by Ann Hinds

Created on: May 17, 2009   Last Updated: August 29, 2009

The newest trend is a staycation. While some think it is a recently coined word for a stay-at-home vacation, according to wikipedia, staycation was used for the first time in 2003. It is popular right now with the weaker economy but many people have been vacationing at home for years. There are many reasons to vacation in your own hometown.

Work or the kids schedules may prevent a trip out of town. You really want to get away but there are things holding you back. Vacationing in your hometown makes working around schedules easier. You can still attend your child's baseball game. You can still do the Saturday overtime and return to your vacation spots where the cares of the day can melt away.

Plan a day trip to your local historical sites or attractions. Most people only notice their hometown attractions when they have out-of-town guests and many have never been. Planning a vacation at home should include these often-missed places. Pack a picnic lunch and learn about your hometown. Pretend to be tourists. Sling a camera around your neck, don the Hawaiian shirt and put on the sunglasses. The kids love this.

Many places have transportation that will take them to the larger downtown areas. A trip on the train to a major metropolis opens the door to a variety of adventures. Museums, parks, beaches and dining are all within reach for a hometown vacation. Traveling by train stretches your imagination and takes you places you did not expect.

Save money on gasoline or air travel and plan a stay at your hometown hotel. While you are still at home, being in a new place with all the amenities can make your feel as if you are far from home. This is great for vacation for families with children. The kids love the pools and it is a great jumping off place to visit attractions in the surrounding area.

If there is a downside to vacationing in your own hometown, it is that home is literally around the corner. If you think of something that needs to be done, it is hard to resist the urge to run home. The camp is setup and you are on your way down to the lake. You grab for your chair and realize that it is at home. You hop in the car and within a half an hour; you are sitting at the lake with the water lapping around your feet.

The upside of vacationing in your own hometown is that once you are there, it becomes a place out of time. Sitting with your feet in the lake is a much different view that the one from your kitchen window. The lake is a few miles from home but that is easy to forget as you enjoy the sights and sounds that are not part of your daily routine.

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