Staycation Ideas That Feel Like a Getaway
Real time off, close to home — no airports required.
Plan a StaycationStaycation Ideas That Feel Like a Real Getaway
The best staycation ideas have one thing in common: they change your routine enough that you come back rested, without the airports, the long drive or the jet lag. Staycation Options is a guide to doing that well — how to plan a staycation, the main types to choose from, and ideas for couples, families and tight budgets.
A staycation is not just a week off at home with the laundry. It is a trip you take in your own backyard, region or city, planned with the same care as a vacation: a place to stay or a plan for each day, a few treats, and rules that keep work and chores out.
City Hotel Staycation
Check in downtown, use the pool, eat out and walk everywhere — the classic urban escape.
Nearby State Park
Cabins, campsites, lakes and trails within an hour or two of home.
Be a Tourist at Home
The museums, tours and landmarks you keep meaning to visit.
Spa Days and Couples
Spa days, dinners and hotel nights for two.
Family and Kids
Backyard camping, zoos, aquariums and theme days that kids remember.
At Home and on a Budget
Turn the house into a retreat and stretch every dollar.
Pick Your Kind of Staycation
Splurge close to home
One or two nights in a hotel with a pool, room service and a view can do more than a week at home.
Hotel staycations →
Get outdoors
A state park cabin, a lake and a few good trails make a cheap, restorative break.
State park staycations →
See your city fresh
Take the tour, ride the ferry, eat where visitors eat. Most locals never do.
Local tourist ideas →Staycation Ideas by City
Big metro areas are made for staycations. A few starting points, with our city guides for more:
| Metro | Staycation idea | Our guide |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | A night in a hotel in a borough you never stay in, a ferry ride and a day at Coney Island or the Brooklyn Bridge | See and Do NY |
| Los Angeles | Beach towns, Griffith Park and a museum day in Pasadena or Santa Monica | Best of LA County |
| Washington, DC | The Smithsonian museums on the National Mall, most of them free, plus a night near the Wharf | Best of WDC |
| Minneapolis–St. Paul | Lakes, trails and a downtown hotel, or a drive up the North Shore | Best of MSP |
| Seattle–Tacoma | Pike Place, a ferry to an island town and a waterfront hotel | Best of SeaTac |
| South Florida | Beach-town hotels from Miami to Palm Beach, the Everglades and the Keys | Florida’s Gold Coast |
| Texas cities | River Walk nights in San Antonio, Hill Country day trips from Austin, Galveston from Houston | See and Do Texas |
Five Rules for a Great Staycation
- Book it like a trip. Put it on the calendar, request the time off, and tell people you are away.
- Leave the house — for at least part of it. A night somewhere else resets the routine.
- Ban the to-do list. No errands, no repairs, no work email.
- Plan one highlight a day, and leave the rest loose.
- Spend on what feels special — a great dinner, a spa hour, a view — and save on the rest.
Staycation Questions
What is a staycation?
A vacation spent at home or close to home. Instead of flying somewhere, you take real time off and explore, relax or splurge locally — a night in a city hotel, a cabin at a state park an hour away, or a week of day trips. See staycation meaning for more.
How long should a staycation be?
Anything from one night to a full week or more works. A single hotel night can feel like a getaway; a week lets you mix rest days with outings. What matters is treating it as time off: no chores, no work email.
Is a staycation cheaper than a vacation?
Usually, because you skip flights and long drives, and you can choose how much to splurge. But a staycation can still add up with hotel nights, spa treatments and dining out, so set a budget like any other trip. Our budget page has ideas.
Want Someone Else to Plan It?
Even a close-to-home getaway goes better with insider help: which hotels in your city have the best pools, which state park cabins book out first, what is on this weekend. A travel specialist can put it together for you. For deals on hotel nights and short trips, sign up for our free travel deals newsletter, and for ideas across the country see Best of the USA.
This site is part of the Smart Traveler network, led by Mister Cruise. He has sold travel since 1972 and worked full-time in the industry since 1977. He has sold or originated more than $500 million in cruises and has trained more than 500 travel agents.
When you ask for a trip quote through the Official Travel Directory, a travel specialist plans it with you personally — not a call center. Meet Mister Cruise →
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