Hello, world! Kicking off The Staycation Guide with some foundational reasons for being here in the first place. We hope you’ll stick around to see what we have to share.

Photo by Patrick Perkins on Unsplash

1. Reinvest in your local economy and community.

By staying close to home, you might stay at a local hotel that you might not otherwise explore, try new restaurants or coffee shops, take a painting class in a nearby neighborhood, or purchase a book from an independent bookstore – all of which keeps some dollars reinvested in your region.

2. Minimize your environmental impact.

With less mileage you’ll likely have a smaller negative impact on the environment than if you went further away. (Granted, your environmental impact depends on a lot of things such as consumption habits and how you get from point A to point B!)

3. Save money (if you want).

You can make staycations as frugal or luxurious as you like, but at their base level, they tend to be more budget-friendly options. Not needing to book airfare can be huge cost savings that you can take as a win or invest into other activities during your staycation. Having that option just offers a lot more flexibility.

4. Reduce your travel time.

No need to worry about security checkpoint lines, flight delays, train schedules, or EV charging station availability with a staycation. Instead, you can sleep in before setting off, see about early hotel or Airbnb check-in, or leisurely meander your way to your destination.

5. Make the most of just a day or two off.

Staycations are ideal for anyone, but especially for people who can’t take a lot of time off work. You’ll still get the happiness boost of planning and anticipating a trip, but without the stress and headache of taking too much time off or figuring out how to get back into routine.

6. Embrace spontaneity.

We did just say that staycationers can benefit from the happiness boost of planning a trip – but on the flip side, spontaneous travel can also boost happiness. Vacationing close to home and spending the weekend playing tourist can maximize time off on short notice.

7. Be in the know.

Have you always had a particular event or experience local to your area that you’ve never gotten around to? Prioritize your goals and craft a mini vacation around it. (Plus you have the added benefit of having new recommendations for friends and family who visit in the future!)

Staycations offer us so much – opportunities to boost our happiness, benefit our communities, and create space for rest.

Are there any key benefits that you think we’re missing? Feel free to chime in below!