Just one of the many buzzwords to have emerged out of the pandemic is ‘staycation’, but do you know what it really means? Well, it’s a holiday spent in one's home country rather than abroad, or one spent at home, and involving day trips to local attractions.
And with it looking more and more likely that travel will be limited again this summer, we were thinking about the benefits of staying close to home. Of course, we’ve been big promoters of getting out and about seeing your local area for some time now, even before Covid hit.
Many of us forget or take for granted the attractions in our own country. There’s a wealth of sights waiting to be discovered on your own doorstep. And it’s a shame that sometimes a foreign visitor knows more about these gems than locals do. Whether you do lots of day trips, (Mini Adventure anyone?) maybe a cheeky weekend away or a full-blown main summer holiday, you needn’t feel like you’re missing out by not getting on a plane, and experiencing foreign lands.
Still not convinced and desperate to get away? We’ve researched all the benefits of a staycation for you, so read on, and be prepared to be persuaded!
A Staycation is;
LESS TIRING
Have you ever felt so tired after a holiday that you’ve felt like you haven’t had a rest? Travel is a lot of fun, but it can also be stressful and exhausting, depending on where you’ve visited and the activities you choose. And, don’t even get us started on jet lag!
LONGER
When you aren’t spending a day or more travelling, whether on an aeroplane or driving at each end of your holiday, you get longer actually holidaying. No time wasted sitting in the airport or standing at the rental car desk. No worrying about checking out of your rental property or hotel and sitting around all day waiting for a flight to come home.
LESS STRESSFUL
Obviously depending on what type of traveller you are, there are so many things that can stress you out when you go on a trip. But staycations reduce the stress levels dramatically. What’s more, staycations make it easier to really rest since you have the comfort of familiarity. Spend the time you would spend waiting for boarding, sitting in transportation, and more by allowing yourself to truly rest.
MORE ECO-FRIENDLY
A staycation is better for the environment. Planes burn a lot of fuel and therefore kick out plenty of CO2 per passenger, so forgoing them is more environmentally friendly. Similarly, staying at an Airbnb, campsite, guesthouse or tourist farm is not as harmful to the environment and dare we say it, more fun? It still leaves you feeling like you’ve had an adventure. Plus, there’s a massive choice of green themed accommodation providers and destinations out there to choose from.
GREAT FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES
The hospitality business has been decimated by the impact of the coronavirus. So, what better way to help out by injecting your money back into the local economy, rather than spend money abroad.
A CHANCE TO RECONNECT WITH YOUR YOUTH
A staycation gives you the chance to rediscover places you visited when you were young. Share your childhood holiday memories with your children. There’s also the possibility of taking your parents along. Bringing the generations together and perhaps even enjoy some free babysitting too!
FEAR OF MISSING OUT FREE
This could only be me but when I go somewhere new, I stress about making sure I see it all and experience it properly. I research endlessly where to go, what to do and where to eat. I get anxious that this my one chance to get the most out of the visit and I won’t be able to experience everything. I have the fear of missing out.
But when I stay close to home there’s not the stress of this. I can visit what and when I want. I can take risks and know that if it doesn’t pay off, I can easily just go again another time.
DOG FRIENDLY
Staying closer to home means that your favourite fur baby can accompany you on your holiday. Not only will this save you a ton of money on kennel fees but it will alleviate the stress for you and your dog of being apart from each other. It will also give lots of treasured family memories with your pooch.
Hopefully we’ve stated our case for staycations. But, if you still feel desperate to go further afield, you can always put the money you save by taking a staycation towards an epic trip when the time is right.