Cool New eBook – 101 Great Staycations – Review

Fluttering butterflies, flowers in bloom and short-sleeved shirts, yes, summer is on the horizon. Get ready to escape the heat, humidity, take trips to the beach, the mountains and take in some outdoor music shows. In the current, bleak economy, traveling any distance from home simply doesn’t seem feasible for many people. Thus, the question becomes: how to enjoy the upcoming lazy-hazy-crazy days of summer? The answer is a “staycation.”

A staycation is a neologism for a period of time in which an individual or family stays at home and relaxes or takes day trips to local area attractions. Staycations have become popular because unemployment levels are up, gas prices are still high and more and more people are thinking about ways in which they can lesson their environmental impact on Mother Earth.

Click here to visit 101 Great Staycations.

The excitement and adventure of a vacation can be just as fun close to home. Some common activities of a staycation include visits to local parks, museums, and local festivals. I recently came across an eBook, (love my eBooks), called 101 Great Staycations. I contacted the writer and asked if I could have a sample copy for a review. He agreed. I was pleasantly surprised by how many cool, simple, ideas Paul (the writer) has come up with. He’s made a staycation not only possible for everyone, but easy too. His ideas are simple and I’m sure many of you have heard of a few of them, but he puts a creative spin on them to peak your interest. The ideas are grouped by the four seasons, which is a great addition to the content since people do take vacations all times of the year.

We can’t really deny the beauty and excitement of an overseas getaway, but a staycation still offers many advantages and affordabilities that vacations don’t. According to the American Auto Association, a 2-person vacation will cost on average $244 per day. Add kids into that factor and that average goes way up.

I have a few favorites from Paul’s 101 list. One of them is “Around the World in a Day.” Here’s what you do: pick a destination you’d love to visit and plan a dinner using cuisine of that geographical area. Rent and watch a foreign film from the country you’re “visiting” to add to the ambiance. Again, it’s simple, but creative and I can see it being a ton of fun.

Another favorite was “Host a Croquet Tournament”. I played croquet with a bunch of friends in N.Y. a few summers ago. It really is a hugely entertaining game. If you don’t have a croquet set I’m sure you can find a cheap one on Worldofgood-ebay, Freecycle, or Craigslist. Paul also suggests you combine a backyard croquet tournament with a friendly neighborhood BBQ. You can also spice up the party by creating your own BBQ sauce and asking guests to do the same. Have a sample tasting of the BBQ goodness after the game. This works for city folks, (like myself), or suburbanites.

These are just a couple of my favorites, but there are tons of great ideas especially if you have children. I imagine a favorite for a family might be “Create-Your-Own-Sundae Party?” That’s just a guess. With summer fast approaching, I’m sure many parents are worried about how they will keep their kids entertained all summer. Start by planning a staycation. Paul offers useful links to sites with great information and takes you through step-by-step on how to transform a straightforward staycation into something much more exciting.

Click here to visit 101 Great Staycations.

It’s easy to overlook awesome opportunities in your local area, (I’m certainly guilty of that). In order to enjoy your staycation this summer, approach it with a relaxed attitude. In other words, don’t sweat it. Take not only one day at a time, but each hour and each minute. Yes, you can plan short excursions to area attractions, but be flexible, be open to change, and most of all, be spontaneous!

101 Great Staycations is available for $9.95 with an immediate download (remember to save paper by printing only if you must). Plus, you have 30 days from the time of purchase to receive a refund if you don’t dig it. You can purchase it HERE. Let me know what you think!