This weekend is Memorial Day Weekend. It is the time when we remember those that passed away while serving, but it also is the unofficial start of summer. Many people will spend the three day weekend traveling and enjoying the season. This year, money is tight because of the economy. This means many will not be able to travel as much as they want to. Others will not be able to go far. Since many people will like to travel but be budget conscious, I wanted to talk about six summer staycation ideas that are great to use this year. Many of them are much more affordable than traveling long distances, but this does depend on the area where you live and were you feel comfortable traveling to. It also depends on the budget you have to spend on a vacation, as some of the ideas discussed in this post are more expensive than others.

Visit an Art Museum

During the summertime, art museums are a great place to visit. Even though art museums are still a place to find paintings and sculptures, museums have expanded their description of art to include fashion, armor, and weapons. They are indoors and air conditioned, making them the perfect place to spend a hot summer day. Also, art museums like to have special, limited time exhibits to encourage visitors to return and hold special events, such as lectures. Although these special exhibits usually cost extra to attend, there are art museums that make them free to attend. If you are worried about the cost of tickets, look at the museum’s website to see if there are special discounts and days that you can get in for free.

 

Stay at a Resort Located In-State

Staying at a local resort or one located in state is a common staycation activity. Not only will you have the opportunity to stay at a hotel, you won’t need to travel as far as other common and well known resorts and vacation destinations. Resorts also hold many events targeted to adults and children, making it a family friendly option. Many resorts also offer discounts and incentives to anyone that lives in the state it is located in, making it the more affordable option for anyone who wants to travel and stay in a hotel for vacation. Just be careful to check over all the fees you will be required to pay that may not be obvious on the resort’s website, but will need to be noted before booking. If staying at a resort isn’t something you are interested in, I suggest looking into the events the resort is holding. Sometimes, these events are open to non staying visitors to attend. You may still need to buy a ticket, but it will be more budget friendly than booking a room.

 

Go to a Local Music Festival

If going to one of the well known, big name music festivals are not in your budget, then try to find a local music festival. Depending on where you live, a local music festival can feature anyone from big name artists to local arts looking to break into the music industry. If you don’t know where to find the festivals, especially for a tight budget, then look at local farms that offer pumpkin picking during the fall. Farms sometimes try to attract more people to their farm for events, including music festivals. The same goes for schools, such as universities and community colleges which may feature local talent from their music programs, and smaller towns, which use them to attract tourists to the area. If a formal music festival isn’t something you are interested in, but you still want to watch a concert on a budget, look for 4th of July parties. Sometimes, these parties have free admission and free concerts as well.

 

Take a Mini Roadtrip (AKA a Day Trip)

Mini roadtrips are a great way to experience the joys of a roadtrip without the need to find a place to stay. Mini Roadtrips can mean different things to different people, but to me, they mean a day trip. Pick a place that you will travel to by vehicle, can travel to, visit, and return from before the end of the day. They can be anything from going to a museum or historical area in a town or city or traveling over an hour and half one way to go to a small town, state or national park, or special area for fun. Make sure your mini roadtrip budget includes money for food, souvenirs, and, most importantly, gas. Also make sure your vehicle is in good running shape before you travel. It is never fun to get trapped in an area you are unfamiliar with on what is supposed to be a fun road trip!

 

Visit a Mall or Shopping Area Further Away from Your Normal Mall or Shopping Area

If your budget and schedule will not allow you to go anywhere special, try going shopping in an area further away from where you live. The reason for going shopping doesn’t need to be for anything you want or to indulge yourself, but to buy your normal groceries or items you use on a daily basis. Doing this isn’t an actual “staycation”, (Unless you rent a hotel next to a mall or shopping area to spend more than a few hours shopping) but it will make you get off your normal beaten path and see an area you don’t normally shop at. It could also be a great chance to browse for products you may need but can’t find in store closer to where you live.

 

Visit a Theme Park Located In State

There are the famous theme parks, such as Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Universal Studios Orlando, but there are also smaller, lesser known theme parks located in many states. These smaller theme parks may not have the lure of the famous parks, but they can still be a lot of fun to visit. They are also more budget friendly. The cost of tickets to the park is less than the famous parks and they may have discounted tickets during the summertime. Also, the travel costs to and from the parks is much less because they are closer to where you live than the famous parks. (Unless you live in Southern California or Orlando Florida) Check to see if the park ride costs are included in the cost of tickets, if you will need to buy them separately, or if a ticket and park ride package is available to purchase.

 

Well, that’s all for now! Thank you for reading!

 

Photograph by Pixabay on Pexels.com. Photo editing by me, Jessica Anderson of The Estella Initiative.