10 Staycation Ideas this summer
vacation time! Staycation ideas!
Travel far or stay near there is always plenty of vacation left to add some staycation ideas and making memories before everyone walks through the revolving house door and back to school in August.
Plenty of staycation ideas, but if you're itching to stretch your legs over that big Atlantic pond, here are three good places to add, dream about, or just take a glimpse for the pretty pictures ;)
London Girls Trip last May
Family trip to Barcelona.
Rome – Tour it like an Italian
If no plane is on your radar, but you want something to do for the weekend::
Exhibits in Chicago
Now read me out on this one...it's time to stretch your legs + see old art in a new way. You might even re-think how you can start painting your first masterpiece. Or maybe your first stick-figure NFT {I hear it's a thang}.
Chicago art is everywhere in the city. If you missed the Van Gogh Immersion experience here are a few others still open and worth your staycation::
Experience immersive art with lights, movement, music, and ice cream. Even if you're not an "arts person", this is a pretty cool way to light up all your senses, and it’s definitely more fun than walking from room to room staring at a framed painting on a wall.
Not near Chicago? Google “immersive art shows or exhibits” to see the closest one to you.
Staycation Binge Watching
This staycation idea keeps you right at home, in your fuzzy, pink, yoga pants. Stay in and binge-watch Netflix, Apple TV, Disney+…
Have you seen Emily in Paris? In season one, Emily and Gabriel are at one of these interactive art exhibits. If you haven't seen that series yet, here's your recommendation from none other than...former Hall-of-Famer + funny guy, Payton Manning. He gushes over Emily in Paris - "I mean, this show has everything...!" 😂 And her wardrobe in season one is très chic!
"Oooo-la-la, No you didn't, girl!" SNL Payton.
There's a rainy summer day binge watching right there. Stay in your PJ'S and watch seasons one + two of Emily in Paris - the episodes are only twenty minutes long!
Staycation idea 3::
No booooo-ing, no cup-throwing at the screen, and no comments from the peanut gallery!
Well, comments at the end of this post are fun - just no ridiculing that I’m not a real sports fan if I’ve never been to Wrigley Field before now.
Take me out to the ball game, take me out to Wrigley Field. We’ve lived in Northern Illinois for the last 17 years, and this summer was the first time we went to Wrigley Field to see the Cubs play. They lost and it was blazing hot, but an EXPERIENCE it was!
Chicago crime tour idea
If moving art seems more like a way to take a nap rather than spend a summer afternoon, then how about a Chicago Crime Syndicate? {Said in a murderous Liam Neeson movie voice, for effect}
Jump aboard the Chicago Crime Tour and see stops for the notorious Al Capone + John Dillinger. No artwork here, only true crime stops.
The Show Experience Ideas
If you're venturing to other fun cities this summer, you might match up with The FRIENDS Experience stops. They were in Chicago last year, and they rank on the Top 5 Best Attractions list {of course!}. If Friends is your lobster, add it to your staycation. They are 'on a break' from Chicago this year.
The Queen’s Ball:: Bridgerton Experience is touring too, so if you’re a fan of that Netflix series, get your tickets and a pretty gown in your neighborhood..
Staycation Chicago Food Stops
{Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, + a coffee stop}::
Because, ya’know, not all coffee is the same, and trying all of it can be a lifelong goal. I'm still rounding up my perfect coffee {and wine} list. I’ll circle back to you in about 10 more years or so. My tasting collection for should be complete for you. 😉
Eleven City Diner is on my list. With all-day breakfast and sky-high stacked meat sandwiches for Brian, it's a must-try. I'm going for the home brew root beer {they have to have a float with that, right?}
RJ Grants. Their digital chopped salad bar has me intrigued for sure. And the invite..."Come on in and take a byte"
The 2D Restaurant sings to my creative + simple side of life. When you create a food experience like this, I could stay all day. But then that Seinfeld episode pops into my head…"You been here 4-our - you go now!", and I re-think getting my coffee and donut to go.
Eataly is on a revolving-repeat visit for me. Italian cafe, chocolate, dinner, cho-co-lat, my take-home olive oil, gelato…oh, and chocolate with coffee.
After this collection of staycation ideas, I think I’ll do a round-up of food, wine, coffee, hiking, and theatres in Walla Walla, too. A Washington state post of staycation ideas. I’m starting to think I call too many states ‘home’. Oh well, it brings serious fun, joy, and merriment to collect all these ideas for you.
‘Merriment’…Emma would be so proud of me extending my ‘fun’ vocabulary.
Staycations can have an overnight
If you're staying for the night in downtown, make your stay more interesting with a vacation rental that give you more stretch space than a hotel room.
The first:: an airbnb that comes with a view. Ya know, in case you want to stay in your yoga pants all day with coffee and a list of book titles. I've added this airbnb to my downtown Chicago stay-spot because of their outdoor garden space.
But if this is an on-the-run, stay for two + catch a baseball game kinda stay, try this lofty stay near Wrigley field. Industrial feel and that blue couch gives off a Central Perk big city feel. We went to a noon game at Wrigley, so no overnight for us. But next time, I know where we’re staying!
A Vrbo place that caught my eye for the whole family is centered in 'Little Italy' of the city. If the whole family is going for a few-day-staycation, you'll be saying, "ciao bella" by the time you leave. If you never make it to Walla Walla for our little slice of Italy stay, then this one looks pretty good.
General Staycation ideas near you
These two places are all over the country right now to help you eeescape for an hour.
Pretty sure I never, nevvver, thought I'd be writing about throwing an axe for fun. But here we are, and seeing it everywhere!
But before you grab that axe, test your clue-solving talents at the Sycamore Escape Rooms next door. Not in Sycamore? Search “escape rooms” - they are everywhere today. Guess we all want to escape to a make-believe place to solve puzzles and escape a locked room before time runs out.
How well do you perform under pressure + a timer + your peeps skittering in a small themed room to find the magic key?
Win or lose, they'll let you out eventually, and you can walk next door to test your axe-throwing skills at Northern Axeposure. I had no idea this was a thang. Should we be concerned when the website writes:: CLOSED-TOE SHOES REQUIRED? Are my cloth-top sneakers an impenetrable defense against that axe!?
I'm skeptical, but I'll give it a throw.
There you be! 10 staycation ideas that will get you out of the house and making some memories!
Check out these posts for travel ideas too::
Glamping {might even fall under staycation ideas since it’s only 60 minutes away, if you’re in the Chicago area}
So what staycation ideas do you have in mind TO TRY?
💖xo Andrea
