Staycation Ideas

Posts Tagged ‘Outdoor’

To find your way in the world, all you need is a compass and a map. Those are also the two things you need for the fast-growing sport of orienteering. Orienteering challenges participants to find their way on a pre-determined path using a compass, a map, and one’s own physical and mental abilities.

How to Make it Happen

According to the US Orienteering Federation, www.us.orienteering.org, the objective of orienteering is to “…run, walk, ski, or mountain bike to a series of points shown on the map, choosing routes––both on and off trail––that will help you find all the points and get back to the finish in the shortest amount of time.”

Designed as a sport, participants pass a series of control markers that they must punch to prove they’ve been there. The goal is to finish the course as quickly as possible.

For more information on how to get started with orienteering, important safety tips and competition locations, visit www.us.orienteering.org.

Additional Activities

1. Practice your skills with a compass by taking an off-trail hike in the woods. Use caution and never hike where it’s prohibited. Always let someone know where you are going.
2. Try geocaching.
   

Geocaching is a fast growing phenomenon that involves using GPS technology to locate specifically placed, but hidden containers, called geocaches. Think of it as a treasure hunt for adults, although children will enjoy this too.

How to Make it Happen

To participate in geocaching, you will need a GPS device and the ability to hike, sometimes in rough terrain. The website, www.geocaching.com, provides helpful tips on how to get started, the location of geocache, and reviews on GPS devices.

Active geocachers not only hunt geocache, they also place them and create hide and seek adventures for others. When you find a geocache, you sign the log left with the marker. You then get online and share your adventure—including stories and photos—of locating the geocache.

Geocaching.com claims there are almost 765,000 active geocache in the world: surely one of them is near you!

Additional Activities

1. Visit different geocache locations around the country.
2. Try orienteering. 
3. Go trail hiking in the mountains.

Pack up the goggles and the sunscreen and take the family to the city pool for a day of wet ‘n wild fun. Any cold pool will do on a hot day, but if you’re up for more adventure, look for a city water park in your area with slides, fountains and waterfalls. Take a book and lounge poolside, but don’t forget to get in and play with the kids or you’ll miss out on all the fun.

How to Make it Happen

This one’s pretty simple. Pick the pool, pay admission, and enjoy. Call ahead to see if floaties or other water toys are allowed. If going to the pool might be a regular activity for your family, consider buying a season pass to save money.

Pack all the pool essentials in a carry-all bag:

• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Visors
• Goggles
• Beach towels

Don’t forget some extra cash to treat yourself to a snack at the concession stand. It’s your vacation, so go ahead–indulge!

Additional Activities

1. Sign the kids up for swim lessons. If they’re all ready good swimmers, sign them up for a summer swim team.
2. Create your own backyard waterpark.

Planning on a staycation this summer?

Great Idea (of course), but just as you would want to get your car’s oil changed before embarking on the family vacation, you might want to address some of these backyard health risks before starting your summer staycation. Here are the top 8 back yard health risks as identified by Winnie Yu of MSNBC.com.

1. Dangerous Grill Placement – make sure your grill is not placed near flammable material like low-hanging tree branches, deck rails or house siding.
2. Toxic Plants – 68,000 people a year are poisoned by plants so make sure you do some research before picking that new plant or flower for the garden bed.
3. Tiny pools of water – it doesn’t take much water at all to create a mosquito breeding ground.  Do a weekly check of buckets,pails, fountains and birdbaths that might be collecting stagnant water around the yard.
4. Not-quite-extinguished charcoal – it doesn’t take much eat from a still-warm charcoal to start a fire.  Make sure you soak coals with cold water and toss them in a metal trash to minimize your potential fire risk.
5. Unfenced pool – the dangers of a unfenced backyard pool are obvious so make sure you install a 5 foot high, 4 sided fense to keep the kids and pets safe from accidental drownings.
6. Pesticide residue – even in small amounts, the poisons that kills plant-eating insects can make you seriously sick.  Use the power of the food chain and reduce your pesiticide use by attracting birds that eat those flower loving bugs. 
7. Weather-worn deck – warped decks are hard to navigate and easy to trip on, which is why you should water-proof your deck every 2 to 3 years.
8. Too-short ladder – when you try and over extend your reach, you increase the chances of you and your ladder becoming top-heavy and falling over.  Take the extra time and get the right ladder for the right job. 

Thanks to Winnie Yu at MSNBC.com for highlighting these dangers to safely enjoying your backyard staycation!

8 health risks in your own backyard – More health news- msnbc.com

The League of American Bicyclists is releasing the second annual ranking of Bicycle Friendly States, scoring the 50 states on a 75-item questionnaire that evaluates a state’s commitment to bicycling and covers six key areas: legislation, policies and programs, infrastructure, education and encouragement, evaluation and planning, and enforcement. League President Andy Clarke highlighted that “several states dramatically improved their ranking by updating their traffic codes, increasing the level of funding for bicycle improvements, implementing education programs aimed at cyclists and motorists, getting organized and hosting their first statewide bicycling conferences and events.” For 2009, the top five highest scoring states ranked one through five are: Washington, 1; Wisconsin, 2; Maine, 3; Oregon, 4; and Minnesota, 5. The lowest scoring states ranked 46 through 50 are: New Mexico, 46; Alaska, 47; Oklahoma, 48; Montana, 49; and Alabama, 50.

Here is the complete list as found on: http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bicyclefriendlyamerica/bicyclefriendlystate/rankings.php

1. Washington
2. Wisconsin 
3. Maine  
4. Oregon  
5. Minnesota
6. Iowa  
7. Arizona
8. New Hampshire
9. Delaware  
10. New Jersey  
11. Wyoming  
12. Illinois  
13. Colorado  
14. California  
15. Michigan  
16. Maryland  
17. Missouri  
18. Utah  
19. Massachusetts
20. North Carolina
21. Vermont  
22. Hawaii  
23. Virginia  
24. Mississippi  
25. Nevada  
26. South Carolina
27. Kentucky  
28. South Dakota  
29. Indiana  
30. Louisiana  
31. Georgia  
32. Florida  
33. Kansas  
34. Idaho  
35. Rhode Island  
36. Texas  
37. Nebraska  
38. Arkansas  
39. Ohio  
40. Pennsylvania  
41. New York  
42. West Virginia  
43. Tennessee  
44. Connecticut  
45. North Dakota  
46. New Mexico  
47. Alaska  
48. Oklahoma  
49. Montana  
50. Alabama

The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation, and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America. The League represents the interests of America’s 57 million bicyclists, including its 300,000 members and affiliates. For more information or to support the League, visit www.bikeleague.org.

League of American Bicyclists * Bicycle Friendly States

I had a really enjoyable evening tonight.  My wife and the kids and I went on a nice bikeride around our neighborhood.  We started out not really with any destination in mind but ended up at a nearby park to let the kids play for a while.  As I was bicycling around and enjoying the beautiful summer evening a thought occurred to me, “now this is a great staycation idea!”.   One thing that kind of put a damper on the evening though was the fact the we realized our daughter is over the 40 pound weight limitation of the bike carrier.  Looks like we might have to invest in a good bike trailer.  Any ideas?

There have been a few terms tossed around this summer regarding the idea of enjoying your summer at home. We have heard the terms:

• Staycation – enjoying a vacation in your local community
• Fitcation – enjoying some time off while focusing on your fitness
• Daycation – taking day trips usually on one tank of gas or less

But now the Austin Daily Herald and the Mower County Fair Board has introduced a new term “Fair-cation”. Which, you guessed it, means going on a vacation at the county fair.

The Mower County Fair Board created this word to help promote the 124th annual Mower County Fair which is taking place in Austin, Texas between August 5-10th. If you want to learn more about this fair, you should really read the rest of the Austin Daily Herald’s article.

Some interesting fun facts about fairs:

• The New York State Fair is the longest running state fair in the country started in 1841
• Mercer County, Kentucky claims it is the longest continuous running country fair in the country
• King County, Washington is the longest running county fair west of the Mississippi

As I was doing research for this article I found a great article at Kids Party Fun.com which had an wonderful staycation idea for kids. Set up your own country fair in the yard or nearby park! Kid’s Party Fun: Country Fair

Enjoy your county fair.

Do know what I love about the internet? Finding a good blog is only one click away. I found a good one tonight and wanted to share it with you. Check out, GettingOutside.com They have lots of great ideas for enjoying the great outdoors. They have a great forum thread entitled, “Some Ideas for Camping on the Cheap.” Here are some of their suggestions:

1. Plan Ahead
2. Use “Survivorman” Tactics (live off the land)
3. Hike and Bike
4. Carpool with friends
5. Bring the Right Tools
6. Conserve Firewood
7. Enroll in a course at a local state park.
8. Eat Like a Pioneer

They have some other idea as well. You should really read the rest of the article for yourself. After that you should unplug your computer and get outside!

Enjoy your staycation.

We all know that with record breaking fuel costs, flying on a commercial aircraft is expensive and cumbersome. I’m sure that for many of you, the airline ticket prices may be exactly why you are thinking about a staycation in the first place.

However, not all flying is cumbersome.

In fact, flying a small personal airplane can be a extremely rewarding and exciting experience. There is no better way to explore your local community and the sights it has to offer than from the air! One good way to do this is by signing up for a a flight lesson. Be a Pilot.com and 2,000+ participating flight schools have teamed up to offer a “Introductory Flight Lesson” for only $99. You’ll get 30 minutes of flight time in the air with a certified flight instructor flying around your local area. As long as your house isn’t located on the final approach to a major airport, there is a good chance the instructor will take you to see an aerial view of your home. Just be sure to bring your camera! Like I said before, there are thousands of participating flight schools. I did a search near my home and there are over 15 schools just within 25 miles!

Visit Be a Pilot.com for more information and to sign up for your first introductory flight.

You heard it hear first folks, a “fitcation.” It is my term used to describe the idea of using your staycation as a means to focus and improve your fitness. Now I have to admit, this staycation idea was inspired by a post from the Fit Chicks Rule blog: Take a Fitness STAYcation this Summer!

The basic idea is to capitalize and focus some downtime on your health and fitness. Some specific fitness ideas that you can do close to home:

• Explore your local bike trails
• Take a extended hike at a local state or national park
• Go canoeing or kayaking on some local rivers and lakes
• Sign up for some local 5k or 10k races. Can’t run? Find races that allow you to walk.
• Organize your own neighborhood Olympics. Meet at a school track and have competitions in various categories (I actually did this one a few years ago…it was fun!)

If you have any other “fitcation” ideas be sure to share them. The only requirement is that it be 1) Fun and 2) Healthy.

Have a fit staycation!