While the COVID-19 pandemic affected travel, Canadians still spent $5.5 billion on travel in the second quarter of 2021. However, if you don’t have time to travel or your budget won’t allow it, you can still enjoy a nice spring break staycation.
In this article, we discuss our top spring break ideas, including finding local spring break activities, creating a staycation budget, and more. Continue reading if you want the best staycation with family, friends, or solo.
What is a Staycation?
Before diving into our spring break ideas, let’s discuss the idea of a staycation. A staycation is ideal for those who want to take a few days to relax and have fun but don’t have the time or funds available for a full getaway vacation.
Instead, they choose a staycation with family, friends, partners, or themselves. They stay home and find ways to try new things or just enjoy their time.
Finding Local Spring Break Activities
To find unique spring break ideas for your staycation, check for any local spring break activities. This can be a great way to enjoy your local area in a new and exciting way.
To find local spring break activities, start by checking your local newspaper, announcement boards, or online. Most cities and towns have their own events page. Otherwise, social media is a great resource as well.
At-Home Staycation Activities
Whether your finances are limited or you just want to relax at home, some at-home activities can make for the perfect spring break staycation. Staying home doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time or experience something new.
Be Your Chef
If you’re an aspiring chef or just have an interest in learning to cook, try being a chef for your staycation. Start with buying a new cookbook or find a recipe online. Then, gather your supplies and get cooking.
You can take this activity to the next level by hosting a cooking competition with friends or family. Have a get-together where everyone samples each dish to declare a winner. This is great fun and a way to bond with those closest to you.
Spa Day
A spa day is one of the best spring break ideas for relaxing and rejuvenating. However, a spa day doesn’t have to leave a big dent in your bank account.
Pick up your favorite bath bombs, face masks, foot scrubs, a new cozy robe, and some slippers. Then, get some special snacks and drinks to emphasize the feeling of luxury.
Game Night
A game night can make for a great spring break staycation with family or friends. This can involve outdoor games, board games, or video games.
If you have a competitive spirit, make a tournament out of it. Whoever wins the most rounds/games wins a prize and/or bragging rights.
Movie Marathon
If none of the above options are appealing or you need extra spring break ideas, you can’t go wrong with a movie marathon. Try making it a theme night such as scary movies or movies from the ’90s.
Get snacks and drinks to accompany the theme. For scary movies, think blood-red orange cupcakes, ladyfingers, or red velvet cake. For the ’90s, go with bagel bites, fruit roll-ups, or homemade Lunchables.
Outdoor Staycation Activities
Outdoor staycation activities are perfect for those wanting to get out of the house. They’re also very budget-friendly if you have the right gear.
However, even if you don’t have the right gear, the spring break ideas below are easy to modify. Find something that works with what you have if you can’t invest in new gear.
Visit Your Local Park
Going to the park isn’t just for children and pets. It’s for anyone who enjoys a little fresh air. Local parks offer you nearly unlimited creative freedom for activities, even during a chilly Vancouver spring break.
Our favorite ideas for a spring break staycation with family and friends are picnics or game days. Combine the two for an all-day experience that’s even better.
Go potluck style to try some new dishes and have everyone bring a game or game idea. However, be sure to dress for the weather.
Go Hiking
The broad definition of hiking makes it perfect for anyone and any skill level. You can take a walk around the pond near your house or hike to the peak of a mountain.
You get the benefits of staying active, getting some fresh air, and appreciating the beauty of your local area. This is also the perfect time to invest in a pair of hiking boots and make hiking a hobby.
Sightsee Around Town
It’s easy to take your hometown tourist attractions for granted. You’ve likely visited them a few times in the past with out-of-town friends and family. It’s also possible you just haven’t made the time to explore.
If you’re looking for spring break staycation activities, consider this as an option. You might be surprised to find some great new places or adventures.
Other Staycation Activities
Outdoor and at-home activities aren’t your only options for a spring break staycation. If you have the budget for it, consider some of these other staycation activities.
Find a Cinematic Experience
While movies at home are comfortable and fun, going to a theater is almost always a great experience. If you’re looking for solo activities, we highly recommend trying this out. It might be intimidating at first, but you’ll forget about feeling awkward the moment the movie starts.
However, this is also a great option with friends. Plus, you don’t have to deal with having to pause the movie when your friends leave for the restroom like you would at home.
Visit a Museum
If you’ve never been to one of your local museums, consider looking into it. You might be surprised by the different options near you.
Even if you aren’t sure whether you’d enjoy the museum, we still recommend visiting it. You never know what you might learn.
Create-Your-Own Food Tour
A create-your-own food tour is one of our favorite spring break ideas for a staycation. Because this is a DIY project, you have complete freedom to choose the locations.
You can visit all of your favorite restaurants, try some new ones, or a combination of both. The key is to have fun with it and get creative. Have an appetizer at your favorite pub before diving into lunch at the new German restaurant in town.
Creating a Staycation Budget
If the point of your staycation is to save money, you may be wondering, ‘why do I need to budget for a staycation?’ Well, you should have a budget for almost everything, especially a vacation, even if it’s a staycation.
Consider Your Timeframe
Spring break typically occurs in March or April for most schools, but it’s important to find out the dates for your school’s spring break. This will help you determine your timeframe for creating a staycation budget.
If you start saving in January, you’ll have more time to set money aside than if you start in late February. You can either save more this way or save smaller amounts so that it’s not such a burden on your finances.
Consider Your Income
How much can you afford to set aside each month? If you don’t already, consider creating a monthly budget for your regular expenses. Then, see how much you have leftover.
If you’re serious about having a great staycation, you can use money that you would normally put in your savings. However, we recommend avoiding this if possible and saving on takeout instead.
Set Your Goals
Once you have your timeframe and a good idea of your financial responsibilities, you can start setting your goals. Plan how much you’ll save each week, month, or paycheck.
Make sure you let your budget determine your goals instead of the other way around. Even a staycation can get expensive, so it’s important to stick to your budget and make decisions based on what you can afford.
Taking out a loan for your staycation is another option if you want to increase your budget. This can take your spring break ideas to another level of fun and relaxation. It’s also convenient if you’re trying to save at the last minute.
Zero-Dollar Budget
Even if you’re completely strapped for cash, you can still enjoy a great spring break staycation. If you’re unfamiliar with a zero-dollar budget, it means that you don’t take on any additional expenses for your vacation; it’s part of your regular budget for groceries and bills.
Plenty of the above spring break ideas are perfect for a zero-dollar budget, especially if you’re willing to get creative. The key is to focus on fun and relaxation. You don’t always have to spend money to accomplish that.
Have a Great Spring Break Staycation
Having a great spring break staycation is easy if you use the above guide. Whether you want a staycation with family, friends, or alone, you can tailor any of these spring break ideas to fit your needs, including your budget.
If you need a loan for creating a staycation budget, fill out our loan request form today.
