What does a staycation mean to you? Does it mean staying at home, locking the doors and enjoying your family? Or does it mean travelling to somewhere in the UK – either by the sea or in the hills – to explore somewhere different? Whatever it means to you, there are some absolutely must-dos to ensure you have a successful time.
If you’re going to stay at home, one of the best ways to start enjoying your ‘break’ is to unplug from the digital world. Ignore your phone (or turn it off), put away your laptop and get out a book. Catching up on that pile of reading you keep telling yourself you need to get through is a great way to unwind.
If you want to take a trip, head to the city if you live rurally or head for the countryside if you’re living in the city.
London can be surprisingly cheap. Local websites, blogs, Groupon, Lastminute and Living Social always have great deals on restaurants, theatre tickets and hotels.
City dwellers will probably want to get out for a week or two to enjoy some peace and quiet. For all their benefits, cities always seem to lead to increased stress due to the noise and lack of space, so a little trip to country is a great way to recharge during your staycation and come back with renewed enthusiasm for city life.
Camping and/or sailing in the Lake District is another great way to recharge and see a side of the UK you haven’t seen before. Just remember, with the weather turning grim you’ll probably need extra travel bags and luggage to carry your thick winter and waterproof gear.
If your inner child needs some attention you should take a break to Alton Towers or Thorpe Park. These fun theme parks make for ideal weekend trips. You can always find a cheap local hotel or campsite to stay at.
Staycations are mostly an enforced phenomenon at the moment due to the cost of holidaying abroad so most people will want to spend as little as possible. If that’s the case, set a travel budget and a daily budget. Depending on where you live in the UK, you might find that traveling to a cheaper part of the country will mean you spend less than you normally would even once you’ve taken into account hotels and travel.
If you’re determined to spend absolutely no money at all, a great way to unwind is to take long walks around your local area. Not only are walks a great way to clear your head but you’d be surprised how much you can learn about your area by taking it in on foot rather than whizzing past it by car.
Ideally you want a park or some nice countryside but really anywhere (even a little bit) unfamiliar makes for great walking territory.
Another way to spend a staycation that doesn’t involve spending money is to get part time or freelance work during your break. After all, they say a change can be as good as a rest!
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