How to Have the Perfect Final Staycation of the Year
This summer has certainly been a different experience for us all due to the Coronavirus pandemic. For many households the usual holiday abroad was not possible resulting in an exponential number of people who decided to take a staycation instead.
Staycations… you either love them or hate them, for the folks who fall into the latter school of thought (really people?), when faced with taking a staycation or not taking a holiday at all; give me Durdle Door and Seatown over sitting in front of the telly any day!
As we roll out of summer (after one too many sundowners) and fall into Autumn, it’s not too late to book up that final staycation of the year. Autumn can bring unexpected sunshine, the evenings may be drawing in but October often treats us to some spectacular sunsets. Making the most of the last of the longer days is what Autumn is all about, so let’s take a look at a few tips for planning the perfect final staycation of the year.
What is a staycation?
A staycation (a fusion of “stay” and “vacation”) otherwise known as a holistay (yes you guessed it, a blend of “holiday” and “stay”), is simply a period of time in which families or individuals, stay in their home country or town rather than flying abroad for a holiday.
Some take it further by choosing to base their holiday from their home, enjoying activities and days out within a distance that doesn’t require overnight accommodation.
For families with school age children, a staycation can still be enjoyed over a weekend period, for those without children consider yourself free to take your staycation whenever and for as long as you like!
Whether you decide to base yourself at home or take a short trip to stay in another part of the country, there are definitely some benefits to a staycation that, when well executed, can leave you feeling more refreshed than a foreign holiday.
Benefits of a staycation
If you’ve ever arrived home thinking, “I need a holiday from my holiday,” you are not alone! Travelling abroad, although super fun and exciting, can be pretty exhausting with all the stressful travel commitments and time spent getting there and back.
Basing your holiday from home or just a short distance away has many benefits; more time to enjoy together, it’s often less expensive, you get to explore your local area (supporting the local community in the process) and you don’t have to stress over packing and unpacking!
The key to really enjoying your family staycation (so that feels like a real holiday) is prior planning…
How to plan and enjoy your own staycation
As a mother of two temperamental teenagers, a demonstrative dog, a conceited cat and a darling husband (he’s bound to read this!), my biggest fear of a staycation is that I won’t actually get a break from anything! I’m sure many of you lovely mums will identify with this fear… just the thought of a “holistay” can leave you feeling totally frazzled!
However, with prudent planning (most probably undertaken by yourself!), you can set out a few staycation guidelines that will hopefully mean everyone feels like they’ve had a mini break!
- No chores allowed – if you’re basing yourself at home this is essential and applies to everyone! The key to feeling like you are having a holiday is to take a break from the mundane chores that form part of your regular routine. So, no hoovering, no washing, no homework, no tidying… (oh yes, I love the sound of this already!). Hmmm, let’s change this to ‘minimal chores, strictly adhered to’. Kids will need clean clothes after all.
- Plan fun activities – this could be a day trip out, meeting up with friends, art and craft at home. Planning a few activities helps to structure your time so that everyone feels like they have experienced something fun and worthwhile.
- Use online resources – whether you are basing yourself at home or exploring another part of the country, there is a wealth of information online that can help you plan your staycation. Resources such as Tripadvisor are rich with information about things to do and recommendations for places to eat and stay.
- Decorating – for those who love to transform their home with a bit of DIY, completing a decorating project can be a truly creative way to unwind. Encourage the kids to get involved by designing a kids themed bedroom.
- Try something new – use your staycation to try something new, whether that’s sleeping in a real treehouse (not a treehouse bed!) or renting out canoes for the day, anything that is a break away from the norm will feel like an adventure. Have you ever fancied throwing yourself out of a plane? Now’s the time to do it. Or walk a new coastal path maybe… baby steps to the plane idea.
- Disconnect & switch off – while you may not be able to completely switch off your devices, try and encourage everyone to spend more time off them. Whether you choose to read a book, play a card game or just sit and chat – taking a break from technology is a great way to refresh yourself.
Easy food for a tasty staycation
Just because you’re use to travelling the world and savouring all the culinary delights on offer, doesn’t mean that your staycation can’t include a few tasty feasts.
Cuckooland have the perfect partners for creating delicious staycation meals (that won’t have you slaving in the kitchen for hours!).
Ooni, a brand well known for their range of portable pizza ovens, have captured the essence of cooking up tasty, authentic wood-fired pizzas. Thanks to their portable Ooni Pizza Oven you can cook up fresh pizza from the comfort of your own garden, at the beach or by the lake (in fact anywhere really!). A good pizza dough recipe is essential, top with some scrumptious toppings and you’ve got yourself the perfect staycation dinner – who needs to travel to Naples?!
Another perfect holistay meal is a BBQ, cooking up a feast on charcoal is not only a sociable way to cook (why is it that everyone likes to stand around a bbq?!) but the food is just so much tastier!
If you’re planning a bbq during your staycation, the Lotus Grill XL will easily feed a hungry family, what’s more it’s portable, so even if you’re out and about you can enjoy a bit of al-fresco cooking. The main benefit of these portable bbq’s is that, thanks to their clever design, they are ready to use only 3-4 minutes after lighting!
So, prejudice aside, why not embrace a final staycation of the year – you never know you might love it so much you’ll be planning your next one for 2021!
While we may not be holiday experts, if you’d like to know more about our fabulous furniture that will make your home feel like a 5 star hotel or would like advice on how to make your home staycation sassy, give our friendly customer service team a call +44 (0) 1305 231 231 or ping us an email.
