7 Awesome Spring Break Staycation Ideas

Spring break! While the very words seem synonymous with fun, that fun can get expensive, especially if it involves booking a flight, staying in a hotel, and paying for activities for your whole family. Especially now with coronavirus fears making people second-guess their travel plans, staying at home might be the only suitable option for many families. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still have lots of family-friendly fun!

These seven spring break staycation ideas can help pack the week with awesome memory-making opportunities.

Visit a Local Museum or Historical Site

Many communities have local museums and historical sites, and there’s a strong chance you haven’t seen them all yet. You might find children’s museums with fun activities for your kids or local history museums to teach you more about the region you live in. Historical sites may include historically significant locations (like battlefields or archeological sites) or old buildings.

Many local museums and historical sites have free or low-priced admission, so it’s a good way to spend a day without spending much money.

Explore a Nearby Park

Whether you visit a community park, a state park, or a national park, parks are full of amazing opportunities and experiences. If the weather is nice, it’s easy to spend a full day enjoying a park.

If the park has trails, you and your children might spend much of the day walking the easier trails to explore the area. Bringing along a picnic can provide an excellent break without needing to leave the park.

Depending on the park you visit, you might also plan additional activities, like playing sports or flying a kite. Some parks also have beaches, so if the weather is warm enough, you might be able to go in for a dip.

Look for Migratory Birds

During spring, many species of birds migrate. If you go for a drive near large bodies of water, you might spot some of these migraters. Not only is it fun to see large flocks of birds, but it’s a good opportunity to teach children more about wildlife.

Spend a Day in Another City

Since you’re so familiar with your own city, you might not notice all the beauty around you. But if you travel to a nearby city, you may feel like you’ve been transported to a whole new world. Each city is unique, and even within a small region, there are notable differences between communities.

You can enjoy a day in a city near you doing the sorts of things you might do in your own city, like visiting parks, shopping, and eating at restaurants. In your hometown, these activities could seem mundane, but in a different community, they may seem fresh and intriguing.

Take a Tour of a Factory

Many factories offer tours. This isn’t true of all factories, so you’ll have to check with factories near you. However, when a factory does offer tours, these tours are usually either free or affordably priced. Food factories are particularly fun since they often provide samples. Plus, touring a factory can teach your family how some of your favorite foods or products are made.

Start Seeds for a Summer Garden

Have a green thumb? Maybe its time to start a garden! In much of the country, temperatures will still be too cool to plant the garden outside. However, you can plant some seeds in pots in your house to give them a headstart so they’re ready to plant outside once nicer weather arrives.

Do Your Own Taste Test

Does your family love one particular food? Whether that’s pizza, tacos, cheese, chips, or any other food, you might consider doing your own at-home taste test to find the best of the best. You could run to the grocery store to find several different products to compare and contrast, or you could pick up food from several different restaurants in town. While this activity costs a little more money, it can be fun, memorable, and help you discover your new favorites!

What do you like to do during staycations? Share your family’s favorite activities in the comments section below!