How to have a holiday at home

We all love our holidays, time off and away from the mundane routines of everyday life. However, for many of us, going away on holiday, even in the UK, might not be the most appealing prospect right now. Whether you are someone with health concerns about travel or are a stair lift user who would just rather stay put at the moment, this mentality is more than understandable. However, this doesn’t mean your holiday options are gone. In this article, we look at how people can enjoy a holiday at home, with tips and advice for being creative with your free time, relaxing, and enjoying yourself like if you were actually going away. So, for those looking to bring in that holiday feeling, without actually jetting off anywhere, this article is for you.

Plan your days in advance

Planning is a key ingredient for any successful holiday, and this includes holidays at home. Claire, from the travel blog Tin Box Traveller, has shared with us her tips and advice for enjoying a holiday at home and emphasises the importance of planning ahead:

“It's so easy to be distracted by DIY jobs and general household chores if you are holidaying at home. So, my best tip is to plan your days in advance, just like you would on holiday away from home. Pick some local days out or places to go for a walk and picnic. Buy ingredients for your favourite foreign dishes and dine like you are abroad. Make a reading list or buy some magazines to flick through like you would if you were by the pool. Importantly, make a promise to yourself to not do the washing and ignore the housework, even if it's just for a few days.”

Watch travel films and make photo albums

Since you aren’t actually travelling for this holiday, Tamara, from the travel blog Girls Wanderlust, shared some tips with us for making it feel like you are actually in a far-flung destination: “There are many ways to experience a holiday feeling without actually travelling. In my opinion, watching travel movies and/or documentaries really provides that holiday feeling. You'll learn more about a certain destination and at the same time, it feels like you're actually at that location! Another tip is to make a photobook of your last trips (if you haven't done it already). When being busy with creating this photobook, it's easy to imagine yourself back on that holiday. You'll get a dose of happiness!”

Set a budget

When we go away for a trip or on holiday abroad, we would normally have a budget in mind, with spending money allocated for meals, gifts, activities, accommodation etc. Well now that you are enjoying some time off at home, you can utilise those funds for enjoying yourself in your local area. So, set yourself a budget, figuring how much you want to spend each day, then craft your home holiday within those limits. It might encourage you to do more things that you normally wouldn’t and make your time at home feel more like an actual holiday.

Treat yourself

A holiday away is a treat so this mentality should certainly transfer to your holiday at home. This is a time to really enjoy life, treating yourself to things that you normally wouldn’t during sensible everyday life. You could buy yourself an item you have been eyeing up for months, eat out at a fancy restaurant, and spend lots of time pampering yourself. Think of all that time you would spend relaxing on the beach or by the pool when away, well pampering yourself at home should certainly be on the agenda.

Little London Magazine suggests indulging in some home luxuries such as creating your very own spa experience: “No holiday would be complete without a trip to the spa. Fortunately, you can do exactly this without even leaving your home. To recreate the spa experience, treat yourself to a luxurious robe and slippers, and deck your bathroom out with all of the candles, oils, creams, and masks that you need to feel like you’ve had that five-star experience.”

Be spontaneous

Enjoying a holiday at home is all about replicating your behaviour when you have actually gone away. This often involves bringing a level of spontaneity to your day, choosing to do random activities, things that you normally wouldn’t do, anything that strikes you as being fun in the moment, get out there and do it. This will make your days feel more like if you were away in some faraway destination. It could be heading out for brunch, going for a scenic stroll, or doing something you’ve always wanted but never actually done.

Enjoy destination-themed meals

If you were away on your holidays, you would likely be enjoying the local cuisine of your chosen destination, something that is an enjoyable and memorable part of any trip. Well, why not bring that approach to your holiday at home by sampling different destination themed meals throughout the week, it would certainly make dinner time feel special compared to normal.

Gabriel, from the travel blog I am Foodie Traveler, shares the following tip in this regard: “Choose every evening a different international cuisine that you can order from many home-delivery restaurants. Create that specific atmosphere, like the one where you spend your evenings on vacation or go out if you can/want. End your evening with delicious chocolate candies accompanied by a glass of liquor or wine, if you prefer.”

Explore your local area

You may think you have seen all that your local city or town has to offer but, in all likelihood, you will be surprised by the things you have yet to see and do. So, during your holiday at home, take the time to explore your local area, bringing a sense of adventure to your time off. Perhaps there is a local walk you have never enjoyed, a historical attraction that has gone un-visited, or a museum that strikes your fancy. Have a little look, do some research, and head out for a day of exploration. You never know, you might just discover some new favourite locations in the process.

Change up your routine

Our normal routines are inevitably broken when we go away on holiday. Instead of everyday chores, we are relaxing, our meals are eaten at different times, we get up and go to bed at varying hours. Well, to bring that sense of being away to your holiday at home, a big step will be to change up your daily routine. This will help get you into the mindset of being on holiday. So, enjoy a late dinner if you like, stay up late, keep the cereal in the cupboard and have eggs for breakfast, whatever you feel like doing. Leave the old routine for next week when you are back to regular life.

Stay at a local hotel

Just because you don’t want to go away abroad or to another part of the country, doesn’t mean you can’t get away from the house for a night or two. If you feel comfortable with doing so, why not book yourself in for a short stay at a lovely local hotel? You can enjoy being in different surroundings, dining at the hotel’s restaurant, have afternoon tea, or take advantage of room service. The hotel might even have a pool and other leisure facilities that you can enjoy. If you are finding that you are unable to break free from normal life when at home, getting a room somewhere local that has a good reputation might be just the solution!

Tips for enjoying a holiday at home

• Plan your days in advance
• Watch travel films and make photo albums
• Set a budget
• Treat yourself
• Be spontaneous
• Enjoy destination-themed meals
• Explore your local area
• Change up your routine
• Stay at a local hotel

As you can see, there are plenty of ways that you can bring that feeling of being on holiday to time spent at home. Going away can be nice but if it is not an option for you right now, consider some of the tips above and create a relaxing holiday in your home environment. A lot of fun can be had with a little creativity and getting into the holiday mindset.

For more tips, news, and advice, make sure to visit our news page.

This news article is from Companion Stairlifts. Articles that appear on this website are for information purposes only.