15 Tips for Planning an Awesome Budget-Friendly Staycation

Staying home for your next vacation?

There are some seasons of life where you may be more limited in your budget or need to work around family schedules filled with practices/games, camps, work schedules, or lessons for extracurricular activities.

Those circumstances can limit your options for planning a vacation away.

You can still have a great staycation at home regardless of your availability, whether it’s a full week of adventures, a few days, or a few hours.

I’m sharing practical tips for planning an incredible staycation adventure at home.

This article contains affiliate links.

1. Make a Plan in Advance

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If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. This can be especially true when you only have a few days on the calendar available for your Staycation. You want to be intentional with your time and not waste the days regardless of the weather.

Determine what days or time blocks you have available for your Staycation adventures and plan accordingly so that you have adventures to look forward to.

2. Factor in the Forecast

Don’t let the weather disrupt your day.

Plan your adventures in advance according to the forecast. Make the most of sunny days and save the indoor attractions and museums for inclement weather.

3. Evaluate Your Budget

Decide on a specific amount you’re comfortable budgeting for an adventure, the day, or the week.

Create a list of free, low-cost, and splurge activities at various price points.

Splurge ideas:

Trampoline Park
Sporting Event
Dining Out
Unique Overnight
Indoor Playcenter
Entertainment Complex
Arcade
Themed Mini Golf
Go Karts
Laser Tag
Escape Room
Splatter Paint Experience
Immersive Experiences – Candlelight-themed concerts, etc

teenage boy playing fowling game at Fowling Warehouse Cincinnati

4. Get Your Family Involved

Provide “guided options” for your family based on price points and days of the week.

Allow kids to give input on their preferences and help choose activities that align with your budget categories.

It’s easier to narrow down three options for an activity in each price point vs. a long list.

5. Invite Others to Join You

Invite other families and friends to meet up and join you on an adventure or allow your child to bring a friend along for low-cost activities.

Simple activities such a cookouts and bonfires are more fun with friends.

6. Take Advantage of Free Events & Attractions

There are plenty of free and low-cost activities going on year-round including the following:

Special Events at Local Parks
Free Museum Days
Self-Guided Tours
Library Programs
Free Concerts
Community Pre-Game Events

Check social media and local community and tourism websites for upcoming events.

7. Plan a Free/Low-Cost Outdoor Adventure

Mix things up and try to find “new to you” places to visit to try an outdoor adventure.

Explore Local Parks
Nature Center
Hiking Trails
Bike Trails
Geocaching
Pickleball
Fishing
Kayaking
Playgrounds
Disc Golf
Skateparks
Oversized Yard Games

8. Discover Discounts and Deals

You can save money on experiences, tours, and attractions with a discount. Be on the lookout for midweek incentives and seasonal discounted rates.

Groupon
Pogo Pass – passes offered in multiple cities – use “ADVMOM” for 50% off
Viator
Get Your Guide
Tiquets
Check with your local library about library perks for local attractions
Newsletter and Social Media Deals – Sign up to receive emails and follow your favorite attractions on social media

9. Gamify the Experience

You can make an ordinary visit to the park or museum more interesting if you gamify it with a creative scavenger hunt or competition.

10. Fun With Food

Go to a grocery store and plan a meal featuring ethnic cuisine or pick a theme for a meal. It could be a color theme or type of food featured in one of your favorite movies or shows.

Visit a “new to you” restaurant in a repurposed building or plan a picnic at a scenic location.

Another idea is to pick a restaurant by a letter of the alphabet or name that doubles as a vacation destination. For example, many Mexican restaurants are named after destinations.

Plan a visit to a local ice cream shop for a sweet treat after a fun day of adventures.

11. Take a Local Tour

Local tours are a great way to view your city with new eyes. You’ll learn about local history and get a greater appreciation of neighborhoods near your own backyard.

Many cities offer free self-guided tours on their local tourism website.

12. Make Movie Magic

Create your own movie theater experience at home or visit your local drive-in.

13. Day Trip and Road Trip Themes

Look beyond your city for ideas with destinations located within 1-2 hours of where you live for a day trip.

A few road trip theme ideas:

Visit Quirky Roadside Attractions
Take an “International Road Trip” to Cities with International Names ( For example- Kentucky has cities named London, Paris, Glasgow, Florence, and Versailles)
Visit parks, nature centers, or museums where your annual passes have reciprocity
Go on a Food Trail – Many cities have different types of food or themed trails. For example, Ohio has a Donut Trail and a Cincinnati Chili Trail

14. Plan a Creative Overnight

Sometimes you just need to get away…even if it’s just for one night.

Mix things up and camp in your backyard or at a local campground.

Book a vacation rental or a room at a local hotel in another part of town and discover “new to you” local parks and restaurants.

Of course, the BEST part about staying at a hotel for kids is swimming in the indoor pool so make sure that your hotel of choice has one.

You can also save money on a hotel by redeeming credit card reward points or using a last-minute deal site.

scenic view of the lake at Hidden Lake Farm

15. Share Your Favorite Experiences

Document your Staycation adventures with pictures, videos, and journal entries, and have your family members go around and share their favorite experiences or highlights of the week.

You don’t have to spend lots of money to make meaningful memories. Just be intentional with your time and enjoy sharing experiences with loved ones.