How many of you still associate summer with the iconic anthem of “Summertime” by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince? Of course my Philly peeps are representing on that one! Regardless if you’re more of a mellow Ella Fitzgerald fan of classy museums, a granola guy or gal who loves national parks and trails, or more of a Katy Perry and Snoop “California Gurls” beachy vibe traveler, I’m here to offer some staycation options to jazz up your July! I’ll define what staycations are, why you need them for holistic health, and deliver some research, tips, and resources, so you can stay and play in your own way!

Are your vacation days slim or funds low? Are you suffering from a fear of flying, too scared to resort in the DR due to all the weird mini bar horrors, or have a new baby who cannot road trip far? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. If obstacles and excuses are busting your summer travel groove, then this blog is perfect for you! I’ll allow you to easily and affordably slip into some self-care, adventure, and holiday mode without leaving your specific zip code. Are you ready to zip into what staycations are, what they can entail for your self-care, ideas to make them happen, and how you can make a staycation a reality this summer?

Stayin’ Alive: What Are Staycations?

First, I’ll briefly define what staycations are and how they evolved historically. Don’t worry, I won’t throw in any essays or tests since “School’s Out for Summer,” according to rad rocker Alice Cooper. Think of all the times when an out of town visitor specifically asked you about a destination or landmark in your own city or town and you had no clue. Roth (2018) concisely defines it as “a vacation spent at home, involving activities near home or visiting local attractions. The local park and recreation agency offers staycationers a robust set of offerings that do not cause much damage to their wallet.” Accordingly, a staycation is the perfect time to connect you more with local, cultural, and community offerings, and get your booty off the couch, out of the man cave, away from the office, and into some true ME time!

In sum, Sharma (2009) traces how this current buzz word actually evolved around 2008 when Good Morning America first featured the “Staycation” as a helpful parenting strategy for what was expected to be a long and arduous summer. As its name infers, a staycation is when you have a vacation or holiday straight from the comforts of home. It literally doesn’t mean being barricaded inside your dorm, apartment, house, or trailer, but within the vicinity of where you currently live.

In self-care terms, it’s relatively a new kid on the holistic block. It also had deep socioeconomic roots based on the rise and fall of gas prices. Although anyone can indulge in a staycation, research finds that they’re super popular with millennials as “Thirty-four percent of Millennials intend to take more staycations during the next 12 months. When asked why, the reasons cited most frequently included a desire to stay in one place and relax (37 percent), to spend more time with friends and family (34 percent), and save money for another vacation (30 percent)” (“More Millennials Opting for “Staycations,” 2015, p. 6).

Holla for Holidays: Experiences at Home For Holistic Health

You’re never too young or too old for Madonna’s “Holiday” song, right? Now that you know a bit more about the evolution of staycations, let’s demonstrate how they can be essential for your holistic health and happiness!

As the mindfulness movement started to gain momentum, the staycation also resulted from issues related to how to best accommodate "time starved consumers,” so one could get away without leaving home. Take it from me in my role as a Human Capital Director. I work for an organization that keeps my plate full and every season tends to be “busy season” for us. So when you’re low on time, but need to get away, what better way to renew, rewind, and recharge than with a staycation?

According to Roth (2018), we need this time for a re-set for physical, spiritual, and mental health, especially since the average American workers merely took an estimate of 17.2 days of leave in 2017, which was down from an average of 20.3 days per year seen during 1978–2000. Not only does wasted vacation time hinder our physical and mental wellbeing, but we’re also tossing roughly “705 million workdays” in unused vacation time in 2017 alone, which resulted in “$62.2 billion in lost vacation benefits.” That’s “Mo Money, More Problems” in more ways than one!

Besides, risk-taking is another bonus of staycations. This doesn’t mean naked bungee jumping or skydiving. Instead, Cole (2008) insists how staycations help with holistic health as they offer quality family time calmly, without the exorbitant costs of travel: The itinerary could be anything from hiking a trail at a nearby national park to checking out a local winery to enjoying a romantic evening at a historic bed-and-breakfast. Whether a day trip or an overnight stay or longer, says Brown, "it's time to get out of the mind-set that every vacation has to include a flight" (p. 72). We live in a world where we think we need to conform to the mold, but staycations enable us to express ourselves creatively and think outside the box!

Lastly, there’s a mindful link in staycations as they allow us the ability for us to truly embrace and be in the moment flexibly; they can allow us to connect with others, nature, culture, sensory experiences and ourselves, all of which can drastically enrich our holistic health.

Away:

is a place where it’s not about the money you spend. It’s about the moments you share. (My sister Denischia and I pictured here)

Staycation Success: Tips To Maximize Your Stay

Check out my tips and research to maximize and plan your staycation:

· Tick Tock: Be sure to carefully schedule start and end dates. While you want freedom to chill, structure is still important; “Otherwise, it runs the risk of feeling just like another string of nights in front of the tube” (http://journal.media-culture.org.au/index.php/mcjournal/article/view/122). Align those calendars!

· Picture Perfect: Take pride and document your staycation with photos and videos, just as you would if you went to Paris, Panama, or Puerto Rico!

· Let It Go: Channel your inner Elsa and Anna and "don't shorten it mentally" by stress, pressures on everything to be perfect, etc. Just let it go! Pomerance (2013) states, “When you least expect something great to happen, that's when it does happen" (p. 20).

· City Slickers: Which cities are the best for staycations? Leasca (2017) ranked Orlando, Chicago, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Portland, San Francisco, and New York City (https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/best-and-worst-staycation-cities-in-america) among the top destinations. However, in my experience, a place is what you make of it, so go to tripadvisor.com and see what there’s to do even in the tiniest towns. Chances are, you’ll find hidden gems, regardless of your location. Just do your research!

· Power to the People: Pomerance (2013) also advises us to check out CityPASS, a discount program currently in various cities that offers reduced rates to local attractions, a popular library program called OverDrive, so you can borrow ebooks, and Project Gutenberg provides e-books for free (p. 20).

· Lazy Song: Emulate Bruno Mars’ “Lazy Song.” While I’m not advocating snuggies for adults, ensure that you’re in full chillax mode, so “no chores! Don't make the bed, vacuum, clean out the closets, pull weeds, or nothing!” Spend your time connected meaningfully with others or yourself authentically.

· Kid and Play: Got kids? Pomerance (2013) praises staycations for the undistracted bonding time of staycations. Experts also urge parents to directly include kids in the process. When kids beg parents for expensive vacations like Disneyworld that their peers are taking, it’s a great stress reliever when kids, tweens, and teens are proactively involved in the planning. It moves from a competitive to a cooperative mindset, which always fosters holistic health!

heli+selfie.jpg — Wanderlust

Isn’t about running away from it all. It’s about experiencing the outside to discover the inside.

ABCs of Staycations:

Check out my literal A to Z ideas to see which ones your location offers:

· Aquariums, Arcades, Amusement Parks, and Art Museums

· Bowling, Breweries, Board Games, or Beaches (yes, lakes count, my friends in the Midwest)

· Comedy Clubs, Cooking Classes, Casinos, Campgrounds, or Concerts

· Dance Show or Dance Classes

· Eat in a Local Diner or Ethnic Restaurant

· Farms (for fruit and veggie picking) or Frisbee

· Galleries or Gardens

· History Museums, Historic Bed and Breakfasts or Helicopter Tours (you know there had to be a flight in there somewhere)

· Ice Cream Shops

· Jewelry Making With Local Artisans

· Kayaking or Karaoke

· Library Events or Local Farmer’s Markets

· Malls, Movie Theaters, or Mini Golf

· Nature Walks or Neighborhood Festivals

· Operas or Outdoor Concerts

· Parks or Public Pools

· Quiet Sunrise or Sunset Viewing

· Restaurant You’ve Never Tried or Religious Place of Worship (temple, church, mosque)

· Science Centers, Sports Events, Surfing, and Spas

· Trails (for walking, biking, strolling, hiking, jogging, skating)

· University Campuses (offer a ton of venues like arboretums, stadiums, cultural centers, etc. Get your school days on again, regardless if you’re 22 or 102)!

· Volleyball or Volunteering

· Winery Tour

· Xplore a New Café or Coffeehouse

· Yard Sales (Auctions and Flea markets) Or Yoga

· Zoos or Zip Lining

private+plane.jpg — The goal is…

…to create a life I don’t need to vacation from.

The iFly Bottom Line

After discovering what staycations are, their holistic health benefits, and the array of options and resources available, get out there and bask in all of the hidden treasures that your city has to offer. Personally, since I spent the majority of my adult life in Chicago, I appreciate being able to be a tourist in my own city, New Orleans. Moreover, with all that has been going on, I am definitely in need of a staycation some time soon!

Now that we’ve explored staycations, share/comment below on how you’ll try one or even THREE this summer to fly high in the mindful skies!

Details and tips about my staycation in this post:

· Location: New Orleans, LA

· Highlight: Helicopter tour around the Big Easy

· Tip: If you’re going to do a helicopter tour, definitely have them take the doors off. I love adventure and this made for a thrilling ride!

References:

Cole, D. (2008). Take a “Staycation” (Cover story). U.S. News & World Report, 145(14), 72.

Leasca, S. (2017). These Are the Best and Worst U.S. Cities for a Staycation. Time.Com, 1. Retrieved from https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/best-and-worst-staycation-cities-in-america

More Millennials Opting for “Staycations.” (2015). Travel Agent, 346(5), 6.

Pomerance, R. (2013). Make Your Staycation Count. U.S. News Digital Weekly, 5(23), 20.

Roth, K. (2018). Parks & Rec: The Vacation & Staycation Solution. Parks & Recreation, 53(8), 12–13. Retrieved from https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2018/august/parks-rec-the-vacation-staycation-solution/

Sharma, S. (2009). The Great American Staycation and the Risk of Stillness. M/C Journal, 12(1), 5. Retrieved from http://journal.media-culture.org.au/index.php/mcjournal/article/view/122

Jazzy July: Summer Staycation Ideas