau]

DW did take the kids to a local hotel for a couple of days (on winter break) so they could swim in the indoor pool and play miniature golf and other indoor stuff. Kinda nice for a one-time deal. I still had to w*rk at that time, so I stayed home and "batched" it. I did visit DW and the kids for dinner at the hotel. I think the kids really appreciated it since we weren't going to go on a "big" vacation that year. YMMV

 

[mountainsoft]

Most of the responses so far aren’t about staycations. A staycation is when you stay at home and do local attractions and day trips. When I was working, we did that a few times over the years. Now that I’m retired, that’s just our normal everyday life.

If you’re packing up and going to a hotel an hour or two away or spending a couple of nights at a campground, that’s called a vacation.

I tend to think of a staycation as "staying home", but Merriam Webster says a Staycation is "a vacation spent at home or nearby". Definition of STAYCATION So getting away within an hour or two of home would seem to qualify.

In any case, like you, that's just everyday life now that we're retired.

 

[Chuckanut]

My idea of a staycation is staying home but doing vacation activities in or near the hometown instead of the usual chores and activities. Traveling within my home state would not count as a staycation . But, I also come from two large states with big differences in geography, climate, and even community culture.

 

[More Cowbell]

The weather is nice year round in my vacation destination area. There are attractions and restaurants within walking distance, so home is all staycation all the time now that DH and I retired.

I haven't tried it, but some local hotels offer day passes so locals can enjoy their amenities like pools, spas, gyms and sports facilities.

To me, a special staycation is staying at a lodging within the county.

About 20 years ago at a NYC conference, I won a raffle prize of weekend at a beach resort just 15 miles from home across the bay. Convenient, since the prize didn't include transportation to the destination!

More recently I've been gifted week-long staycations at an inland golf timeshare resort in the hills about 40 miles away. This was a great home base for early morning trips to the safari park (zoo member so no entrance or parking fee) for the upsell-but-totally-worth-it behind-the-scenes safari tours, or for mountain driving adventures.

I enjoyed these "free" staycations but not enough to seek out other local lodgings to staycation. We renovated 10 years ago, home is way more comfortable with no garage parking fees!

 

[FIREd]

Every day feels like a staycation to me, whether I am at home in the city or in my cabin in the mountains, a half-hour drive away. So it’s nice to get out of town and travel sometimes, even if that means only taking a short 1 or 2-hour drive. Thankfully I can reach many beautiful areas of Switzerland, France, or Italy by driving only a couple of hours.

 

[mountainsoft]

My idea of a staycation is staying home but doing vacation activities in or near the hometown instead of the usual chores and activities. Traveling within my home state would not count as a staycation.

We often stay overnight in towns that are just an hour or two from home. We could easily drive there and back in a day, including activities, but staying overnight gives us more time to relax and enjoy activities. It just adds a little fun factor to the getaway. To me that's still a staycation. It's the same travel distance whether we stay overnight or drive home that same night.

 

[Aerides]

Sometimes we'll go to a nice beachfront hotel within an hour's drive, but arrive in time for lunch at the pool, and plan a nice dinner out. Then stay by the pool/beach with a late checkout, and drive home in the afternoon. Feels like a whole weekend when it's just a night away.

 

[MC Rider]

I was thinking the other day it would be nice to camp in some of the places we were seeing up in the National Forest. Then we got home and I thought why? Sitting on my porch is like camping, but all my stuff is here.

Permanent Staycation.

 

[SecondAttempt]

Waikiki hotels sometimes offer Staycations for about 1/2 price or less. We've never been interested. We stayed PLENTY of times on Waikiki when we were actually tourists. Besides, why would I want to drive my car to Waikiki and pay $45/night to park in their lot and live among all those tourists smelling of suntan lotion.

Besides, our lanai has a better view than most of the high rise hotels. YMMV

Take the new rail! Lol!

I confess we usually enjoy a day or two in Honolulu on our travels through the airport but usually stay at the Ala Moana rather than in Waikiki cuz...the mall!

 

[Badger]

A few years before we retired my wife suggested we build a pergola on the concrete slab and landscape the back yard. I designed one and had the 2 level 30'x16' pergola built with one section over the hot tub, the taller middle section for seating, and one section with table and chairs for dining. As travel has become more of a challenge and navigating airports and sitting in cramped airplanes less enjoyable I'm glad she had the foresight to suggest landscaping the backyard for staycations. We may still take short trips but the long international vacations are probably over.

 

[lakerunner]

We live on an acreage with peace and quite so are on a permanent staycation. I do like to go on vacations once/twice a year but lately my DD is rejecting the idea of going out of town on a vacation. In her words: "We already live in a vacation home so why go out?"

We are in a similar situation. Our son was talking about vacations and mentioned that he can come stay with us for free. He has a room and private bath on a lake, our own dock, boat, jet skis and hot tub. Plus, mom cooks for him. As they say: Money may not buy happiness, but it sure keeps the kids in touch.

 

[skyking1]

I was thinking the other day it would be nice to camp in some of the places we were seeing up in the National Forest. Then we got home and I thought why? Sitting on my porch is like camping, but all my stuff is here.

Permanent Staycation.

For us, this is why. 25' away the perfect soundtrack.

hidden treasure in that picture. one of life's simple pleasures. See if you spot it

 

[tmm99]

When we were younger with kids at home, just getting away for a few days in a local hotel was a vacation (staycation) .

This reminded me of something. They have a bunch of love hotels in Tokyo (and everywhere - usually in the backstreets) and one family my friend knew took her whole family (DH and kids) with bento boxes and everything, and rented one of those rooms with a big bathtub with a slide for a few hours. Evidenly, there are many themed love hotels.

 

[Dtail]

For us, this is why. 25' away the perfect soundtrack.
View attachment 51923

hidden treasure in that picture. one of life's simple pleasures. See if you spot it

Some type of animal/lizard type between the rocks in the center?

 

[Gumby]

Some type of animal/lizard type between the rocks in the center?

Looks like a watermelon cooling in the stream.