StayCations – Not a New Concept

Lately, the television anchors in local markets drone on and on about StayCations. Yes, these close-to-home choices for vacations are a great idea. Yes, we’ve even promoted them on our own sites — talking about fun travel close to home. In the melt-down (or melt-up as it might be more correctly phrased) of gasoline prices, people are desperate to take their vacation, but are now seeking travel that’s more around the corner than across the state, across the nation and across the world.

But hey, this isn’t a new concept. I used to call it the “We don’t ever look at what’s in our own backyard until we get company from out of town” syndrome. Years ago when I lived in Crystal City, VA, I’d never visited the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C., despite living just across the Potomac. It took a visit from my parents from Pennsylvania and their friends from Wisconsin to get me to venture across the bridge and take in the memorial.

Why is it that we never really explore what’s right down the street? We miss so much. Today, I’m here in Tampa and I’ve never done the Taste of Pinellas (as in county, just across Tampa Bay), never been to the Tampa Museum of Art and never gone to the big Gasparilla pirate invasion festival. It always seems that there’s something else to be done at home.

Planning a BIG trip is what I think of for vacation. But these days, even a brief mental break — for just a day or a weekend — can be refreshing. So, last weekend, I headed out to the Ybor City Farmer’s Market on a Saturday morning. It was just for fun but I told myself that getting fresh veggies was the real reason. Yes, the tolls cost me nearly $4 to get there, the gas a similar amount, but we did buy fresh veggies (at good prices I might add), listened to the music, strolled along vendor booths and then drove around the historic neighborhood a bit. It wasn’t an earthshaking experience but it was fun. I noticed the Hilton Garden Inn just a block up from the market locale; that would have been a great option for a Saturday night stay. Then we could have combined our market visit with evening entertainment, dining and perhaps a movie at Ybor.

Getting in the Staycation concept isn’t that easy I find. Personally, I tend to plan and plan and over-plan and then travel in a big way. At times, a simple visit to a local attraction seems a come-down. Where is the grand vacation? Where’s the wow? That said, I wonder when  “close to home” equated to ”not as good” in my mindset?  That said, throughout this past week, we talked fondly about our visit to the market. So, the brief getaway had staying power at least as a discussion point among family and friends. 

Hey, I think I could get into this concept! It’s been a long time since I’ve been to Fantasy of Flight in Lakeland, FL. I’d like to get over to see the Florida Air Museum near there as well. We even have friends in the area. It’s only an hour’s drive. Perhaps in the next two or three weeks…let’s see how it goes. Cheers! Susan www.southerntravelnews.com