The other day we were talking about vacation planning and I realized I haven’t shared my tips for staycations. I love staycations! It’s like my own personal challenge to find something fun for the whole family and think outside the box.

I really embraced this way of rethinking a “vacation” back during the great recession. I am a born nomad and traveler with the poor luck of having a child, being laid off from my job, and the start of an economic decline plus inflation (remember $4-$5 for a gallon of gas!?) all in a few months time back in 2007. So my world traveler dreams had to evolve and I think we did a great job continuing to explore. In fact, those experiences are what led me to dream up this blog.

For us, a great staycation is a night or two away at a nice budget-friendly hotel in an area about 30-75 miles away from home, far enough away for a change of scenery. We always find a place with breakfast included, because it is literally my kids’ favorite thing. And a pool. Always, a pool. We try new restaurants for dinner and sometimes just bring PB&J picnics to explore local parks and playgrounds. We love to find cheap local museums or places to hike/walk and always stop in at the local visitor’s bureau. Plus, I’m always checking out Groupon for more cheap ways to explore a new area.

Whatever your reason to staycation, here are some ideas to get you started:

• First thing first, go to your local library or bookstore and find tourist books or magazines in your state or area of the country. Really sit down and discover more about your area via the ideas of an out-of-towner.

• You have not actually done everything or seen everything in your area, you just think you have. And even though you may have done it before, that doesn’t mean your kid/spouse/friend has. So take them somewhere and see it again through new eyes.

• Every single state (or area of your country) has some kind of tourism economy. You may just not have thought about it yet. Ask around.

• Go online - check out Trip Advisor, Pinterest, Kayak, Airbnb, Yelp, or your state tourism website for new ideas.

• Don’t automatically assume that your staycation needs to involve extravagance, tone down your ideas and take it easy. Your kids will also go crazy over the hotel pool or new playground.

• Create a theme! Are you ready for an adventure? Don’t make any plans and just see where the wind takes you. Grab a coin and flip to go left or right, pick your hotel or restaurant or activity on a whim. What about a historical theme? Stay at the oldest hotel in the area, visit the history museum or living history farm, eat at the oldest restaurant, learn about the way previous citizens in the area had fun, visit an old theater or park.

• Invite an out-of-town friend to come to visit you at home and do all the things they want to do.

• Camp! Oh my gosh, I could literally write another post about just this!

• Discover a festival and go. Glenwood Springs, Colorado, hosts Strawberry Days in mid-June and it is fantastic. Free ice cream social, a craft fair and not to mention the town hot springs are worth a visit alone. Story City, Iowa, celebrates their Norwegian pride the first weekend of June with Scandinavian Days. They have a traditional small-town parade, a downtown festival and their antique wood carved carousel from 1913 is well worth a few rides at only $1.

There are so many ideas you haven’t even thought of yet, just start brainstorming, because time away with those you love is really the most important part of all this.

How do you staycation? Let us know in the comments below!