What’s a staycation, you ask?
According to the Urban Dictionary, a staycation is…
A vacation that is spent at one’s home enjoying all that home and one’s home environs have to offer. A vacation spent close to home.
So, how does this apply to RVers?
Well, if the winter cover is still on your RV — and your summer plans went down the drain the moment gas headed over the $4 a gallon mark — then you’re probably wondering if there’s any point in getting the RV ready for summer use this year. The good news is… with a little imagination, you can still make plenty of use of your favorite summer pastime: RVing!
Yep, there’s no time like the present to turn your RV summer vacation into a staycation.
In fact, aside from the high price of gas, there are plenty of reasons to stay close to home and consider alternative travel plans.
Here are some fun ideas for your next RV staycation…
Vacation is really a mindset anyway. Why leave town when there are so many fun things close to home worth exploring?
Plus, RVing isn’t just about long-distance travel, you know.
Yes, that trip to the Black Hills or Yellowstone would have been nice. Just remember they’re not going anywhere. Maybe next year the economy will be better. You’ve got plenty of time to get there, so let’s think close to home this year.
Our RV Staycation
Here in the Midwest, where everybody goes camping, you seldom need to travel very far to find an enjoyable campground.
When my wife and I want a quick spur of the moment one night getaway we hitch up the travel trailer and head south out of Duluth to one of two spots that are only about 20 miles away. One is a small town boat launch/picnic area that allows camping just outside the community of Barnum MN. The other is a Corp. of Engineers Campground near Nickerson MN. Both offer primitive camping with no hookups. Both charge just over $10 a night, making for a very inexpensive weekend outing.
With the gas gauge on about a quarter tank, we still have enough gas to be gone for a night or two. It’s a simple reprieve that is easy on the budget and actually a whole lot more enjoyable than traveling hundreds of miles or more simply for the sake of calling it a vacation. Check the road atlas for your state, you may find some state-subsidized campgrounds or state parks that are nearby.
Other Ideas For RV Staycations
State Parks are the showpiece for each state, so they definitely put their best efforts into maintaining a family-oriented destination for tourists and the locals. After all, the reputation of that state rests on how well visitors enjoy their stay. Word of mouth can make or break their annual budget in a hurry. So don’t overlook the fine campgrounds in your local area.
The nice part about each state’s park system is that you don’t have to go thousands of miles to enjoy a quality camping experience. With fuel prices as high as they are, you can find unique things to do and fun places to visit while still staying within the “one tank of fuel” rule that is becoming an acceptable standard for those on tighter budgets.
Another option that avoids hauling your RV trailer long distance is to find a local lakeside resort that rents spots on a weekly or even a seasonal basis. By parking your RV at such a place you can enjoy their lake and other highlights throughout the whole summer! The seasonal cost probably would be no more expensive than the gas for one cross-country trip. This way, you can have your vacation last all summer rather than just spending one short week on the road!
If these options don’t work for you, there is still good reason to get your RV ready for summer use. Kids love to campout in the backyard. How about setting up your travel trailer as a backyard retreat? It’s a summer cabana just for you and your family!
A Saturday night campout can be just as much fun in the backyard as it would be at a lake 100 miles away. Set up your own campsite, make a stone fire ring, and get out the marshmallows and hot dog sticks. If you leave the trailer in its new spot for the summer, escaping the telephone and TV will become an every weekend event. Get the Slip and Slide out of storage and hook up the water sprinklers. Have some good ol’ family fun.
Here are some fun backyard games to consider playing!
To make your backyard staycation even more action-packed, make an agenda filled with different historical sites or sightseeing excursions around your town. Also consider museums, zoos, or any activity that can be incorporated into your backyard campout and make it a special event.
On June 28th, you and your family can join in the Great American Backyard Campout. Sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation, their website has all kinds of neat information to make your campout a fun time for all.
There’s no doubt about it, the whole country is feeling the pinch caused by rising energy prices. And RVers may be feeling it the most. But just because you can’t head out across the country this summer is no reason to let your RV spend the summer months in storage.
With a little research and some creative planning, you can construct your own staycation. Plus, you may actually learn some new things about all there is to see & do in your own local area.
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I’ve been involved in RVing for over 50 years — including camping, building, repairing, and even selling RVs and motorhomes. I’ve owned, used, and repaired almost every class and style of RV ever made. I do all of my own repair work. My other interests include cooking, living with an aging dog, and dealing with diabetic issues. If you can combine a grease monkey with a computer geek, throw in a touch of information nut and organization freak, combined with a little bit of storyteller… you’ve got a good idea of who I am. To date, I’ve shared my RV knowledge in over 300 articles here at The Fun Times Guide! Many of them have over 25K shares.
