Quarantine Put A Stop To Your Vacation Plans? Try A STAYcation
Don’t get me wrong, vacations are fantastic. Putting together a STAYcation for yourself can be just as rewarding though, plus it might just be more affordable and perhaps a little less stressful than planning a full-on vacation. Utilize this mandated quarantine to plan yourself a relaxing STAYcation to reset and recharge.
Home is not necessarily what you think of when you hear vacation. Home is often full of chores; laundry, dishes, cooking, cleaning, etc. To truly benefit from a STAYcation you’ve got to be intentional in your planning. Add some structure to your days at home, and take into consideration a few of these SkipTown ideas!
What would you like to get out of your STAYcation? A sense of adventure and exploration? Relaxation and rejuvenation? Family time? The first step to staycationing is to let friends and family know that you are taking an at-home “vacation” and to commit to unplugging for a little while. Maybe even mark the days you will be “gone” on your calendar! Here are some ideas:
Push the pause button…
Set your “away from work email”. Ditch the news for the time you are “away”. Be bold, turn off your phone. (you can always turn it back on again if you need to check notifications, messages, etc.) Hide clocks and watches.
Have it done for you…
Where would you like to go for dinner? Bring that destination home for a meal. Even during the quarantine many restaurants are still offering delivery or take out services. Can’t make it to the beach this spring break? Order yourself some seafood anyways! Try Sushi Jooa in Loveland, CO offering a wide range of creative sushi rolls at a reasonable price. Or thinking of an even farther, more adventurous destination? How about Vietnam? My son will ALWAYS eat wonton soup from Young’s Café, in Fort Collins, CO. Thoughts wandering more to a Chicago-ish destination? How about pizza from Krazy Karls Pizza, offering delivery all the way to Windsor, CO. Nice weather outside? Spread a cloth on the lawn (or the rug) and chow down on a fresh, specialty sandwich from Snack Attack in Fort Collins, CO. Spoil yourself, have dinner delivered every night.
Another idea, once we’re back to normal is to organize a babysitting trade-off with two or three friends or neighbors. Gather all the kiddos at a designated house for an evening. Treat them to ―pizza, games, a movie night ―while the other parents enjoy a date night). Another night, switch houses and repeat.
Set the mood of your STAYCATION…
Roll up your rugs and go barefoot to create a beach house feeling of walking on cool, wooden floors. Put on a vacation playlist. Dance around the house to the music you’d be listening to if you were at your dream destination. If you were wishing for a vacation to Spain, put on flamenco by Paco de Lucia. Dreaming of a beach? Try this beach playlist on Spotify.
Go on a vacation-reading binge. Brew yourself a hot cup of coffee or tea. Pick the coziest seat in the house. Set out anything you might need: a blanket, reading glasses, and a good book; something you’ve always wanted to read but have never had the chance to, or something on the bestseller list. I’m currently reading The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn.
If the weather is warmer where you are, take a camping trip in your own backyard. (Or if not…build a fort in your living room!) Grab your tent or borrow one. Pack yourself some drinks and snacks. Bring either sleeping bags or blankets and a flashlight or two outside with you. Gaze up at the stars, tell ghost stories, and enjoy an early night’s rest snuggled up with your loved ones.
Throw a film festival! Choose a theme―Star Wars, Blast from the Past, Road-Trip Movies, Top Three Biggest Tearjerkers―and add them to your Netflix list. Pick up your favorite movie snacks, however indulgent. (It’s your staycation baby!... and it’s only a few days!) Turn off your phones, dim the lights, and melt into the couch.
STAYcation meets spa…
Turn your home into a spa. Start the morning slow. Put on your bathrobe. Relax with a mug of your morning brew. Maybe you can even talk your partner into bringing it to you- room service style! Hydrate. Fill a few nice pitchers with water and slices of lemon, orange or cucumber. Spread them around the house to remind you to stay hydrated! Order yourself some essential oils, like relaxing lavender, rose, or chamomile; or energizing peppermint or lemon verbena. Soak. Fill up a warm bath, with bubbles if you’re into that, climb in and chill. Give and receive a massage from your partner, or try a DIY back massage using a massage cane, tennis balls or a foam roller. Give yourself a foot massage. Put a ball on a hard floor and roll the sole of each foot back and forth over it. Take a yoga class in your living room. There are lots of free videos out there. Yoga with Adriene on YouTube is fantastic for all levels. Corepower Yoga on Demand has also opened their online classes for free during the Coronavirus quarantine.
Go Virtual!
Some other ideas if you’re still really dreaming of a vacation out of the house…go virtual! Check out this list of museums offering virtual tours around the world. The San Diego Zoo, the Georgia Aquarium and the Monterey Bay Aquarium are offering live webcam viewings of pandas, penguins and beluga whales…fun for kiddos! Or check out a concert from home! Here is a list of artists streaming their concerts live.