You’ve probably heard the term. Staycation. It’s like vacation, except you stay. At your home. Most people consider it second-rate, the alternative to a real vacation, particularly because they’re in some sort of financial bind and can’t afford a week long cruise or getaway to the ski lodge or to the mountains. So, they stay home instead. It bothers me that the staycation is spoken of so poorly. So, I’m here to defend the staycation.

When my husband and I first got married, a many eight years ago, we were very fortunate to be able to take a lot of trips. Our jobs allowed for it, as back then we weren’t supervisors and providers / the “top guns” in the career ladder. Also, we weren’t married to our i-phones and in-boxes. So, on a whim we’d venture up to the Eastern Shore of Virginia and spend a night or two on Chincoteague Island. We’d eat out, play putt-putt, ride bikes, climb up to the lighthouse of Assateague Island, and marvel at the sites of the Chesapeake Bay. We’d also drop $400 like it was nothing. We’d save up and go on cruises. At one point it seemed we were going to the Caribbean every six months. It was a blast. We even got to take a very memorable road trip to Pennsylvania and upstate New York (the best hiking I’ve ever experienced). We were also very blessed to have two sets of good friends who enjoyed traveling too.

Nowadays, we’re happy to not travel, even though we make more money now. We’ve opted for the staycation, for various reasons. We got a dog 3 years ago – our joy. We knew that getting a dog would affect our ability to travel. We can’t bear the thought of spending a week away from him, let alone just one night. The last few trips we’ve taken – to Washington state in October 2017, to Cozumel in March 2018, to Douthat State Park in November 2019, and to Cape Charles, VA in July 2021, a mere 45 minute drive away – have all made us see how much we love home. Some might argue that this is the point of travel – to help you see how good a life you have or to make you appreciate home more. Mission accomplished.

It rains a ton in Bremerton/Seattle, WA. Seattle had a congested feeling – a mix of tourism and homelessness, the people of each looking quite the same. It boasted the smells of bakeries and open markets, juxtaposed with the stench of urine in the roads walked to get to them. At the fancy resort in Cozumel, it was impossible to walk a mile on the beach without running into the next “all-inclusive resort,” which I wasn’t allowed to access of course. Half-naked, inebriated college kids blaring loud music and obscenities were scattered across the sand like seaweed. One of the worst things was not having easy access to water and coffee. Apparently most resort goers don’t wake up before 7 am, so coffee’s not ready any sooner. If you wanted it, you’d have to walk a ways to get it, and bother the restaurant staff for it. In Douthat State Park I couldn’t decide if the eerie quiet or the boredom was going to drive me mad first. It seemed like a good place for one to find trouble. Or depression. In Cape Charles I lacked a purpose. We wandered like lost sheep. For some reason, most shops there were closed on Tuesday, which just so happened to be the day we visited. And strangely, it’s really hard to get salad when you’re traveling. It’s a staple of my diet. And on cruise ships, pull-up bars are non-existent.

Upon returning to the East Coast from Washington, I was excited to be in the Charlotte airport and to see a mix of people – dark skinned, light skinned, and everything in between. I was also happy to see the sun, if only through an airplane window. Back at home in Norfolk, VA, I can walk 7 miles on the beach if I want. And if I go on a weekday morning, I might only see a few other people, mostly quiet locals. In Hampton Roads, my home, I can do a lot – go to the beach, tour the largest naval base in the world, see parts of where America got its start, rock climb (in a gym), surf, hike, bike ride, parasail. I can go to the library or aquarium or art museum. Better yet, at my home in Norfolk, I can lift weights, do pull-ups, run over bridges, do jiu jitsu, hang out with my dog, drink coffee whenever I want, eat salad on demand, and experience all four seasons. All for waaayyy less money too. I can even go to work and thus avoid the aimless wandering and hedonism I often feel as a tourist. I’m more useful to the world when I’m home.

Another thing to consider about the staycation: why not make your home a place you want to spend your time off? Honestly, I find vacationing to be quite stressful. It’s hard (and costly) to eat healthy, there’s always a packed agenda and a sense of rushing to get to various places on time, and you have to sleep in some sketchy places. Better yet: Why not set up your life so that you don’t even feel like you need a vacation? That’s where Richard and I have been here lately. We’ve both come to realize (not to sound gloomy) that we’re going to die one day. Why strive and strive at a job you hate to one day retire so you can travel? Wouldn’t it be better to free yourself, to get out of debt, to build a modest home for you and the ones you love, and to make that home a place you want to be? And guess what, when you’re free – out of debt – you can afford to work a lesser paying job that you like so you don’t have to get away. I’ll gladly forgo a vacation or two and take that money to buy my freedom (i.e., put it toward my mortgage). As I do that, I might plant a garden, lift weights in my garage, install a large inflatable pool in my backyard, walk the beach, eat some salad, and get to know my neighbors. I can enjoy my house, spend time with my dog, eat an affordable, tasty, and healthy meal with my husband and watch whatever we choose on TV. It makes me wonder what the world would look like if more people gave the staycation a genuine try. Make your home and your daily life a place you want to be. ~