well, on one hand that's kind of like the diamond council telling us to spend two months' salary on an engagement ring. :) and on the other hand, it's a good point that travel can be done on the cheap/free (BUDGET travel, I get it, I get it). still, there's nothing wrong with discovering or rediscovering your own backyard/hometown.

Posted By betty on July 23, 2009, 11:10 AM

Good point about discovering things in your hometown!

Posted By Blog Editor on July 23, 2009, 11:21 AM

Since we live at the foot of the mountains outside of Las Vegas, we would never consider a staycation per se as the Las Vegas Strip is not our idea of a good time. Red Rock National Recreation Area is basically our backyard and Lake Mead, Valley of Fire, and Death Valley National Park are great day trips for us, and we frequent them all. Even a weekend camping in the desert beats the hustle and bustle of the entertainment capital.

Posted By T. Buqo on July 24, 2009, 3:25 PM

We have moved to various parts of the country on several occasions and have made it a point to explore what was all around these locations. People often commented that they had lived in these places all their life and had never visited of the interesting things we found. I am all for the occasional staycation as well as the vacation.

Posted By Jenni Ingersoll on July 25, 2009, 8:32 PM

I'm torn about hitting the road vs. seeing the sights in your own space. I'm a food and travel writer and take myself to Europe every time I've got enough frequent-flyer miles to do it. But I live in downtown Chicago, and people literally travel from all over the world to sample the great stuff here in my own hometown that I never do. So since we're all on a budget these days -- and I don't have any European jaunts on the near-term horizon -- I'm going to make like a tourist this fall, take a day or two off, and view my own fabulous city through a traveler's eyes. Should be a blast!

Maureen
www.UrbanTravelGirl.com

Posted By Maureen on July 27, 2009, 12:18 PM

I use a broader definition of Staycation - vacationing close to home (I live in LA and go to Lake Arrowhead - it's like having the swiss alps 90 miles from my house at a fraction of the cost) or further afield I rent a housein the CA wine country, invite friends and get to experience Tuscany or the South of France without the airfare. Check out www.beautifulplaces.com).

Posted By Arlene on July 27, 2009, 12:38 PM

I believe that there is a limit. I really don't see anything wrong with a staycation of lets say 3-4 days but anything over that I think is just not enough to be able to feel like you have gotten away from the day to day grind. You need to get away from the norm, I mean isn't that what a true vacation is all about!! My husband and I might take off a day or two and have a mini-break with each other but even then we are going to a nice hotel or bed and breakfast and getting out of the house. I am not a believer in a 'staycation' because you just get sucked into doing and attending the things that you would during a work week.

Posted By Jessica Leach on July 27, 2009, 12:58 PM

I'm all for the "nearcation". I've lived in Nor Cal for 10 years now and just went camping in Humboldt for the first time. It was an amazing getaway, within the budget, and just a day's drive from my home in Lake Tahoe. It was nice to see a little of what's closer to home in terms of travel, but still get out of my routine.

Posted By Kirstin Cattell on July 29, 2009, 7:46 PM

I'm looking for a place for my friends to get together for a vacation, but the more I look, the more I want to vacation only just a couple of hours from where I am now, and the more I realize all the things there are to do around me.

Posted By M. West on August 5, 2009, 8:27 AM