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Tips Tuesday: How to Plan an Eco-Friendly Staycation
Taylor Watson
May 15th 2012
I love staycations-- they capture the best parts of a good vacation without the potentially stressful travel, expenses, and vacation of a traditional trip. One of the biggest benefits of a staycation is that they are eco-friendly- if you don't take a plane and ditch the car, you are already greatly reducing the carbon footprint of your adventure. Are you interested in planning a staycation but don't know where to start? Consider these different fun options:
1. Create a home spa
Invite a close friend (or group of friends) over for DIY spa day. Part of the fun can be creating your own natural products to help you relax. It's easy and inexpensive come up with a lot of ways to make you and your friends feel refreshed and fabulous. Check out the DIY body scrub recipe in this past blog post, or check out this great list of tons of different spa treatments that you can easily make at home!
2. Host your own film festival
Get together a bunch of your favorite movies (or movies you have been meaning to see) and make some delicious, homemade movie snacks. Making popcorn at home is a fun and healthy way to bring the movie theater experience into your living room. Want something different? These recipes for movie snacks from Yum Sugar are absolutely decadent, and guaranteed to be better than a $9 box of candy. If you’re looking for healthier options, try these snacks from Real Simple.
3. Go camping
Camping has long been a favorite vacation for people who are looking for a less expensive, eco-friendly experience. If you’re looking for an adventure for the kids but don’t want to travel, try backyard camping! If you have the space to set up a tent outside, make sure to take advantage of this fun activity. When you leave the cell phones and battery-powered games inside, its amazing to see how much fun your kids will have with board games and outside activities. If you live in an apartment or have limited outdoor access, setting up a tent or fort inside can be just as exciting for young children.
4. Be a tourist in your own city
Do you only visit museums and local attractions when you have visitors in town? Take advantage of all of the fun opportunities in your area by thinking like a tourist-- where would you go if you had only two days in your city? What are some areas or neighborhoods that you have never explored? It can be fun to plan a zero-emissions day excursion by figuring out different ways to explore your area by foot, bike, or public transportation. Check out what the Minnesota World Savvy Staff did when they planned their own zero-admissions urban adventure!
Helpful tips when planning a staycation:
*Turn off technology: This might be hard for some of the more tech-addicted folks, but shutting off your phone and avoiding your email can greatly affect your staycation experience. Letting yourself disconnect from your regular social networks can help you relax and focus on the fun activities you have planned.
*Go with the flow: Staycations are intended to be relaxing, so don’t worry about keeping to a tight schedule or being flexible with plans. Some of the most memorable experiences are the ones that happen spontaneously.
*Don’t be afraid to keep it simple: You don’t have to plan a ton of complicated activities in a short period of time to have a fulfilling staycation. Don’t put yourself in the position of a trip planner if you’re doing activities with other people, the experience is for you as well!
I hope you find these tips and suggestions helpful as you consider your next staycation. What are some of the best staycations you have experienced? Let us know in the comment section below!
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