The costs of traveling abroad are prohibitive in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with insurance and testing amounting to more than the cost of flights in some cases. Even as the cost of holiday-related COVID testing is reduced, it might not be by enough to justify taking your entire family on that European city break just yet. Instead, you can make the most of your own back garden – in some cases literally – with these wonderful and inexpensive ideas for a family staycation to remember.
1. Camping Out in Your Back Garden
You could book and travel to a campsite in Cumbria, or you could enjoy the fresh air, excitement, and novelty of a camping trip with all the modern conveniences of your very own home. Setting up camp in your garden is a brilliant way to spend an evening with your family – you can build a fire, tell scary stories and huddle up undercover, and if everyone gets a bit too cold you can easily ditch your campsite for your lovely warm house.
2. A Fun-Packed City Break
Take yourself and your family off to any one of the UK’s cities, for a day or two of exploration and activity – and all the better if you’ve never been there before! A weekend in York to see the streets that inspired Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley, or perhaps an afternoon in Manchester for the Museum of Science and Industry. Thanks to the accessibility of most cities, you wouldn’t even need to drive; just check the train times to London in advance, and you’re off to experience the London Eye or Madame Tussaud’s!
3. A Taste of Farm Life
If you’re after a more rural experience on your family staycation, consider getting in touch with a local farmer for a tour. A swift drive down to the closest farm and your children could be meeting billy goats face to face, learning about chickens and eggs, and riding on hay-bales all afternoon long. An afternoon farm visit is a refreshing way to get out of the house and see something special.
4. Make Your Own Art Gallery
For the quieter days in your staycation itinerary, you can bring the fun indoors, and exercise your family’s creativity in the process. Gather arts and crafts materials like paints, canvases, pipe-cleaners, glue, and anything else to hand – and host your own day of crafting! The artistic results you all produce could adorn your house for the rest of your holiday, turning it into a gallery of expression and joy.
5. A Spring-Cleaning Festival
As your staycation draws to a close, consider using your newfound rejuvenation to bring about change in your home – and to clean up after yourselves in the process as well. This is a great time to de-clutter, whether you thin out your children’s wardrobes and cupboards, or just refresh your home in time to spend one last blissful holiday evening in it together.
