Staycation vs vacation: 5 reasons to stay local  

Traveling with young children is not for the faint of heart. Traveling solo is stressful enough with its ever-changing timetables, luggage lugging and unfamiliar territory. Add in some hangry, crying kids, and suddenly your vacation from work becomes work. One way to reap the benefits of travel without incurring as many stressors is with a classic staycation. 

My preschooler and I recently spent the weekend in San Francisco. We only live 40 minutes away by car, but seeing the city through his “we’re-on-vacation-mama!” eyes made it feel new and exciting. We decided to ditch our car and take the ferry in, which gave us tremendous freedom. We walked everywhere we needed to go and he was more than happy to take a train or trolley for longer distances. We went to museums and parks. We ate and we napped. 

On our last night we went out for “Authentic Italian Gelato” (according to the sign) and I felt a pang of pressure to save up money and take him to Italy at some point in our lives. But while I watched him lick his gelato with glee, I realized that the destination matters way less to kids than the overall experience. What makes traveling with our families special is not how far we go or how much money we spend, it’s how connected we are as a family. If I’m stressed out and overwhelmed, connection is near impossible. 

We may not have been far from home, but our little staycation became one of our favorite vacations to date. Here are a few reasons you too may want to ditch the plane and stay local for your next family getaway. 

5 reasons to opt for a family staycation

1. Energy saving 

I’m still tired from our last cross-country flight with the kids and that was over a month ago. Getting to the airport on time while lugging car seats or boosters can be a real test of patience. It’s especially tough when your kids are exhausted and having meltdowns. Staying local often means access to your own car and setting your own schedule. Even if you need to take public transportation somewhere, it can be freeing and exciting for younger children, and maybe even for you. Not to mention the smaller carbon footprint!

2. Less expensive

A family member recently spent over ten thousand dollars to take his family of four to Disney World. Disney parks may have a special kind of magic but, most parents just don’t have those kinds of resources. Luckily, there are some pretty magical and affordable places in our own backyards. In addition to saving money on flights, many local hotels and museums offer discounts to residents. Google “Local Discounts” and the city you will be in and you will be surprised by how many kid-friendly places come up. The Association of Science and Technology Centers has a Passport Program which extends membership to over three hundred centers across the United States. I was shocked at how many places were local to me.

3. Time saving

My husband and I have both been traveling overseas since birth and we swore to one another we would not stop our wanderlust once we started our family, but navigating time zones and losing entire days to travel has become a lot more high stakes since having kids. Even short flights can mean flying into different time zones, which can make for some crabby kids. Sticking within driving, walking or ferrying distance means you don’t have to worry about any of that. 

4. Increased appreciation for home

The world is always brighter when I see it through my kids’ eyes. When my son and I took our staycation, we stayed at the 1 Hotel which is not only directly across the street from where the ferry let out (giving us major door-to-door service vibes), but it has incredible views of the iconic Ferry Building and Bay Bridge. My son was thrilled to be up close to famous landmarks we quickly drive past because we’re late for an appointment. Looking down from our room to the streets I used to drive up and down every week for work made them seem a whole lot prettier.  

5. You’re supporting your local economy

There are some macro benefits to staycations, too. Buying local is one way to help your community stay afloat. Many businesses are still recovering from the  shutdowns of 2020, if they were even able to stay in business. Small businesses are fuel for the American economy. Consciously choosing restaurants and shops that are not part of larger chains, is a wonderful way to support your community. It ensures people stay in their jobs and according to a 2022 Forbes article, the taxes local businesses pay are rerouted directly into your community.

You’re allowed to enjoy your vacation

My family values travel as a form of education and when we have the time and resources we still plan to do overseas travel with our kids. But knowing that we have the choice to stay local and keep things low key feels like a huge weight off our backs. Parents put so much pressure on themselves to have an Instagrammable vacation that they don’t stop to check if they and the kids are actually enjoying it. Your final destination is far less important than your journey getting there so, why not make that journey as easy and stress free as possible by staying local.