The Hottest New Trend in Travel: The Staycation

By Anastacia Mott Austin

There’s a great new travel destination you simply must try. It’s affordable, relaxing, and you don’t have to drive very far. In fact, you don’t need to drive at all.

That’s because this great locale is right in your own backyard – literally.

In these times of economic uncertainty and rising gas prices, travelers are turning to a new trend in vacationing: the stay-at-home vacation, or "staycation."

Before you snort "boring!" think about it for a minute. When was the last time – if ever – you explored your town or those nearby through the eyes of a tourist?

Travel costs are increasing daily. Traveling by air, especially with kids, seems like more hassle than it’s worth, and the skies are getting more and more unfriendly. Don’t get me started on the $5 can of ginger-ale they’ll serve without a smile and the increasing list of add-on charges.

And while many families opted for car travel this year, staying a bit closer to home, with gas costs topping out in some places at $4.50 a gallon, driving cross-country isn’t the bargain it once was.

The solution? Stay at home.

"We want to give the kids the full experience [of a vacation], but you don't have to travel out of the city to enjoy what we have here," said Lisa Rich, a San Jose mom, to reporters. The Riches decided to stay home this summer and planned a staycation.

Some folks decide that home really is too close to home, and plan to stay in a local hotel, in order to get out of the house. Even so, they still save on gas and other travel expenses.

But some say to get the true benefits of a staycation, you really need to stay home – just pretend it’s not your home.

Experts have compiled a few tips to help you truly unplug and enjoy your staycation. There are definitely some rules to follow:

Plan your staycation as if it were a regular vacation. Pretend you’re going out of town, and pay your bills in advance, take care of business, mow the lawn, answer important emails before you "go."

Once you’re on your staycation, don’t you dare do chores or work. Unplug your computer or store away your laptop for the week. Don’t tell your boss you’re at home; all she needs to know is that you’re on vacation. Do only the bare minimum of chores, plan to go out to eat at least several times, just as you would on a regular vacation.

Plan activities as if you were out of town on a trip. If you don’t plan things, you might fall into the trap of just doing nothing (which is fine for a day or so), and vegging out in front of the television. That’s not a vacation!

Do something really different and fun, like hot-air ballooning or taking a horse-carriage trip around the town square. Get one of those touristy brochures from a nearby B&B and rediscover your town. Go to movies at the park or outdoor Shakespeare theater. Visit the local museum you’ve never been to, go to a ballgame, a local lake, the seashore, you get the idea.

Because you’re saving money on gas and lodging, plan to splurge a little on activities or meals out. You don’t have to go hog wild to enjoy a nice dinner out or a slightly extravagant activity you normally wouldn’t do. Plan a budget so you can do something special without spending too much.

Take pictures. You’ll want to look back on them and remember what a great time you had on your family staycation. Maybe it’ll become an annual tradition!