Family Fun Staycation Inspiration
Looking for ways to make spring break fun even if you’re not headed to a tropical destination? I have a list of spring break staycation ideas to inspire your family fun.
Download the free printable list of ideas at the end of this article and get your kids involved in planning your best spring staycation ever!
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Planning a Staycation
To get the most out of your staycation, it helps to do a little advance planning.
Decide who’s making the plan
First, decide if you will plan the whole thing and surprise your kids, or if your kids would prefer to be in on the decisions about what your week will look like.
Decide on a timeline
Next, decide on a timeline. My suggestion is to allow at least one full day at the end of your staycation for re-entry into “regular” life. It’s always an adjustment from vacation mode to regular life mode, and a staycation is no exception.
If you want to give yourself a break from cleaning and laundry and checking email, you need a day or so to take care of all those things before jumping back into go mode.
Decide on a budget
Whether you plan for all the pennies or simply have a general figure in mind, give some thought to how much you’re willing to spend on all these fun family memories.
Staycation Ideas for Family Fun
You don’t have to start from scratch. These ideas can provide inspiration for your staycation planning.
I’ve divided these up into three categories:
- playing tourist (be a tourist in your own backyard)
- family bonding (enjoy the fun activities you never quite have time for)
- something for everyone (allow each family member to choose something they want to do)
Playing Tourist Staycation Ideas
If you love the idea of a staycation that feels almost like a regular vacation, try some of these ideas.
1. Stay at a hotel
If it’s in the budget, try a night or two at a local hotel with a pool.
2. Ride trains, trams, or trolleys in your area
Take advantage of unique transportation in your city if your family doesn’t normally ride on public transportation.
3. Visit museums
Spend a few hours at an art exhibit, science museum, or children’s museum.
4. Tour a botanical garden or arboretum
Visit the website in advance to find out if there are special activities for kids. There may be pages you can download and bring with you to engage your family in finding specific things making observations.
5. Take a historical tour
Your city, or one near you, may have interesting tours, including self-guided walking tours pointing out interesting architecture or historical sites.
6. Amusement park
If you’re in a city near an amusement park, adventure park, roller skating rink, or even a family fun center, this would be an obvious choice!
7. Indoor water park
Obviously, not all areas will have a water park, but if you do, your kids can burn off loads of energy and have a memorable day swimming and sliding.
8. Zoo
Take a trip to your local zoo, wildlife safari, or even a petting zoo or local farm tour.
9. Aquarium
A local aquarium would be another option for playing tourist in your home area.
10. Famous landmarks
Visit some places your area is known for—movie backdrop, viewpoints, statues, unique neighborhoods, or iconic stores.
11. Hidden gems
In addition to the more famous places, seek out the hidden gems known only to the locals. Head across town to find a secret stairway, a delicious food cart, or a spectacular mural on the side of an old building. You’ll have to do a little digging for these. Ask people you know who live in different areas of town, dig into a reddit thread about hidden gems in your city, or visit onlyinyourstate.com for suggestions.
12. Souvenir shop
Browse a store selling locally made products and find something unique from your state or local area.
13. Restaurant tour
Take a tour around the world to restaurants serving food from a variety of countries and ethnicities, or choose restaurants that your area is known for.
14. Day trip
Visit a beach, lake, mountain, or downtown area just a few hours away.
Family Bonding Staycation Ideas
If your family spends a lot of time rushing around to sports practices, music lessons, and tutoring sessions during the school year, a week to relax and enjoy the simple fun activities you never quite seem to have time for might sound just right.
15. Video games
Have your kids teach you to play one of their favorite games, buy a new game, or set up a multi-player competition within your family.
16. Hiking
Get outside. Whether it’s a challenging slope or a stroll through a city park—get moving together.
17. Bike ride
Find a trail or bike path in your area or take a ride around your neighborhood.
18. Go to the movies
Find a new release everyone can agree on and head to a theater with comfy seats and maybe even food service!
19. Streaming movie marathon
If your family prefers to take lots of snack breaks, try a streaming marathon—with lots of popcorn, obviously!
Here are a few ideas to get you started…
- multi-film franchise (Lord of the Rings)
- theme (movies about horses)
- specific actor (Tom Hanks)
- time period (1950s)
- every family member gets a pick
- watch all the episodes of a series over the course of the week
20. Swimming
Head to your local aquatic center or community swimming pool.
21. Park day
See how many parks you can visit in a single day!
22. Theme day
Play music, eat food, decorate, and do activities related to a specific cultural theme—Italian, Moroccan, tropical island, etc.
23. Picnic
Grab a blanket and a basket and take a picnic lunch to the park.
24. Outdoor games
Set up cornhole, badminton, volleyball, croquet, giant lawn Jenga, or outdoor Throw Throw Burrito.
25. Scavenger hunt
Play a simple scavenger or treasure hunt game.
26. Geocaching
Go geocaching in your area.
27. Science experiments
Let the kids head outside to do those messy science experiments with baking soda and vinegar and shaving cream!
28. Obstacle course
Set up an obstacle course or plan a family athletics competition.
Read: How to Hold a Family Olympics
29. Camp out
Pitch a tent in the backyard.
30. Craft time
Grab a roll of paper and paint a family mural or follow along together with a YouTube tutorial. Make friendship bracelets or make each other birthday cards!
31. DIY spa day
Your tween and teen girls will love a day of beauty treatments.
32. Volunteer
Spend a day giving back by volunteering together in your local community.
33. Talent show
Bring on the silly skills with a family talent show. Younger kids might also enjoy a show and tell segment.
34. Game night
Pull out the board games for a family game night.
Read: 25 Fun Card Games for Family Game Night
35. Baking
Bake cookies or cupcakes together. Get fancy and make a cake, or be practical and make muffins to freeze for breakfasts when everyone starts back to school.
36. Family cooking competition
If your family has a competitive streak, set up a cooking competition modeled after Chopped or MasterChef.
37. Tea party
Get “afternoon tea” fancy with some finger sandwiches and mini scones.
38. Neighborhood party
Invite friends and family over for a potluck style get together.
39. Sleepover
Let kids have a sleepover with friends or cousins.
40. Build a fort
A perennial favorite—break out the couch cushions and blankets and get creating an epic play fort.
41. Bonfire w/s’mores
If the weather cooperates, have a backyard bonfire, complete with roasting marshmallows.
42. Fishing
Head to a local fishing hole and spend a few hours outside.
43. Karaoke
Pull up a YouTube playlist and cheer each other on.
44. Watch home video
Reminisce with photo albums, slideshows, and home video. Kids love to see themselves “when they were little.”
Something for Everyone Staycation Ideas
If it’s impossible to find an activity to satisfy everyone, give them all what they want! Allow each family member to choose an activity they want to do and make it happen.
Here are some ideas to jumpstart your own inspiration…
45. Escape room
Participate in a group escape room activity and puzzle away.
46. Go out to brunch
Sleep in, then head to brunch. Two meals covered and no dishes? This might be mom’s pick!
47. Do a project
Ask the whole family to pitch in to get a project done. Get the garage cleaned out in two days or move the furniture around. Alternatively, ask for a day of complete focus to work on an individual project with no interruptions.
48. Get pampered
Go to a nail salon, hair salon, or get a massage.
49. Indoor rock climbing
For the adventurous family members!
50. Indoor skydiving
If you have one near you, your teens will approve.
51. Take a class
The options are endling—pottery, cooking, self-defense.
52. Attend a concert
Look up who’s coming to your area—this could be a fun family memory.
53. Attend a sporting event
Go to a live game featuring your favorite team or check out a sport you’ve never watched before. Cheering together is definitely a bonding experience!
54. Paint night
Go to a paint night event and come home with your very own masterpiece.
55. Video arcade
Visit an arcade for an evening of friendly competition and cheap prizes.
56. Mini-golf
As family-friendly as it gets.
57. Favorite restaurant
Let everyone pick a favorite restaurant.
58. Room makeover
Do a bedroom or playroom mini makeover.
59. Shopping spree
Choose a store and set a budget for a new toy, book, game, or beauty supplies!
60. Ice cream for breakfast
Encourage your kids to think about little things that make a special day. Let them eat ice cream for breakfast!
Read: 365 Fun Holidays to Celebrate with Your Kids
Spring Break Staycation Fun
Whether you choose to play tourist in your town, relax at home, or make sure every family member gets to choose an activity, spending spring break at home is pretty great.
Get your family involved. Ask your kids what would make spring break fun for them. Think about what you’ll be glad you did and what you’ll regret not doing.
Then start brainstorming some ideas of your own and plan your family spring break staycation.
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