Many of us have a strong case of wanderlust and want nothing more than to jet-set around the country or the world. However, that’s not always possible due to money, family obligations, time, or our careers. But don’t fret — there’s a perfectly adequate solution — the staycation. If you don't know exactly how to plan a staycation, we are here to help. Here are eight stay-at-home vacation ideas for your next un-getaway.
1. Travel Abroad With International Cuisines
For those of us who have traveled internationally, what is one of the best ways to get to know the city or country we’re visiting? It’s trying the local cuisine! And when we can’t travel, we can use our taste buds to transport us somewhere else. Eating international cuisine at home can really give us a taste (pun intended) of traveling to another country. Sure, we can find a new restaurant in our own city that serves international cuisine, but wouldn’t it be more fun to cook at home? I think it's one of the best staycation ideas!
Oftentimes our travels will inspire us to recreate what we dined on abroad. If you feel inspired by past travels or want to let your taste buds take you on an adventure overseas in general, you can cook at home. Let’s travel abroad with international cuisine!
Cooking Essentials
Before you decide on what to cook, perhaps purchasing a good cookbook on international cuisine could be helpful. Barnes & Noble offers plenty of options for every type of cuisine.
Can't decide what cookbook to get? Perhaps the cookbook International Cuisine from The International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes may be a good choice. Not only are there more than 400 recipes, but it gives an overview of countries, cultures, and specific ingredients used. You can also try one of the many cooking classes offered online on Skillshare.
If you decide on a dish that features beef, chicken, pork, or sausage, Porter Road offers hand-cut meats from a few select farms they work closely with. You can expect fresh, quality meats from this company.
Order a curated box of some of the finest meat you can use in a recipe on the Porter Road website.
Also, make sure you check recipes ahead of time for spices and see what you have on hand. If you're missing something, Sur la Table offers a slew of spices you can order along with measuring spoons, spice graters, and storage containers.
Aside from the ingredients, it's essential to have good cookware, knives, cutting boards, and utensils. If you're in the market to upgrade some of your cooking essentials, check out the sleek and stylish cookware and kitchen tools from Our Place.
Choose from a variety of pots, pans, ovenware, knives, shears, and more to help you cook some delectable international dishes for your stay-at-home vacation.
Products
Whether it's tagine from Morocco, pasta from Italy, shakshuka from Tunisia, hummus from the Middle East, empanadas from Argentina, or sushi from Japan, we can actually make plenty of international dishes at home. And, yes, it can be challenging but also quite fun, especially if you invite your friends and family to help.
Pictured here is a terra cotta tagine pot, and you can order your own from Sur la Table to make Morocco's most famous dish.
How fun would it be to try your hand at making pasta? Maybe invite some friends over and learn how to make fettuccini, spaghetti, or ravioli together!
A good pasta machine, of course, would make the process a whole lot easier, and you can find several options on the Sur la Table website.
One of the best products to have on hand these days (aside from an Air Fryer or Instant Pot, of course) is a Blendjet.
You can use a Blendjet for smoothies, soups, sauces, and so much more. Having one of these in the kitchen can make certain dishes or prep work for an international dish a breeze!
2. Go Camping In Your Living Room
If you're stuck on how to plan a family stay-home vacation, especially if you have young children at home, one fun idea is to go camping in your living room. With the right tools and products, it will be just as good as if you took a family vacation somewhere with your loved ones.
Kids are often excited about sleeping in a tent. But if children are on the younger side, they may feel more comfortable sleeping in a tent in the living room as opposed to outside in the backyard. Also, you can pitch a tent in the living room any time of year, no matter the weather!
REI offers a wide array of tents as well as sleeping bags to consider getting for your makeshift living room campground. And don't forget the cozy blankets!
You and the kids can get ultra creative as you try to bring a sense of the outdoors inside. There are forest wall decals you can put up, for example.
Or how about a light that can project stars up on the ceiling to emulate the night sky? You can also get a tabletop s'mores maker to pretend you have a campfire to make your own s'mores. The possibilities are endless!
3. Turn Your Backyard Into An Oasis
If you have a backyard, there are endless possibilities to turn it into an oasis you may never want to leave. Backyards can be a sanctuary, a way to spend time outdoors breathing in the fresh air, playing, and even relaxing. Here are a few ideas for backyard staycations.
If you're thinking about how to plan a relaxing staycation, prepping your outdoor space is essential. One of the best ways to spruce up your backyard or patio is with a set of nice patio furniture or lounge chairs.
Wayfair has tons of options for outdoor furniture for any space you're working with. So, make your outdoor area comfortable to you can kick back, relax, and maybe read a few books.
If you're lucky enough to have a pool, you may need a few fun pool floats to make things exciting. You can even find some floating pool games to have some fun with the family on your un-getaway!
Another great addition to your backyard staycation is a hot tub. Don't have one? Don't worry! Did you know that you can get an inflatable hot tub?
Inflatable hot tubs are becoming a popular and more affordable option than getting one installed in your backyard. You can check out the many options on Wayfair.
Grilling in your own backyard will also add to the ambiance of your backyard-centric staycation. Whether it's meat or veggies you want to cook, a quality grill is essential.
And don't forget the grilling utensils and cookware, melamine dishware, and outdoor drinkware to enjoy your meal outside.
And perhaps no backyard is complete without a fire pit. How amazing would it be to invite family and friends over to enjoy drinks, s'mores, outdoor activities, and conversations by the fire?
4. Turn Your Bathroom Into A Spa Retreat
Whether you have a bathtub, a shower, or both your bathroom can be turned into a wonderful spa-like retreat. Maybe freshening up your towels, getting a new bathrobe, or buying some new body products is in order to make your staycation even more relaxing. It’s also essential for self-care.
Showers and baths can be so incredibly relaxing. And part of what makes it relaxing is the bath products you choose.
From shower gels and body washes to soap, from shampoo and conditioner to face masks, you'll have your choice of items to enhance your relaxation. L'Occitane offers some incredible, high-quality bath products you may want to try.
A nice soft set of towels and a cozy bathrobe are also wonderful items to have on hand for your spa retreat.
5. Give Your Bedroom The Hotel Treatment
Why stay at an Airbnb, a local hotel, or a bed and breakfast when you can stay in your own home? You can recreate the look and feel of a hotel with just a few changes – especially with the products from Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques, where you can shop all of your hotel favorites, from linens and bath products to furniture. Here's another idea on how to plan a relaxing staycation.
One of the most important ways to give your bedroom the hotel treatment is a comfortable mattress. How amazing would it be to sleep on something so comfortable and get plenty of rest that you'll feel as though you're on a vacation in a hotel room?
Take a look at Purple mattresses that adapt to your body to give you the most restful sleep imaginable.
Once you get your new mattress, you can adorn it with soft, luxurious sheets from a company like Brooklinen. Choose from percale, luxe sateen, washed linen, heathered cashmere, or brushed flannel to make your bed one you may never want to get out of.
You'll also want to choose decor that will add some personality and enhance the look of your bedroom. You can really make it your own, a place you will want to spend as much time as possible relaxing.
Check out all the decor options on Society6. You'll find stylish decorative pillows, curtains, artwork, rugs, tapestries, and a whole lot more on the website.
6. Enjoy A Wellness Retreat
Whether you find a local wellness retreat or practice yoga and/or meditation at home, self-care is an important part of a staycation. We all must take some time to care for our minds and bodies.
Practicing wellness and self-care often comes from within. Yoga and meditation go hand-in-hand, and while it can be difficult to start out, there are ways to learn how to do both.
A website like Skillshare offers numerous yoga and meditation classes that can help. This website makes it so easy to follow along and helps you calm your mind and take care of your body.
7. Settle In For An International Movie Marathon
Watching an international movie can truly transport you to another country. Between the sets and the locations, along with the accents of the actors, you'll be dreaming of traveling the entire time you're watching. So, why not grab your loved ones, order some takeout, and relax as you watch a few international flicks? Seems to me like one of the most relaxing things to do on a staycation.
See What's Streaming On HBO Max
Thinking of a trip to Paris? How about Italy, Australia, South Korea, or anywhere else in the world?
Like food, movies have a way of transporting us to a foreign land -- no plane ticket required! So, if you're looking for more things to do on a staycation, how about a foreign movie night marathon? Any streaming service, like Hulu, will have a wide selection of international films as well as TV shows to choose from. So, what country are you in the mood to visit tonight?
And you know what pairs well with an international movie marathon? How about some food to enhance the experience? Choose cuisine that matches the country of a film you plan on watching. You'll be mentally whisked away to that location in no time.
A website like Goldbelly offers cuisines from restaurants and bakeries around the country and ships nationwide!
8. Try Something New
Whether you're staycationing by yourself or with your loved ones, it's always a good idea to try something new. How about learning a language? How about a new skill? What about some DIY projects around the house? Trying something new is another idea for a stay-at-home vacation.
Want to learn gardening or how to build furniture? What about painting a wall, putting in a new backsplash in the kitchen, or organizing your home? And then there's jewelry-making, art, pottery, and more that you can learn. A staycation is the perfect time to try something new.
If you're in the market to learn a new skill, Skillshare offers classes and tutorials in just about anything you can think of for everyday life. And if you have kids, they can learn too!
Who needs a vacation when you can have a staycation instead? With the right about of planning, activities, decor, and ambiance, you can transport yourself somewhere else while staying in the comfort of your own home.
So, are you ready to plan your next un-getaway? Share your perfect staycation ideas in the comments!
What do you think of these stay-at-home vacation ideas? If you need a change of scenery, how about a day trip in your area or a road trip around your state? Perhaps a trip to a local museum or one of the many national parks in our country? There's so much to do and add to your bucket list, not just around the United States but even in your own town!
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