International (and some domestic) travel was completely ruled out in 2020 and sadly for some…even in 2021. With this, a lot of travel plans were flushed down the toilet and many vacation dreams never came to fruition. With the frequent worldwide changes came disappointment, frustration, and a few shed tears or two (please tell us we are not alone). With lockdowns and strict protocols, people became eager to enjoy life outside their four walls. It came as no surprise that after lockdowns were lifted, local travel became a worldwide trend. While heading out on a getaway close to home may not be people’s first choice, have you thought of all the benefits? If you haven’t, no worries! We are here to help clue you in on the genius of staycations…and why you should start planning yours right now.
Explore Your Own Backyard
Many of us rarely take advantage of all our local towns and cities have to offer; we get so caught up in the busyness of the day to day that we simply go through the motions. Staying close to home allows you to drive around and see what hidden gems you may have been missing all of these years. When our lead travel adviser, Kayti, took her staycation she saw and did things she never thought to do in her twenty-four years of living in Minnesota. While she was only an hour from home, Kayti felt like she was in a completely different place. She explored the beautiful city of Stillwater, Minnesota – an old, historic lumber town that she always knew of but never enjoyed. The old charm and slower pace was a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of Twin Cities life. If Kayti had not carved out time for herself to take everything in and truly be present…she would have missed out on so much.
Planning is Simple
A lot of us plan our vacations months, even years ahead of time – which is totally reasonable. However, that does take away the excitement and spontaneity of it all (which sometimes is half the fun). Domestic trips are definitely much easier to plan for. If you are finding it difficult to get time off of work – getting away for a weekend or bridge holidays is a fabulous option! No need to worry about flights, transportation, multiple reservations…the list goes on and on.
It’s Cheaper
We highly recommend having “bucket list” vacations on your calendar as something to look forward to; but cost definitely goes along with those once in a lifetime adventures. Vacationing locally is a great way to treat yourself to a change of scenery without breaking the bank. Bottom line, it’s cheaper; plain and simple. The cost of gas for a road trip does not cost nearly as much as a flight to even a nearby destination. Staycations allow you to strike when the travel bug is hot while still saving up for your worldly travels.
No Language Barriers
When taking a vacation domestically you can also have peace of mind that you will be understood wherever you choose to explore. Leave that foreign phrase book behind because you are not going to need it.
Zero Jet Lag
Traveling locally also eliminates any potential jet lag. While your friends have gone abroad and come home feeling groggy and “out of it”, you will come home feeling refreshed and ready to rock real life again. No more needing a vacation from your vacation; those days are in the past.
Easier with Children
If you have a young one (or multiple) keeping things close to the vest will be much easier in terms of travel. There will be no need to deal with busy/chaotic airports, long train rides or endless hours of hearing those ill fated words – “are we there yet?” Trust us…we know how exhausting that can be. A staycation could be the answer to your travel prayers, at least for the time being.
Support Local Economy
By keeping your vacations close to home you will be pouring your money directly back into your own community. When you are trying new food or buying that cute new jacket – you will most likely be supporting local business owners who depend on sales and customers for their livelihood and well…we are all about that!
Feeling inspired to plan your next local staycation? Let us know where you are planning to explore below; we can’t wait to hear about your next local adventure!
Stay safe, have fun and most importantly…be kind.
-The Adventures by Jamie Team