Spring break is right around the corner. Chances are, you’re probably scrambling trying to figure out how to occupy your children’s time. While taking a vacation might sound nice, going somewhere for a week can be expensive. And you might not feel safe traveling with all the new COVID-19 variants.
Don’t worry. There’s a way to keep you and your kids entertained but also safe. It’s called a staycation. A staycation is a vacation spent in your hometown. It could include a spa day or a night in a fancy hotel.
In this article, we share seven kid-friendly spring break staycation ideas:
1. Find a Local Hotel
The key to a successful staycation is treating it like a real vacation. One way to do that is by treating yourself, and your children, to a night at a hotel or resort. There’s something quite enjoyable about spending the night in a hotel that you don’t have to worry about cleaning.
Not to mention, hotels offer amenities like a pool, spa, and gym, that could help you relax and unwind. Most hotels even offer amenities tailored specifically to children. Whether that’s a swimming pool or a kid’s club filled with games, your children can have just as much fun as you.
2. Visit a National Park
Depending on where you live, you might be right around the corner from a national park. If so, consider taking your kids to explore it.
What’s nice about national parks is they typically offer several kid-friendly activities, including kayaking or guided walking trails. You could also go for a solo hike or bike ride. To make this experience even more fun, have your children track their steps with a kids smartwatch. At the end of the day, you can reward a prize to the person with the most steps.
If you don’t live near a national park, consider taking your children to a local or state park and enjoy the outdoors.
3. Stay at an Airbnb
You might feel silly renting an Airbnb in the state you live in. But the truth is, there are several cities in your state that you’ve probably never even seen. Instead of staying in an Airbnb next door, find one in a neighborhood you haven’t been to. Just make sure it’s a kid-friendly neighborhood, as you want your kids to have new experiences as well.
Speaking of kid-friendly, did you know Airbnb offers kid-friendly homes? Yup. You can find places in your area that offer children’s rooms, baby safety gates, high chairs, children’s dinnerware, and even game rooms. When shopping for homes on Airbnb, make sure you include how many children are coming so you’ll only see kid-friendly options.
4. Go Camping
Is your family the outdoorsy type? Instead of spending a few nights at a hotel or Airbnb, consider camping. Depending on where you live, you might only have one campground to choose from. That still works! But if there are several campgrounds in your state, we recommend choosing one further from your house. This way, you can immerse your family in a change of scenery without leaving your state.
ReserveAmerica.com is a great resource for exploring campsites in your area and making reservations. Just remember that campgrounds fill up quickly, so make sure you plan ahead. Keep in mind, if you don’t find a reservation, pitching a tent in your backyard can be just as fun for your family!
5. Visit a Museum
When planning your staycation, take the approach of a tourist. What are some things you would want to do if you were visiting a different state or country? Maybe you’d visit a museum or gallery to immerse yourself in the town’s history. Well, you can do that in your own state.
Spend some time researching museums and galleries near you. Focus specifically on ones your kids will enjoy, too. Believe it or not, there are museums designed for children. For example, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and the Exploratorium in San Francisco are all about what interests the under-13 crowd. Chances are, you’ll find a children’s museum that isn’t too far from your front door.
6. Take a Tour Online
Virtual tours grew in popularity during the pandemic when people couldn’t leave their homes but still wanted to explore new places. This is something you and your kids can still do today. How does a virtual tour of a national park sound, or a tour of the White House? You could even spend a few hours being virtually guided through a castle in Europe or Ireland.
Virtual tours are a great way to spend your staycation because they offer something new and out of this world. And the best part is, you don’t have to leave your house if you don’t want to.
7. Enjoy a Food Tour
What kind of food can your children not get enough of? Pizza? Well, depending on where you live, you can sign up for a professionally guided tour of pizza restaurants. (Yes, really!)
During these food tours, a guide takes you to various restaurants known for their pizza. At each restaurant, you’ll have enough time to order a few slices before moving to the next location.
It’s important to note, pizza isn’t the only type of food tour. There are a variety of food tours available. And don’t worry, if your city doesn’t offer a food tour, you can create one for your family. For example, research some well-known pizza restaurants in your area, and spend the day hopping from one to the next.
A successful staycation is one that offers something unique without breaking the bank. The ideas above do that and more. With a little creativity, you can plan a staycation that puts a smile on your kid’s face and doesn’t add stress to your plate.
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gralion torile
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing some research on that. And he just bought me lunch as I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!