We all know times are tough and unpredictable right now, but it’s summer and we all need to have some sort of vacation! If you are on a budget or just love your home, here are a few ways to have the most relaxing and fun staycation!

Buy an Inflatable Pool

Inflatable pools are a great way to bring back childhood memories and soak up the sun in a cool and relaxing way! Stores like Walmart or Target sell all kinds, types, and sizes of inflatable pools for any budget! Looking to splurge a bit to add to the fun? Buy inflatable drink holders or even games! There’s nothing like grabbing your favorite bathing suit and chilling by a pool in the comfort of your own space.

Enjoy Your Favorite Summer Drinks

            Whether it’s lemonade, iced tea, or any other fun summer drinks, these are a necessity to make it feel like a summer vacation! You can search online or even on Pinterest to find some fun summery drinks for adults and kids!

Here is a recipe for one of my favorite drinks:

            2 cups orange juice

            2 cups cranberry juice

            1 cup pineapple juice

            1 cup of ginger ale

This drink is so refreshing, and it is one of my family’s favorites when we get together. If you are 21 or older, I’m sure you can think of some other fun ways to add to it as well!

Play Backyard Games
            Games are a great way to have some fun and get a little competitive! Of course, you can go to the store/order online and buy your favorite games or you can get crafty and make your own! For this, Pinterest is a great website to explore your creativity, and it has all sorts of ideas depending on how difficult you want your craft to be! An example could be going to the store and getting wood and making your own life-size Jenga, or getting some empty buckets around the house and making an at-home BucketBall game!

At-Home Spa

            Treat yourself with an at-home spa! Spas can be expensive, but you can get the same relaxation at home on a budget! What I like to do is go to the store and get face masks, go home and light a scented candle and just relax. However you like to pamper yourself, whether it is an at-home manicure and pedicure or face masks, just relax and unwind. Stores like Target or Walgreens have the best products to fit any need you have, for an inexpensive price! If you don’t feel like going to the store, Amazon is also a great option!

Explore Parks in Your Area

Summer is all about exploring the outdoors! It doesn’t matter if you are in Illinois or Wisconsin, there are so many places for you to go on an adventure. Plus, parks make it really easy to social-distance from other people since they are so large and everyone is so spread out. In Illinois, some popular destinations are Starved Rock State Park and Rock Cut State Park. I have personally been to Starved Rock a couple of times and each time, I absolutely love it. They have a ton of hiking trails for you to adventure on and they all have beautiful views! The famous waterfall is definitely a perfect place for a photo opportunity! This is a place where you could spend all day, so plan accordingly by bringing a backpack with water, bug spray, sunscreen, etc. For other parks in Illinois, visit https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/Parks/Pages/default.aspx to find parks nearest you! In Wisconsin, Devils Lake State Park is a hot spot. I have personally have not been there, but I have heard nothing but great things! Visit https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/devilslake/ to learn more!

The main reason to take a staycation is to relax and unwind! There are so many ways to do this, and everyone is different! You can grab a good book, take a nap, have a game night, take up a new Netflix series, or watch your favorite movies! Whatever helps you relax the most is what you should do. Turn off your phone for a while and take some time for yourself because you deserve it.