STAYCATION IDEA #5: THE BEACH!
Many people nowadays are on a tight budget. If you are admittedly one of these people, then know that there are many inexpensive yet fun ways of spending a vacation at home. Staycation, which is defined as enjoying a vacation at home or at a nearby location, is possible by going to the beach with family and friends.
If you live in Florida, California, or Hawaii, then finding a beautiful beach will not be an issue. To name a few, there’s Siesta Beach, St. Pete, Pensacola, Ka’anapali, Kailua Beach Park, La Jolla Cove, and Newport Beach. To those living in areas away from the coastline, on the other hand, driving a few miles away to reach a beach resort would probably not hurt your pocket.
Is the scorching summer heat enticing you to cool off in a resort with white sand? If your answer is yes, then here are few ways on how you can enjoy a staycation at the beach but avoid outrageous spending.
How to Enjoy a ‘Thrifty’ Staycation at the Beach
Research – There is nothing wrong with being spontaneous. However, a ‘spur–of–the–moment’ attitude is not recommended to those who want to save some bucks. This means that the first thing to do if you want to go to the beach is to actually look for a beach. Choose the one that’s nearest to your location. Know the distance and the travel time.Schedule – After knowing where you want to go, the next thing to do is plan the date. If you are planning to go with the rest of the family, then gather them during your free time such as dinner and make a plan. If this will be a staycation with friends, then call each one and decide the schedule.Book ahead of time – When the dates are all set, go ahead and book a room in advance. This is if you are planning to stay at a beach resort for a couple of nights or over the weekends. Aside from the assurance that you have a confirmed reservation, booking in advance is way cheaper than booking on the same day of check in.Prepare and pack in advance – When going somewhere, even if it is just few miles away from home, preparing and packing in advance is always ideal. Doing so leaves a very little chance of forgetting the essentials.
Here are some of the things you will need when going to the beach:
√ Extra clothes, underwear and a couple of towels
√ Slippers
√ Sunglasses, hat, and sunscreen
√ Umbrellas are optional if the beach resort you are going to provides parasols
√ Food and water
√ And of course, your best swimwear!
Do not forget the cooler! – Aside from water and soft drinks, you might want to put some bottles of ice–cold tequila in the cooler. Most beach resorts surely have stores and/or restaurants that sell these drinks and other liquor, but expect for the price to be sky–rocketing.
Lastly, rather than renting, parents are advised to bring their own bucket and shovel toys, swim rings, and beach balls for the kids to enjoy.
As what we said in our previous article entitled Staycation Idea #4: The Pool, enjoying a staycation is not about spending much. It is about preparing the essentials and spending time with the right people!
