16 Staycation Ideas: How to Create the Ultimate SummerVacation at Home

Summertime brings warmer weather, longer days, and dreams of vacations to beaches or new cities. But what happens when your vacation gets canceled, you’re budgeting to afford a new house, or travel just isn’t possible because we still need to stay at home? The answer is simple enjoy a vacation at home. Whether it's creating a spa in your bathroom or turning your dining space into a restaurant, here are some simple and fun staycation ideas you can use to transform your home into the ultimate summer vacation.

Spruce up your backyard

Whether you live in a condo in Dallas and just have a small patio, or you live in Phoenix with a large backyard and a pool, there’s a handful of simple updates you can do to give your backyard a resort-like feel.

1. Freshen up your garden with new plants

Make your backyard feel more like a paradise by planting some new flowers or greenery. Whether that’s adding in-season plants or experimenting with a new flower, like gardenias, they’ll add a paradise-like feel and give new life to your backyard. If you don’t have a green thumb, contact your local landscaping company to turn your garden into a tropical paradise.

2. Give your outdoor furniture an upgrade

Whether that’s re-paneling your Adirondack chairs or purchasing some new outdoor cushions for your pool lounges, changing up your outdoor furniture can make all the difference. If you’ve been meaning to invest in a new patio table or a cozy hammock chair, what better time than before your staycation?

3. Brighten up your backyard with lights

By adding some new lights to your backyard or patio, it’ll upgrade your staycation evenings as the sun sets. The options are endless, from simple LED tiki torches to having a professional install a custom lighting landscape. Adding lights will bring that magical vacation feel to your backyard and keep your staycation going throughout the summer.

4. Set up an outdoor audio system

Whether you’re planning on dining in your backyard or setting up a movie night, you’ll want to add speakers or a sound system to your outdoor space. Think about investing in an audio setup that works throughout your home as well as outdoors, making it useful throughout the year. This simple upgrade will help transform your backyard into the ultimate staycation set-up.

Recreate a spa in your bathroom

One of the most popular staycation ideas is transforming your bathroom into a spa. Luckily, you don’t have to sacrifice relaxation during your staycation. With a few simple changes, you can easily recreate a tranquil retreat in your bathroom or en suite.

5. Clear out any visible counter clutter

Make sure to tidy up your bathroom and clear off any clutter on the countertops. Now’s a great time to throw out any old products you haven’t used in a while and make your space as clean as possible.

6. Light candles and set up oil diffusers

Whether you have extra candles lying around in a cabinet or prefer to use essential oils, now’s the time to bring them out. Scents of lavender and bergamot essential oils will help bring that spa feel to your home. If you want a beach-side atmosphere instead, consider lighting a coconut vanilla candle.

7. Splurge on the amenities

While spending a spa day in your bathroom may not seem like the most luxurious at-home vacation, it can be with some new towels, robes, and other spa favorites. Splurging on nice towels will bring a luxurious feel to your normal bathroom and maybe even pick up some spa essentials from your favorite local spa to really feel like you’re on vacation.

Redecorate your living room into a lounge

You’ve likely been spending a lot of time in your living room these days and are getting used to the same scenery. If you are looking for a more unique staycation idea, then consider updating your living room. With a few redecorating tips you can transform your living room into a brand new space reminiscent of a hotel lounge.

8. Rearrange your furniture

Give new life to your living space by rearranging your furniture in a way you hadn’t thought of before. Try moving your couch across the room or pulling some lounge chairs from another room in your house. By simply moving around furniture in your living room or consulting with an interior designer, you can easily create a new look.

9. Change up pillows, throws, and decor

Sprucing up your current decor is an easy way to upgrade to your living room and bring that vacation feeling to life. Think about switching out pillow covers or blankets to something more colorful. Another easy swap is changing up your bookshelves by displaying trinkets from past vacations or adding some travel books to your coffee table.

10. Create a minibar

If you’ve always wanted to decorate your end tables with liquor bottles or set up a minibar in the corner of the room, test it out. All you’ll need is a table to house your favorite drinks, as well as some cocktail supplies like glasses, shakers, and stirrers for a simple yet functional minibar. This may be one of the staycation ideas you end up liking so much that it becomes a permanent home bar setup after your staycation has ended.

Turn your dining space into a restaurant

This is one of the simplest, yet most transformative staycation ideas. By easily changing the feel of your dining room, you can make it more reminiscent of a cozy restaurant for a date night or a cafe you’d find on vacation.

11. Add flowers or plants to create a centerpiece

Order a nice flower arrangement from your favorite florist or take some flowers from your backyard to spruce up the interior of your kitchen. If you have access to a garden center, pick up some plants that remind you of your favorite summer vacation spots to create a colorful centerpiece for your dining table.

12. Make use of your formal dining room and nice dish ware

When was the last time you ate dinner in your formal dining room that wasn’t for a holiday or special occasion? Treat your staycation like a special occasion and have your meals in your dining room. Better yet, put your nicer dishware to use as if you were dining at a Michelin star restaurant for a date night.

13. Turn your outdoor space into a cozy dining area

There’s no need to worry about forgetting to book an outdoor table at your favorite restaurant when you vacation at home. Adding a seating or dining area will upgrade your staycation. If your outdoor tables have seen better days, spend an afternoon cleaning off that furniture or adding a fresh coat of paint or lacquer to those well-loved dining chairs.

Transform your bedroom into a hotel suite

For many people, escaping to a relaxing destination and staying at a nice hotel is one of the best parts of a vacation. You can easily transform your current bedroom into a luxury escape with a few tweaks to your current decor.

14. Switch your bed linens

Chances are you have some spare linens saved for the occasional house guest, so now’s the time to break them out. Switching out your current bedding for freshly cleaned white linens will help evoke that tranquil calmness of a resort during your staycation.

15. Spend the night in your guest bedroom

Better yet, if you’ve got a spare bedroom, plan to spend your staycation nights here. Without guests, your spare bedroom may be going unused, so make use of it as your dedicated hotel room. You’ll get a break from your normal nightly routine and wake up to different scenery without having to change a thing.

16. Update your framed photos with vacation photos

Spice up your current decor with pictures of those far-away places you planned on traveling to this summer, like a beautiful national park. Print out your favorite photos, or ones from past vacations, to remind you of the pristine beaches or evergreen forests while you enjoy your vacation at home.

Collaboration: Mekaila Oaks