Whoever coined the word “Staycation” to describe spending your vacation time exploring fun things to do near home did the world a favor. I’m jealous; I wish I’d thought of it.
One of the recurring themes this website is finding Active Outdoors opportunities you can do in a few free hours anywhere you happen to be—including right near home. After all, almost anywhere you travel is near someone’s home . . . and someone probably comes to vacation in your back yard.
We are very, very fortunate to live where we do. The Staycation opportunities in New England, New York and across the Northeast are almost endless. Wherever you are right now, I can almost guarantee there’s something fun to do outdoors within five miles of you. Maybe closer. It’s just a matter of searching and finding—then being willing to go and do it.
Basically, there are two types of Staycation adventures: pre-packaged and do-it-yourself. Personally, I find advantages and disadvantages to both; limiting yourself entirely to one or the other cuts out too many opportunities.
There are lots and lots of pre-packaged active adventures all over the landscape. Though some are disappearing in these tough economic times others are sprouting up to take their place. Bike tours, kayak and canoe lessons and tours, whitewater rafting adventures, guided hikes and nature outings, horseback trail rides, and, of course, the new ziplines and “aerial adventures” appearing on hillsides throughout the Northeast. All of these pre-packaged opportunities are lots of fun, easy to find, and perfect for beginners and families The only downsides are the expense of some of them and, sometimes the limited duration. Still most of these types of offering provide a few hours of fun at a reasonable price.
On-your-own adventures require a bit more planning and preparation—but that’s part of the fun.
All you need to begin exploring do-it-yourself Staycation ideas is a comfortable pair of sneakers or walking shoes and, possibly, insect repellent and sunscreen. Those three things alone open up hundreds of opportunities to get outdoors, get a little exercise and have fun. There’s hardly a town in the northeast that doesn’t have a good walking path somewhere within its boundaries. Getting out on your own two feet changes your perspective—a park, riverwalk or recreation trail might not seem like much when you drive by it, but at walking speed your senses expand and even seemingly familiar landscapes take on new dimensions of sight, sound and smell.
If you want to open more possibilities than just walking, consider a bicycling Staycation. You don’t need an expensive bike (buying second hand is always a good option) and you can usually find a place to rent a bike somewhere nearby. My sweetheart Marilyn and I have lived in our home many years now and we are still finding new bicycle routes that start in our own driveway. As she’s gotten to be a stronger rider, we’ve been able to explore farther and farther from home on both our Co-Motion tandem bike.
The opportunities expand exponentially if you throw your bike on a car (or take it on a bus or train) and explore a few miles farther afield. One person I know who lives in downtown Boston has never owned a car, but regularly explores all of New England by taking his bike on public transportation. Great idea, and an example I intend to follow on some future adventures
Many of us these days are learning to live on less—including less traveling for vacations. Don’t worry, if you like exploring the whole Staycation concept can take you places you’ve never been before—right near home
Staycation Adventure Planning
If you are thinking about planning a Staycation for this summer, do yourself a favor, get a good map of wherever you live, the more detailed the better. Once you have a map in hand, mark where you live with a pin. Take a pencil and a piece of string equal to five miles on the map scale. Draw a circle around your home. Do it again at 10 miles and, if your map is big enough, 25 miles. Start searching within those defined circles. I’ll bet you’ll be surprised at how many parks and public lands, trails, pathways and quiet roads, ponds, and rivers you can find in those circles. Every one represents an adventure waiting to happen.
If you are thoroughly modern in your outlook, many of the maps on smartphones and the new GPS units have all kinds of adventures to be found.
Another sure resource for finding all things close is the local library. I’ve never yet found a librarian who couldn’t quickly come up with a handful of outdoor opportunities nearby.
The real trick is to approach your own backyard as if it was some far-away getaway. Don’t assume you know what’s there—go looking with an open mind and see what you find.