Staycations can be the greenest and cheapest of vacations. Just turn the lights off, get out, and enjoy your city. Find a neat organic food market that you never knew about, spend time in your favorite park or hang out in your backyard. With a staycation a family takes an allotted time off not to jet off to new pastures, but to take time to enjoy old pastures.

The English philosopher, George Moore confirms this idea. “A man travels the world in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.”

Here are a few of the advantages of staying close to home on holiday:

Less Stressful

For some people, getting ready to go overseas or on a long-haul trip throws up all kinds of stresses – preparing, packing, sorting out what needs to be attended to while you’re away – but by choosing to holiday at home, no knots find their way to your shoulders, so you’re starting out relaxed. It can only get better.

Less Expensive

Unless you plan to go wild drinking, dancing and dining every night in all the best establishments in town, it’s a sure bet that you’ll be saving some money by staying in and around your home.

Less Travel and Fuel Usage

It’s no secret that airplanes aren’t the most fuel-efficient way to travel, so cutting out this mode of transport gives you extra brownie points (or greenie points!). Cruise ships aren’t the most eco-friendly vessels, either. But on a staycation – depending on how far away from civilization home is – leaving the car behind could prove refreshing, and taking the train allows you to see the countryside instead of reams of pavement.

Less Consumption and Waste

People tend to change their habits when they’re on vacation. Most people will produce more waste and often forgo recycling, purely because they don’t have their usual bin to hand.

More Interest in the Local Environment

Staying at home for vacation means you’ll likely develop a better appreciation for your local environment. You may discover things you never knew were there, which is always exciting.

Put Back into Your Own Community

Sure, you do this all year round, but now they get your holiday weeks, too. By spending your valuable vacation at home, you can help sustain your local businesses and natural habitats throughout the year.

Now for some suggestions for a Staycation:

For the family, take a look at Ronda Kaysen’s “My Great American Staycation: How Our Family Getaway cost $500” in lifehacker.

For the travel weary, stressed workaholics check out Shannon Ables’ “Why Not Enjoy a Staycation?” in thesimpleluxuriouslife.

For the romantics find exotic, simple, and sharing ideas in Michelle’s “123 Amazing Staycation Ideas “ in thedatingdivas.

Want another reason to enjoy a Staycation?

Just take a look at this clip from “National Lampoon Vacation.”

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfmKwgrQzdE[/youtube]

What do think about Staycations?

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