Life can be overwhelmingly stressful. From a crazy work schedule to a non-stop personal life, everyone needs a break sometimes. The unfortunate truth, though, is that going on a vacation can be expensive as well as mentally taxing. Organizing hotels, plane rides, road trips, things to do, etc. while also worrying about a budget and not being familiar with the area you are visiting makes planning these vacations almost as stressful as everyday life. Thankfully, there is a bit of an alternative—a staycation. Unlike a vacation where you have to go somewhere else, during a staycation you would stay in your own home. You would set aside specific time to do things that help you relax and escape from your daily routine. Things like a relaxing bath or a walk around a local trail will help you unwind from the monotony of regular life and save you a ton of money in the long run.
Something that can be very relaxing and help a lot of people unwind is an at-home spa experience. You could try taking a bath with a bath bomb or bath salts, spending a little extra time in the shower, trying a face mask, lighting a nicely scented candle, or even painting your nails. Anything that allows yourself to be immersed in relaxation and comfort.
Perhaps a bath isn’t really your style; maybe all you really need to do is turn your mind off for a while and focus on something like a movie. Some of the common essentials for a movie night are a movie and popcorn, but you could go a little beyond by ordering pizza for the night or your favorite take-out food. You could even let yourself indulge on some candy or a special drink. Being in comfortable clothes while munching on your favorite food and watching a new or favorite movie is a great way to get your mind off of your busy and hectic life.
If you want to get out of your house while you’re on your staycation, you might want to try one of the local trails. While we don’t have mountain ranges in Tallahassee, we do have a few beautiful trails. Lafayette Heritage Trail has a mix of different levels of trails and even biking trails. While going through, you might want to look for Bill’s Trail; it’s a little side path that eventually leads into a clearing with a bunch of different activities for kids and water for animal companions as well as just a sight to see. There isn’t a specific path to get to Bill’s Trail, but there are little signs along the way. Another trail to try out is the Oak Hammock Loop Trail in Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park. The trail is bike and animal friendly. If you’re looking for somewhere to bike with a smoother path, St. Mark’s Historic Railroad State Trail has well-maintained, paved, and bike-friendly paths that are great for everyone. Either way, you will be able to exercise as well as spend some time in nature.
Keeping with the theme of getting out of the house, you also might want to try to go to the beach. Thankfully, one of the benefits of living in Florida is that beach season lasts longer for us. One beach that isn’t too far away is Alligator Point. It has multiple spots for beach access, and the public beach area is quite expansive. Unfortunately, parking can be a bit of an issue; but if you go early enough, it shouldn’t be that big of a problem. With Alligator Point being only about an hour away, sometimes a little bit more with traffic, it’s a really good choice for a beach day-trip. Another beach, only about 30 more minutes southeast than Alligator Point, is St. George Island. Just as beautiful as Alligator Point and a little bit bigger, it would also be a great choice for a beach day. If a little bit longer of a journey doesn’t bother you, other beaches to check out are Panama City Beach, Destin, or Rosemary Beach. Panama City Beach offers not only beautiful beaches but places like mini-golf and beachside restaurants as well. Destin is very well taken care of as well as having something for everyone; there are places to shop for those that don’t want to spend all their time at the beach as well as restaurants. Rosemary Beach, though, is probably one of the most popular beaches in the panhandle. With everything so close and compact, it’s easy to spend the day there. If you don’t mind driving closer to around two and a half hours each way, these beaches are also wonderful options.
A staycation is a great way to reap all the benefits of a vacation—relaxing, trying something new, or spending time with loved ones—without all the added stress, especially with having to contend with Covid-19. These are just a few ways that you can take your mind off of your everyday life and try to unwind. While these are only a few options to get your thought process going, any of these possibilities would be a great way to spend a long weekend or even just a day. Time is always valuable, but sometimes it’s best to take a step back and let yourself breathe for a day or two or even just a night. It’s a great way to reset and get back to your routine refreshed and ready to go. 
Caroline Murkey
Home & Yard Magazine
