Staycation. Usually staycations were reserved for budgeteers, families staying home for medical reasons, or for those work-from-home parents who needed some semblance of a vacation while still being able to pop into the home office. But this spring, more and more of us are looking for staycation ideas to help fuel more fun at home during the stay-at-home orders.
We’re trying our best to see this quarantine as a blessing, not a curse, but when spring break vacations get canceled without making it to your favorite beach or camping spot, things can feel a little bleak…
But we’re not discouraged! In this article we’re listing some of our favorite staycation ideas for when you just have to stay at home.
At-Home Staycation Ideas
Get as creative as you want or as simple as you need! Most of these staycation ideas can be complete with items from around the house without having to hit the store, but feel free to add extra pizazz wherever your creativity takes you!
Backyard Campout
Get out all your camping supplies and get ready for a backyard campout! Don’t be afraid to overdo it—remember, actual vacations take a lot of effort and planning, and the more gear you get out the more “real” it will feel! So, don those camping chairs instead of your comfy patio set, roll out the sleeping pads and sleeping bags, and get out your favorite camping games.
- Use a firepit (or bbq in a pinch) to cook your favorite Dutch oven or camping meal.
- Time to bring out your favorite childhood night games. Ghost in the Graveyard and Kick the Can can be fun little games to pass on to your kids.
- Hang a sheet in the backyard and project a movie. Crawl into your sleeping bags, pop some popcorn, and enjoy a movie under the stars.
- Use this time to get creative about outdoor adventures around the home or neighborhood. “Hike” to the nearest park or hop in the car and find a local trail that lets you keep social distancing.
Visit Italy…at Home!
Whether you’re remembering your favorite Italian vacation—or daydreaming of one—an at-home Italian vacation can be fun for the whole family. Turn on some classic Italian music (Pandora has some fun stations), don your favorite elegant vacation garb, and get into the theme.
Cook your favorite Italian foods in classic Italian style. That means drawing out the meal through several courses, and not worrying about having everything cooked ahead of time. You’ll often find Italian families sitting around the table and visiting while each dish is prepared, but if your kids won’t sit still, then teach them some traditional Italian games for childrento pass the time between courses.
- Put together a yummy charcuterie with your favorite salami, cheese, and crostinis (crackers and cheese work if you’re low on supplies!) for a delicious antipasto.
- Next, serve a primo, which is considered the first course. This is a non-meat pasta, such as buttered noodles, soup, gnocchi, or a creamy alfredo.
- Your next dish is a meat (such as sausage, chicken, roast, lamb, or beef) alongside a fresh vegetable side or salad. This is your secondo e contorno.
- Before desserts, traditional Italian fare calls for formaggi e frutta, or fruit and cheese. To really set things off, serve this with sparkling cider or fruit juice.
- Finish with Italian sodas, cannoli, tiramisu, gelato, or another Italian favorite for dessert.
To really top off the night, put in your family’s favorite movie set in Italy.
At-Home Olympics Staycation
If your family is particularly active or craving some time outdoors, put together a family “Olympics.” You can start with an “Olympic Torch Lighting Ceremony” where you play music and pass the torch between your family relay-style until setting it in a place of honor (preferably using a paper flame instead of a real one).
- Lay down sticks or paint lines on the lawn to measure jumping distances
- Put together an “Olympic” obstacle course where you have to leap over hurdles, dribble through cones, dive through Olympic rings, and “ride” a stuffed animal (horses preferred) to the finish line.
- Set up the ol’ badminton net for a family competition
- Have a family bike race down the street
- See who can kick the most soccer goals out of 8 tries
- Play H.O.R.S.E. or another family-favorite basketball game
If you’re super creative, put together medals—otherwise the winner can get extra whipped cream on a celebration ice cream sundae.
Las Vegas Staycation
Missing the Las Vegas sunshine? Plan a Vegas staycation with your favorite Vegas activities.
- Start with a buffet-style breakfast—let’s admit it, the food is the best part of Las Vegas.
- Set up the wading pool and lawn chairs in the backyard and soak up some sunshine. Turn on some music and add some outdoor games to keep the kids entertained while the adults enjoy the relaxation.
- Gather up all the m&m’s in the house and set them up in a room and set them up like the family-favorite M&M store. Give each family a bag or bowl with their favorite treats.
- Time for some family-friendly card games. Get out your favorite card games and get ready for a mini tournament! You can throw in some Yahtzee for a family-friendly dice game as well.
- End the evening by watching your favorite magic shows.
Family Board Game Tournament
Maybe a gaming convention is more your family’s spring break style—or maybe you just love playing games together. A family board game tournament means prepping your family’s favorite snacks and choosing your family’s best games for the day.
- Don’t forget to plan a celebratory feast with your family’s favorite go-to meal—or make at-home pizzas for a real win.
- If you get stir-crazy sitting at a table for too long, plan a few games outdoors such as ladderball, spikeball, or cornhole.
- If your family is competitive, don’t forget to put up a leaderboard!
Get Artsy
If your family is more the creative type, they might enjoy a vacation where their art really gets to shine. This is a great time to work on a family mural together or break apart to work on individual projects.
- Smocks aren’t necessary…but are a good addition for adorable Instagram photos.
- Make sure to set up an art exhibition in the living room at the end of the day and peruse the artwork while munching on cheese, crackers, and fruit juice.
- Get creative an award each art piece with a ribbon for something that makes the artwork special.