Weekend Staycation Ideas | Sustainable & Fun
Getting ready for a weekend staycation? We've got some great ideas for you that are fun and also sustainable.
We all love to explore, relax, and try new things on vacation. But, we don't necessarily need to leave our hometown to get all those things, we can enjoy all of that on a weekend staycation.
The travel industry is a major polluter, especially air travel. Not to mention the cost of and time it takes to travel for a far off vacation.
Whatever your reason for deciding on a weekend staycation, we've got you covered with some great ideas that'll help you make the most out of your staycation. The 10 weekend staycation ideas outlined here will make you appreciate your city, connect with nature, have fun, relax, and help you add a little more sustainability into your life.
1. Explore the Outdoors
Every town and city has some sort of outdoor activity to offer, and I am sure you haven’t been to or experienced everything that your town has to offer. So, a great activity to try on your weekend staycation that's also sustainable is to visit some outdoor areas in your town and participate in some outdoor events.
Maybe there is a park in your county that you haven’t been to yet, a part of the beach you haven’t visited in years, or maybe you live in an area with great hiking. Spending time in nature in this way will help you stay connected on your sustainability journey and help you appreciate what your town or city has to offer.
Look at Facebook events, Eventbrite, or Meetup to find some outdoor events that might be happening during your weekend staycation.
2. Cook from Scratch
Cooking from scratch isn’t easy and takes time, but it can be a fun activity for a couple or for the family to do together.
Cooking from scratch is also one of the best ways to create a more sustainable household. When you cook from scratch you reduce a lot of waste since you will be using way less packaging. Freshly made food is also healthier for you since there are less preservatives and you get to control exactly how much salt, sugar, and fat is included in each item you cook.
Try some of these fun recipes to make with your family and loved ones during your weekend staycation.
3. Create a Home Garden
On your weekend staycation plan on creating a home garden. Home gardens can be a nice bonding activity with your loved ones and also has long-term benefits both for your home and for your sustainability practices. Home gardens can beautify your home and help you reduce your carbon footprint when you start to grow your own food.
Home gardens don’t have to be complicated, you can make a small mason jar garden in your kitchen, a container garden on your balcony or a full blown garden in your backyard.
This staycation activity can also help you learn more about sustainability and teach your children about it.
4. Support the Community
There is always so much to explore within your own community, town, city or county. Support your local community during your weekend staycation by volunteering for a cleanup or visiting a farmer's market or artisan market and support the small businesses in your area.
Look up events on Facebook, Eventbrite and Meetup to see what is happening around your town that you can support.
5. Family Exercise
Exercise does not have to be boring or brutal and can actually be a really fun activity for the whole family to do. Physical activities are also something you can easily do during a weekend staycation and can help support your local small businesses and/or help you get out into nature.
Try biking through a park, kayaking in a local river, visiting the beach or pool, or try an outdoor fitness class like yoga.
These activities are very low impact and when they are outdoors can help you appreciate nature which is a strong part of why people continue on their journey to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
6. Self Care Day
Every weekend staycation should include some self care. Whatever self care means to you. Take a bath, get a pedicure, have your favorite food, move your body, meditate.
Self care is anything that you need that helps you feel more connected and happy with yourself.
Self care is sustainable because when you are happy and you get to take time for yourself, this will reflect in how you show up for the rest of the world.
7. Plan Your Low-Waste Home
Taking steps to be more eco-friendly and low waste can be daunting, there is so much to do. A little planning will go a long way in helping you take on the task of creating a more sustainable home.
Take the time in your weekend staycation to take inventory of what you have in each room that may not be eco-friendly and see if you can change it to a low waste swap.
For example, in your bathroom you may find a ton of plastic from tooth brushes, to soap, to shampoo. Start researching what is within your means to be able to start transitioning to more low-impact products or things you may be able to make yourself.
8. Shop Second Hand
Shopping is usually a part of any vacation, but we are talking about a staycation, and a sustainable staycation at that. So, how do you shop during your sustainable staycation? Visit thrift shops, consignment shops, or garage sales in your local area.
The fashion industry is one of the worst polluters, fast fashion and the process of creating one new cotton shirt only uses about 800 gallons of water. One of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint when it comes to fashion, is to buy second hand.
Many areas now have great thrift events that you can visit to shop great finds that are all secondhand. Find some thrift stores to shop at on your weekend staycation or find a garage sale or estate sale to rummage through, you might be able to find some gems without having to buy anything new.
9. Make an Indoor Fort
We’ve talked about exploring your city during your weekend staycation, but you can also explore the realm of your own home.
Have fun inside your home by making an indoor fort with pillows and blankets. This can be fun not only if you have kids, but as a full grown adult too. Make some s’mores or popcorn and enjoy a movie, good book, or some games under your blanket fort with your loved ones.
10. Relax and Unwind
This is what every vacation is about, relaxing and recharging from your everyday life. You don’t need to go somewhere far, get on a plane, spend money and contribute to carbon emissions from a plane to be able to get your vacation relaxation in.
You can relax and unwind in your own home and city. Do whatever it is that makes you relax. Stay home and do nothing, watch some movies, binge some shows, finish that book, whatever it is you need.
Weekend staycations are an amazing opportunity to explore your own backyard, reconnect with nature, support your community and economy, spend quality time with loved ones, take care of yourself and create a more natural and sustainable life.
Adding a little more sustainability to your life, means adding a little more staycations into your life. Enjoy the space that is already around you.
