Summer Stay-cation Ideas

If you’re the type who would go on vacation as soon as summer starts, then you probably have spent all your dough by now. And you have the pictures on Facebook to prove it. But you still want some summer action. The way to do is to go on a staycation, which Wikipedia defines as “a period of time in which [people] stay at home and relaxes at home or take day trips from their home to area attractions.” It doesn’t involve a lot of cash and all you need to do is to treat it like a real vacation. Here are some inexpensive activities you can do on your staycation:

1. Go on an all-out food trip day. Drive or commute around the city from morning till night just trying everything you see. You can have specific destinations (like the fabulous isaw place in UP Diliman and other places you’ve always been meaning to go to but never had the chance). You can have a theme (like everything Italian, for example). Of course, you can also just play it by ear.

2. Have a race to wherever. Divide into groups and race from one end of the metropolis to the other (yes, just like The Amazing Race). Make it more fun by having rules. For example, teams must go through all SM Malls and take pictures as proof. You can also set a budget for transportation for a level playing field. Get creative and have lots of fun!

3. Sun by the pool. Getting a tan is not exclusive to the beach, as some beach-lovers would like to believe. You can do it in your own backyard. But if you want a really vacation feel to it, do it by the pool. If you don’t have your own pool, surely you know someone who has one or lives in a building that has one. Get your crew together and let it all hang out at 50 stories high.

4. Camp out back. Out back on the yard, that is. Treat it like a real camping experience, which means no one is allowed to enter the house. Pack your bags like you would on a real camping trip, complete with changes of clothes, food, drinks and insect repellants. And don’t forget the tent.

5. Go underground. Not really under the ground, but visit the city’s underground, indie scene. Check out bands, art shows and other non-mainstream activities around the metro for an experience that you’re not used to. This way, you’ll actually feel like you’re in a different place with a different culture. The advantage is that you speak the same language.

6. Go on a best ice cream hunt. Scour the city for the best ice cream. It’s a great summer cooler and being on a staycation is an excuse to ditch your diet for a day. Divide it into categories: “dirty” ice cream, traditional ice cream, gourmet ice cream and gelato.

7. Take a spa-cation. Spend a whole day of pampering and relaxation at the spa. Get a mani-pedi, a facial, a massage and indulge in the luxuriously detoxifying experience. Spend a little more than you normally would. Remember that it’s a vacation and that you’ve already saved on accommodation since you’re staying at home.

8. Host a hotel party. Some hotels and condotels let groups stay in one room or suite for parties. This isn’t going to cost a lot if you have a big group and you’ll be splitting the cost. Bring lots of booze, card and board games and even a few DVDs. This is better than having the party at home because you don’t have to clean up. Just don’t get too wild and trash the place.

9. Play Frisbee. Or any other physical activity that you regularly wouldn’t. An afternoon at the park is a good way to recharge and energize. Participate in something that requires you to move a few muscle and work those sweat glands to help flush out the heat. Just like on a vacation, play with strangers and make new friends.

10. Rediscover the city. Since we live in it, we only usually go to the places where we need to be—our offices, the malls, etc. But do you really know your city? Some tourists who have gone around probably know more than you do. Take a trip around the places you haven’t been to and rediscover your city. Visit landmarks, museums (which you probably last visited as a kid on a school excursion) and other less-traveled places.

Source:manilastandard.com