Staycationers it’s your time to shine.
With less than a month away, summer is nearly here and many people are already making plans to soak up the sun in go-to places like Orlando, Fla., Los Angeles, Cal., and even South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach not to mention other popular vacation destinations.
With just 13 weeks total of this glorious sun-drenched season, how should Michiganders who choose to stay home (if they don’t have the coins, or opportunity, to travel) plan to have fun?
According to sassmagazine.com, there are countless themed at-home vacation ideas people can partake in that won’t bust your budget.
Stay at Home (Order)
First things first – let’s define staycation.
“A staycation is, quite simply, an at-home vacation. How realistic, how exciting or how relaxing you make it is up to you. Theme it up for a more authentic ‘away-from-home’ experience,” according to the article.
Things that make a great staycation include starting summer early with self-care staycation weekends.
“Take time to relax, focus on self-care and get away—if not physically, then at least in mind and spirit,” according to the article.
Some forms of local fun can include having an at-home spa weekend.
From a pampering week to wind down from the early part of the year, think of purchasing a self-care/spa package at your local, Black-owned luxury spa place.
Be Spoke Wellness Partners wrote in an article that relaxing and making your life a priority can be done by promoting self-care in your life.
“When you think about paying attention to yourself—your dreams, your body, your mental health and everything that has to do with you—what is it that you are thinking about?” author Limor Weinstein noted. “How would you feel if just for one hour — and maybe we can even stretch this a little bit to one day — you only think about you and your needs? Many of us confuse taking care of ourselves with being selfish or inconsiderate, but if you truly give this some thought, you’ll realize that in order to be all that you want for everyone else, you must first take care of yourself and make yourself a priority.”
Retail Therapy
Get some (retail) therapy.
We all need a little R&R – rest and relaxation. How much more during the summer to start it off right by wisely spending some hard-earned coins on a bit of fun, or just window-shop ‘til your hearts are content?
When shopping, however, don’t forget to show love to Black-owned businesses.
If you do decide to venture around town during the summer, continue to supply love to Black-owned businesses, especially as the pandemic significantly impacted the travel industry with a continued ripple effect. Take a tour around the city (or local region) and book with Black-owned hotels, visit restaurants, and more. The EatOkra app also helps people find Black-owned restaurants around the country. I Am Black Business app is also a useful directory of Black-owned enterprises.
Cook a Fancy Dinner
Sass Magazine encourages staycationers to hop on the world wide web and find a delicious recipe that will keep your stomach (and wallet) in good shape.
“Zero in on one and cook that meal and impress your spouse or family. See if you can find fanciful foods that fit into the theme of your staycation. Or, ask your family to pamper you and cook (including doing the dishes). You can also sign up for delivered meal preparation kits. These kits arrive at your doorstep with all of the ingredients already prepped, along with step-by-step directions. You’ll feel like a professional chef in no time,” according to the article.
Just Relax
Beyond the shopping and cooking, just take it easy this summer, which is also an option to do nothing.
“Vacations don’t always have to be about excitement and activity. Sometimes, you just need peace and quiet to de-stress from life,” according to the article. “Create your Zen vacation in a quiet place within your home – make it off-limits to the children (perhaps you have someone who can take care of them). Then, unplug your clocks or put them in the closet so you can’t see them. Turn off your phone, put on earphones (if there’s house noise you can’t block out), and just…chill.”
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