When you start to think about taking your next trip, you might find that you really want to do something a little closer to home. This is where a good old-fashioned staycation can come in. This is one of the many perks I get with living in SoCal. There are SO many cool places that are only a car ride away. I love it. Instead of jetting off, packing up the car and heading to a local town or something not too far from home could be just what you need. When that’s the case, you’re going to want to make sure that you plan in perfectly. Let’s take a look at how you’re going to do exactly that.
Pick the Perfect Location
It might be that you want to stay in your nearest town or maybe you want to go a little bit further afield. Either way, this is something that you’re going to want to look into from the beginning. It’s important for you to think about where you want to be and to start your research. From here, once you have made the decision on where you’d like to go, you can then start to pull together the rest of your plans. I started a list of locations that were on my bucket list from when I first moved to California. I've checked so many off that list, but still have other spots I need to travel to.
Choose Cozy Accommodation
Now you’re going to want to start to look into holiday cottages that might be suitable. Sure, you could book a hotel but you may also find that you want to go with something a little more local and personal. Getting a cabin or cottage can often feel a lot more cozy and it could be exactly what you want for your staycation too. We love staying in cozy cabins when we travel to Big Bear or Mammoth Lakes.
Plan Out Your Activities
Now comes the activities (if any) that you’d like to do. Sometimes it’s nice to just please yourself and see where you end up – but if you know that there are certain things you would love to see or do when you’re there, you’ll want to book ahead. If you know me, I always like to have a plan and make it ahead of time. Make sure that you do your research, particularly if you’re going to be a little further away from home, so that you can cover everything you’d like to! I also like to schedule free time into the plan, so you do get the chance to do whatever you want at some points too!
Select Some Special Restaurants
As well as the sights you want to see and the things you want to do during your staycation, you’re also going to want to think about where you’d like to eat. Whether you’re in your own town or a tiny bit further afield, there may be restaurants that you’ve always wanted to try. If not, you may find that looking ahead to the restaurants you might want to book will mean you get the reservations you want. Then you can start to get excited about eating there!
Make Memories
Finally, you’re going to want to focus on enjoying yourself while you’re traveling too. It’s always going to be important for you to try and bring yourself into the moment and actually take it all in. When it comes to traveling, we can often spend a lot of time focusing on getting everything right and planning it all, that we forget to actually be present when we’re there. But this is where you’ll be able to focus on shutting off from the world, experiencing everything you have planned, and making memories in the process too. I always put away my phone for the day to be present and share things all at once on social media, so I am not on my phone the whole time.
If you need some inspo on what to wear or pack for your next vacation, check out my curated vacation inspo list on my Amazon Storefront
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