Affordable Summer Staycation Tips

The weather is heating up and it’s time to plan some summer fun! Whether you’re short on vacation time, trying to budget, or just tired of the stress and burden of airline travel, there are tons of great affordable summer vacation tips for close to home.

Be a tourist in your hometown:

Have you ever checked out what a travel guidebook says about your own city? Chances are you haven’t spent much time in the places that visitors to your town consider must-see. We’re always so busy in our daily lives that we rarely get a chance or make the time to see the sites right in our own backyard. Book a few days of your summer to be a tourist in your hometown. You can even go stay in a hotel in a different part of town to make sure you don’t get distracted doing things around the house. Whether your town has an incredible theater district, amazing parks, grand museums, or the best beaches, soak in all your city has to offer and you may even find some new favorite places to go the rest of the year!

Check out your region:

You don’t have to go far to experience a great vacation spot. You can travel regionally for little cost and see some amazing places. Try a single-tank trip where you see where one tank of gas can take you, or plan to go to a different area just a few hours away on different weekends of the summer. You’ll save more money than one big air travel trip and you’ll see tons of new destinations. Try camping in the nearest national park or renting a boat at the nearest lake, or just head to the closest big city and see what it has to offer for the weekend.

Scope out the free fun:

Summertime is synonymous with festivals and fun. With a little research you are bound to find a ton of free, fun activities going on in your city. Whether it’s music, arts, or sports, summer weekends are full of events that you can participate in to make the most of your sunny days.

Camp it out, even in your own backyard:

If you love camping, it is the ultimate low-cost summer adventure. You don’t even have to go far to get a taste of the great outdoors and sleeping under the stars. Heading to the national park or lake is awesome, but if you don’t have the time or the budget for the road trip, you can set up your tent and your campfire in your backyard and have an awesome time camping out close to home. It’s so much fun just to sleep outdoors after roasting marshmallows, plus you can use the indoor bathroom. Another awesome tip is to hang a sheet from a tree or against your house and rent a projector from the library…instant outdoor movie theater you can watch from your sleeping bag!

Host your loved ones:

If you’re short on time and cash to see the people you love this summer, why not invite them to your place instead? You can maximize your time together by exploring your city’s summer events and getting all the sun you can handle while they are visiting. Host a barbecue or a potluck or invite your guests to stay for the weekend. Bring the vacation into your home and you’ll create memories without having to spend a ton of money.

Cool down, get wet:

The best part about those hot summer days is the refreshing relief of getting wet. Whether you head to the lake and rent a boat for the day, pack a picnic for the beach and frolic in the waves, or set up the sprinkler in your own backyard, find a way to cool down that’s fun and memorable for your vacation. You can even set up a slip and slide in your backyard or at the local park and invite friends and family to splash around with you. Bring a bucket of water balloons for extra fun!

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