With today’s busy schedules it is hard sometimes to get a few days of ‘down time’ with the entire family. Add travel and an entire week, it probably isn’t going to happen. Especially when your kids get a little older and have their own part time jobs and school. An easy answer to get to spend some time relaxing and enjoying each other without having to miss work for a week, is to go on a family staycation for the weekend instead. Staycations are a great way to get away and spend some rejuvenation time without spending a ton or even leaving town.
It’s perfect when you think about it. No long drive or dealing with an airport. You know your bed is going to be comfortable. No need to board your pet, or arrange for the neighborhood kids to take care of your lawn.
Be a tourist in your own town
So what do you do? You have already done the touristy stuff each time an out of town relative comes to visit. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t do it again and act like a tourist yourself. After all, you probably enjoy what your city has to offer or you wouldn’t live here right?! I know I love my city. It’s the BEST place to visit. See my post on 5 Fun Things to Do in St.Louis.
Chances are you haven’t seen/done everything there is to do in your city anyway. What do people visit your city for? What are some popular things to do in your town? You can do a Google search or get some brochures for activities in your area and go do some of them. Try some festivals that are planned in the area. Or go see a local band at a fun nightspot that you haven’t been to yet.
Our Staycation
When our kids were in high school, we wanted to get some time away together and just relax. We wanted to enjoy each other without having friends, jobs, or cell phones getting in the way.
A family ‘staycation’ was the perfect idea. We told the kids to schedule off work one weekend and plan on spending the whole two days as a family.
To make it exciting, hubs and I decided to schedule the staycation activities and keep the events a secret from the kids. They were too old for this really, but they indulged me. I love them for that!
Living in Saint Louis, there are a ton of fun, crazy things to do. We knew that they would enjoy whatever we had planned.
Day One Staycation
Soulard Farmer’s Market
We started out our family staycation with a trip down to Soulard Farmer’s Market. This is one of Jason’s favorite places to shop. It might be because they have the best Bloody Mary’s. Who doesn’t love breakfast in a cup?
Soulard Market is a great place to find fresh fruits and vegetables, spices, fresh flowers and meat. There are also vendors that sell clothing, perfumes, and jewelry.
We told the kids to pick out a souvenir t-shirt at the St. Louis Cardinals booth. What a deal for $5.00 – $15.00 per shirt. They had no idea that we had tickets for the Cardinal ball game planned for day 2 of our staycation.
Venice Café in Soulard
After shopping at Soulard, we walked around town and found a great little restaurant called Venice Café. It was fun finding a restaurant that we had not visited before. We enjoyed lunch on the outdoor patio, laughing and talking. Something that isn’t always easy to do when everyone has their own jobs and agendas.
St. Louis Zoo
Next we headed to the Saint Louis Zoo. Being from Saint Louis, we have been to the zoo hundreds of times. But this time we were going as tourists, which made it seem more exciting.
Fairmount Park Horse Races
Fairmount Park Horse Racing
Our evening adventure was the horse races at Fairmount Park. The horse races are another fun and inexpensive way to spend some time. We enjoyed betting on the horses. Jay had a “system” of picking his horses. He ended up winning a little pocket change.
Day Two Staycation
Day 2 of our family staycation began with breakfast out. We could have easily stayed home but because we were on vacation, it was more fun to pick a breakfast favorite spot and eat together.
St. Louis Cardinals Baseball
That’s when we surprised the kids with Cardinal tickets. Again being from Saint Louis we have been to many Cardinal games, but going as tourists was a lot of the fun.
We got the cheapest seats at the stadium, which were literally on the top row in right field. But they included a free hotdog and soda. What a deal!
For fun, we scouted out empty seats lower and lower each inning and moved to them. By the 5th inning, we had made it to the cushioned seats right down by the field.
The game turned out to be a success. We had great seats, free hot dogs, free soda, and paid next to nothing to go to a Cardinal game.
Sun Decker’s on the Landing
What is a trip to St. Louis without stopping for a stroll on the cobblestones of Laclede’s Landing. We had a late dinner at Sun Decker’s. I also schooled Jay in some Galaga. (showing my age?)
Movie & Popcorn
We ended our day 2 family staycation with a movie and popcorn at home. It was an amazing mini vacation together. The kids still talk about how much fun it was the year we stayed home and enjoyed St. Louis.
A Staycation is a fun way to get some well deserved family time in, relax, and enjoy each other with out having to leave town. I am so glad that we did this and am looking forward to our next one as empty nesters! ~Susie Peas
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