Family & Friends

Guest Post: Staycations…There’s No Place Like Home

Posted by Sarah

This week pirates invaded my town. Trust me though; this isn’t as scary, or as strange, as it sounds. Every summer, Alexandria Bay, my small, tourist town in the summertime paradise known as the Thousand Islands (read the NY Times story on the area here), hosts one of the country’s oldest pirate festivals. For ten days, pirate invasions, pirate parades, and skits to reenact the antics of Bill Johnston (seen with me in the photo at left)-an actual pirate who hid from authorities in a cave in one of the Thousand Islands for almost a year- entertain thousands of tourists.

But what does a pirate festival have to do with money? Well, in a word, lots. For my town, this festival is a major economic driver of an economy that relies, for the most part, on income generated during the summer months. While people from all over attend Bill Johnston’s Pirate Days, this year, many people from not-so-far-away see the festival as the perfect opportunity for entertainment while on a “staycation.”

“Staycation”, seems to be the buzzword of the summer. A staycation is defined (yes, I said defined…staycations have become so popular, that they now have their own dictionary entry) as a vacation where one takes time off at or close to home. According to a recent poll by Harris Interactive, almost 60% of Americans say they are looking for ways to find less-expensive activities to fill up their summer days. Nearly 50% of survey participants said they’d take vacations closer to home.

In an economic climate where everyone’s trying to save a little more, staycations are a chance to take a break from the everyday, without spending a bundle of money. If you’ve yet to take a staycation this summer, there’s still time. Here are some tips for finding cheap fun that’s close to home:

Find a Festival: Visit Festivals.com, where you can search for festivals in your area by city or state, many of which are low-cost or even free.

Fun at the Fair: There are very few places where you can eat a deep fried Oreo, take in a concert by a big-name entertainer and marvel at a sculpture made of butter all in one day. Tickets to your state fair will cost around $10, and discounts are available for kids, seniors, etc. Be sure to check out your state fair’s website too for special deals available on certain days of the fair.

Research, Research, Research: Visit your local chamber of commerce either in-person or via the web to research attractions you might not know about in your area. It’s also a good idea to check out your state’s tourism website. For example, through Connecticut’s “staycation” program, residents are offered exclusive discounts to restaurants and attractions statewide.

Make a night of it: If a day trip isn’t enough, consider spending a night away from home. Many hotels are offering staycation packages that give you more bang for your buck. For example, with Ohio’s popular Cedar Point amusement park’s “staycation special” you can save over 40% on overnight accommodations and park admission. For $299.99, you’ll get accommodations for four, four one day admission tickets to the theme park, four tickets to visit the park the night before, and 4 buffet dinner tickets.

Right on Target: In an effort to help families get more enjoyment out of their summer staycations, Target is offering hundreds of free or low-cost activities across the country. For example, on the first Sunday of each month, Target offers kids 15 and under free admission to exhibits and workshops at the Chicago Children’s Museum. Or if you’re in the Boston area, every Thursday night at the Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, Target offers free admission to museum-goers. Click here for a full listing of free or reduced price offerings.