Staycation Ideas

Posts Tagged ‘Fall Staycation Ideas’

For some people, the only good thing about winter coming is the turning of the leaves. While you may not be ready for snow and cold, it’s hard not to appreciate the color show nature puts on right before winter. If you live in a state with four distinct seasons, now’s the time to get out and enjoy the reds, pinks, oranges, yellows and browns that are autumn.

How to Make it Happen

Mother Nature does all the work. All you have to do is go for a walk or a drive. If you go by car, pick the curviest road in your county and don’t rush. Let cars pass you by. Just enjoy the scenery.

Additional Activities

1. Create a leaf collection from leaves you found on your walk. Learn what type of trees they come from.
2. Fall is the perfect time to plant a tree. Plant one in your yard, or donate one to a city park.

One of the great sights in nature is to see a flock of geese flying south for the winter. Seeing the geese, the ducks, the herons and others is a bittersweet good-bye ritual. We don’t want to see them go, but we love seeing them fly. Their departure means cold weather is coming, but we know also, that they will return in the spring.

How to Make it Happen

Migratory birds are in decline worldwide and several organizations are devoted to studying why. You can help them.

Visit www.charityguide.org/volunteer/vacation/bird-migration.htm for ideas on how you can help track the migratory patterns of birds in your area. (You can even sign-up for vacation packages that are devoted to this activity).

You can also call your state’s Department of Natural Resources for the best times and observatories to view migrating flocks in your state. Take binoculars, take a camera, or just take yourself and enjoy the site.

Additional Activities

1. Return in the spring to watch birds migrate north.
2. Learn some birdcalls and try them out on a nature hike.
3. Go bird watching in your backyard.

The leaves turn, the air grows cooler, the days grow shorter…it all means one thing. Football’s coming. High school, college, pro…if you love the game, ya gotta have it. And what’s not to love…the cheerleaders, the colors, the band, the mascots, and, oh yeah, the game. You’ve got a whole season of this stuff. And the ending is Super!

How to Make it Happen

Of these three choices, obviously attending a professional game will be the most expensive. To find schedules and ticket prices for your favorite team, visit www.nfl.com. From there you can link to the website of your favorite team.

College tickets can be purchased through school athletic offices, but some colleges sell out season tickets so these might be difficult to obtain. High school games will be easier, plus they’re much closer and if you know the kids playing it’s a much more personal experience. But do expect to pay admission.

Maybe you just can’t get to a game. No problem. Host your own tailgate party in your driveway or backyard. Watch the Big Game from your house and play touch football during halftime.

Additional Activities

1. Volunteer to help coach a youth football team.
2. Join a fantasy football team.
3. Enter a contest to win Super Bowl tickets. Somebody’s gotta win.

Places, like people, can all tell their own story. If you pry hard enough, they will whisper their secrets and give up their ghosts. So meet a few ghosts. Pick an historical building or landmark near you and learn the when, where, how and who about why it exists.

How to Make it Happen

Start by picking your landmark. You can choose a location important to your local heritage, or a place of national historic significance. For a complete list of the National Register of Historic Places, visit www.nps.gov/nr/.

Local and state historical societies often have libraries and other resources available to help you start your research. Preservation societies can also provide information. Other important sources to use include records of newspapers, genealogical societies, historical reenactment groups, and state and county public records.

With background information in hand, visit your site. Ask questions of tour guides and get recommendations for further reading. Some questions to ask include:

• Who or what group was responsible for building the site?
• Why did they build it?
• How was it originally used?
• What purpose has it served over the years?
• When was it erected?
• Who has benefited from the structure?
• What historical significance is associated with this site?
• What was happening in the world when it was built?

These are just a few questions to get you started. As you delve into your research, you will surely come up with many more.

Additional Activities

1. Learn about your home.
2. Join a local historical or genealogical society.
3. Celebrate President’s Day (Idea #14)

America’s agrarian roots are celebrated every fall, all across the country. As pioneers settling the land, our fore bearers knew the importance of a good harvest, and celebrated their blessings accordingly. These celebrations of thanks remain with us today, a valued part of our cultural heritage. Even if you’ve never shucked an ear of corn, take the time to be grateful for our land of plenty.

How to Make it Happen

Autumn celebrations go by many names––Oktoberfest, Harvest Fair, Harvest Moon Celebration. Whatever name it goes by, join the party. The best way to find the celebration nearest you is to either do an online search, or to call your state tourism office for a published guide to the state’s annual festivals. These guides are usually free and many times are downloadable from state tourism websites.

Additional Activities

1. With tourism guide in hand, pick another festival in your state to attend. There’s surely one for every season.
2. Want to get back in touch with your agrarian roots? Start your own garden and discover how grateful you are when something actually grows!