10 of the Best Spring Staycation Ideas This Year
These spring staycations are perfect for planning a creative budget trip close to home.
Lakefront cabins, state park trails, kayak adventures — these spring staycation ideas will give you tons of inspiration for planning a crowd-free and budget-friendly spring break vacation this year.
Some ideas will send you off on mini road trips hunting for fields of wildflowers or swimming holes, but many you can do right in your own backyard on the cheap for a true spring vacation staycation.
If you’re ready to plan the ultimate staycation in spring this year with your family or a couple of close friends, keep reading!
Rent a Cabin
If you want to staycation this spring without traveling far from home, consider changing up the scenery and renting a cabin, chalet or beach bungalow nearby. If you’re on a tight budget, you can look for creative options like glampsites and camper cabins that have fewer frills.
Look for something near a national park or forest for hiking out your backdoor or on the waterfront for boating and swimming. Cabins can also make a perfect romantic couple’s staycation.
Visit a State or National Park
With the warming weather and blooming flowers, spring is the perfect time to get outside at your nearest park. Even if you don’t have a famous national park within driving distance, you can look for national forests and landmarks or state parks to find trails and waterways.
Many state and national parks have places for camping or cabins to rent, so it’s easy to have a spring staycation in the great outdoors. I like investing in my state’s annual state park pass so that I can visit several parks for one set fee. Many parks also have fun and creative accommodation options like cabins and glamping.
Go Boating
Nothing says spring break vacation like getting out on the water. Try kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding on a local river or rent a pontoon to take the family out for a day on the lake.
To stretch it into a longer staycation, look for a lakefront cabin or floating houseboat to book for the week.
Travel from Home
One of the most budget-friendly ways to have a spring staycation this year is to host it in your own home. If you don’t want to do the same ole weekend activities, though, consider planned a travel staycation themed around one of your favorite vacations or a country on your bucket list.
You can watch movies and read books about the destination, cook traditional dishes, learn some phrases in the local language, and look up cultural customs and crafts.
To make it even more exciting, use the staycation to start planning a trip to your theme country. Make a budget, read some blogs and pin all the places you want to visit.
Go to the Beach
Spring break at the beach may be an obvious and popular choice, but it can make a great staycation option if you plan it right. If the ocean or a lake are in road-tripping distance, consider skipping the big hotels and renting a private home or an RV to have your own little vacation oasis.
Look for state parks on beaches to find cheap oceanfront camping options. Galveston Island State Park is a great option if you’re near Texas.
Beach too far away or expensive? Create your own beach escape in the backyard with lawn chairs, a sandbox, a kiddie pool or sprinklers, and a picnic lunch featuring tropical drinks.
Check in to a Resort
A staycation in spring is a great chance to check into a nearby resort property or fancy hotel with lots of amenities. If you live within a short drive of a popular vacation destination, you’ll probably have tons of options with features like swimming pools, spas and onsite dining.
Spring is a popular time for vacation resorts, especially ones on the waterfront, so if you’d rather avoid the high prices and crowds, consider setting up your own at-home version. You can try DIY spa treatments, play water games with the kids in the backyard, and cook up a buffet of foods like you’d find on a cruise.
Hunt for Flowers
With flowering plants and trees in full bloom, a spring staycation in the great outdoors is extra stunning. Head off for a bike ride by wildflower fields or visit a local farm to buy fresh cuts. You can even plan out a photoshoot featuring rows of tulips in Washington, hills of bluebonnets in Texas or magnolia trees in the southeast U.S.
Hit the Trails
For an outdoorsy spring vacation, check out some of the trails around your neighborhood or just outside your city. You can check the AllTrails app to learn about the top-rated hikes near you.
Combine a hike or bike ride with a simple picnic, or turn it into an overnight thing by camping out or staying in a nearby cabin.
Camp Out
Spring has some of the best weather for camping and the most popular national parks and forests are much less crowded in April and May than the busy season. Even many state parks have campgrounds, and there is likely one in a day-tripping distance from where you live.
If you want to stay even closer to home, setting up a camping experience in your backyard is a fun spring staycation activity. Pull out all the tents and gear but use a fire pit or grill to roast the hotdogs and marshmallows. You can still tell ghost stories, sing campfire songs and listen to the still sounds at night (as long as you don’t live in the city).
Picnic in the Park
Spring picnics can be as simple as sandwiches and lemonade on a blanket in the backyard, but you can also jazz them up by packing your favorite charcuterie or picking a global theme.
Turn picnicking into a full-day event by canoeing or hiking to a scenic viewpoint or road tripping to a local park or waterfront.
