By Marnie Kunz

These staycation ideas will help you make the most of your time off without racking up lots of travel costs. Whether you’ve got some vacation time at work or need a getaway but are on a budget, a staycation is the perfect way to enjoy a break from daily life.

What Is a Staycation?

A staycation is a vacation you spend close to home instead of traveling. As with vacations, staycations vary greatly based on your interests, location, budget, and time. For example, your staycation may be going to a local film festival, camping for a weekend, or taking a day off work and enjoying an at-home spa day. Whether you want to get cozy at home or explore local attractions in your city, a staycation offers a mental break and a change in routine without the high price tag or time required for vacations.

The best staycation ideas also help you experience new things and break out of your comfort zone. Trying new things is great for your emotional health and boosts your mood. According to the University of Washington, new experiences give you a hit of dopamine (a “feel-good chemical” in the brain) and make you feel rewarded. So forget the same old streaming shows or social media apps, and try some of these staycation ideas to give yourself a mental boost.

25 Best Staycation Ideas for New Experiences

These staycation ideas include inspiration to help you enjoy new experiences and maximize your time off work. Also, check out our 51 Self-Care Sunday Ideas to Recharge for more self-care ideas.

Active

Try a new fitness class.

For an active staycation, try a fitness class you want to take. It may be something you’ve dabbled in or something entirely new for you. Immerse yourself in the experience and enjoy the new people and challenges.

If you need inspo, check out our I Tried It series for more ideas on fitness and wellness trends and workouts we’ve tested and reviewed.

Go for a hike in a new place.

Take a hike in a beautiful park that you’ve never been to. It may be close to your home or a short day trip to get there, but the key is to go somewhere beautiful that you’ve never been.

Map an adventure run or walk.

Explore scenic places you haven’t been to in your city. Use a run mapping app and map a route in an area with unique art or landscapes and prepare to be inspired. Bring a friend or family member on your adventure for added fun.

Try a new race.

If you’re a runner, there’s no thrill like conquering a new race. You’ll create many memories during your staycation if you sign up for a mud run, try a biathlon, or choose a distance you’ve never raced.

Arts

Visit a new exhibit.

We have endless staycation ideas for experiencing art. Check out a local art exhibit you’re interested in seeing, and if you’re not sure what’s out, research your local museums and pick a show that catches your eye. Then, enjoy an afternoon of strolling and immersing yourself in art.

Attend a film festival.

Go to a local film festival based on a theme you love. It may be an indie film festival, a Pride film festival, or a horror festival. Make sure you haven’t already seen the movies in the lineup so you’ll be experiencing some new ones. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the entertainment.

Create your own film festival.

Don’t have any film festivals near you? Create your own at home by choosing a theme and a movie lineup. You can do this solo or invite your favorite people and enjoy a theme-filmed evening with popcorn, movies, and more.

Create art.

Try your hand at art and let your mind relax as you lose yourself in the creation process. You can draw, paint, color, sculpt, or sew. Your imagination is the only limit on what you can create. Even if your finished work isn’t a masterpiece, the experience will be rewarding.

Attend an art festival.

Go to a local mural or art festival and lose yourself in the artwork. Your mind will be enjoying a getaway as your senses feast on art.

Social

See your favorite people.

Do you ever feel like you miss your family or friends when you’re busy with daily life? A staycation is a great time to catch up with people you care about and connect over a meal, get active together, or explore your city.

Join a local group event.

Need new people in your life? Sign up for a local meetup or event and meet interesting people. Whether you try speed dating, a parents’ club, or a pet owners’ group, you’re sure to have fun.

Learning

Take a class.

Learn more about a topic you’re passionate about by signing up for a local or online class. You’ll meet like-minded people and be able to expand your mind.

Tourism

Be a tourist in your city.

Travel close to home and check out parks, attractions, landmarks, and historic sites. Take photos, eat local food, and enjoy your local getaway. Sign up for a local running or walking tour and learn more about your city while connecting with passionate locals.

Adventure

Go camping.

Camping is a fun way to connect with nature while exploring parks close to home. So pack up your family, friends, or dog and head out for a few days of adventure in Mother Nature.

Have a backyard campout.

This was one of my favorite activities as a kid. Pitch a tent in your backyard and bring games, snacks, and sleeping bags for a fun night out under the stars.

Go rock climbing.

Rock climbing is an exciting way to spend a day. Sign up for a local class and learn the ropes of climbing.

Try skydiving.

For a rush of adrenaline, try skydiving. Find a local skydiving company and take the plunge for a wild ride. This staycation will go down in history.

Family Activities

Have a game day.

Create a game day for the whole family to enjoy, with board games, outdoor games, or trivia games. Choose games everyone can participate in, add snacks, and let the good times roll.

Interview older family members.

Shine the spotlight on seniors and interview your older family members. You can record, write, or scrapbook their memories with them, and you’ll have a family keepsake that lasts for generations to come.

Self-Care

Take a spa day.

You can visit a local spa or do a budget-friendly spa day at home. Get a massage, enjoy some aromatherapy, take a bath, or get a facial and let your cares melt away.

Meditate.

Practice meditating. Whether you’re new to meditation or do it regularly, having more downtime to meditate is a definite bonus of staycation.

Do nothing

This is one that I, as a New Yorker, find hard. But doing nothing is quite soothing and gives your mind a break from the usual notifications, errands, work, etc. So lie around and lounge in your most comfy clothes and enjoy doing nothing.

Try a new look.

Experiment with makeup, clothes, or nail art and try a new look. Remember dress-up as a kid and Halloween? Invoke the fun of dressing up and trying something new.

Food

Cook a new recipe.

Try a new recipe that you usually wouldn’t have time to make. Take time to make it look pleasing, and then enjoy!

Eat at a new local restaurant.

Vacations usually include plenty of eating out, and your staycation can too. Support local restaurants and try new places you haven’t been to before.

I hope these staycation ideas inspire you to experience new things close to home. Whether you’re on a budget, have limited days off, or need a mental break, a staycation is a great opportunity to relax and savor life.

Sign up for our Wellness Wednesday newsletter for more wellness and fitness tips to help you live better. Happy staycationing to you! 😊

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, a dog lover and Akita mom, and the founder of Runstreet.

25 Staycation Ideas to Enjoy a Mental Getaway