A vacation may not be in the cards this summer, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy some fun family activities before the start of the new school year. Here’s True Homes’ list of seven super staycation ideas to help your family have tons of summer fun.
Camp in the Backyard
Move over, glamping! Backyard camping combines the fun of sleeping under the stars with the ease of staying right in your backyard (literally!). Pitch a tent, lay out the sleeping bags, roast marshmallows for s’mores, then have fun doing some stargazing and telling scary (or not-so-scary) stories. Check out apps like Sky Map to find some hard-to-see constellations and enjoy the nighttime light show.
Take A Hike or Nature Walk
Get some fresh air while enjoying the beauty of the outdoors while taking a hike or going on a leisurely nature walk. A quick search online will turn up a list of trails in your area, often with details like the difficulty and length of the trail, photos, and comments from other hikers. This is a great way to pick where you want to go and ensures that there aren’t any surprises when you get to the trailhead.
Go on a Virtual Vacation
While you may not be able to visit exotic locales, you can still bring some of the fun home to you. Pick a location and enjoy virtually visiting attractions like museums and national parks, enjoying some local cuisine, and listening to some signature music. Get started by searching for “virtual tour” and “music” along with the name of the place you want to “visit” on YouTube, then look up some local recipes (or restaurants serving those foods in your area if you don’t want to tackle the culinary challenge.)
Enjoy a Road Trip
You don’t have to travel far to see something new! Explore the area you live in by hopping in the car and going for a drive. You can enjoy a scenic trip through a nearby state or national park, or you might run into some silly roadside attractions—who knows, the world’s largest rubber band ball could be just down the road.
Have a Scavenger Hunt
Create a scavenger hunt and get to searching around the house or backyard for random items. Think up your own list of clues, or get some help from a variety of apps or websites to get your kids (or the whole family) hunting.
Take on a Game Tournament
Take your family game night to the next level by turning it into a family game tournament. Get out the board games, deal a deck of the cards, or fire up your game console and get ready to see which family member is the ultimate game champion. If your family’s a little less competitive, have fun seeing how many games your family can get through in a day.
Marathon Some Movies
Family movie night is great, but why stop at one movie? Make a list of movies that your family has always wanted to watch, grab snacks and drinks, then press play and enjoy a movie marathon from the comfort of your own home. If you don’t have a subscription to a streaming service like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime, check out your local library to take advantage of their collection of DVDs and Blu-Rays as well as free access to streaming services like Hoopla and Kanopy.