Mary Angel

(7/2018) Drum roll please! It is that time of year again. It seems like almost every year during the summer I am being driven to encourage all of you to try out a staycation. As we are a family of 6 we can quickly blow through any vacation money simply trying to pay for hotel rooms. So we have come up with a new (or almost new) staycation every year for four years. So my goal is to give you some ideas and places to start. Whether you have a day, a week, a small budget or an unlimited budget there is a staycation for you.

I am going to start with the free or very low cost staycation ideas. I want to make sure there is something for everyone. For those of you who are active I would recommend the many historical locations we have in our area. One year we explored the Gettysburg Battlefields. You can forgo the membership, museum and Circlorama, but if you have the money it is really pretty awesome. There is also Harper’s Ferry which is absolutely one of the most beautiful and quaint historical locations we have visited. In addition to these there is also Fort McHenry in Baltimore and a ton of monuments in DC. There are also quite a few historical homes in the area that have fabulous tours that range in price from inexpensive to a little pricey. The Zoo in D.C. is also free, but leave early because parking can be a bear. Not to be forgotten are the family friendly free movies at most theaters, the Kids Bowl Free program, and we have a family game day every year to keep cost down. On a side note some theaters offer a dollar movie and others will give you containers to share popcorn (with free refills might I add). As for the Kids Bowl Free Program, it can’t be beat. When you sign up, kids under 18 bowl 2 games free (on days specific to your bowling alley), so the only expense is shoes. Be sure to call ahead to book your lane since this program can cause a crowd.

As for the inexpensive there are just as many options. My first step in this section is to go on the Groupon website. Without Groupon our staycation wouldn’t be nearly as full of activities. We have tried places I had never even heard of before Groupon. We have experienced everything from a safari ride to cavern tours and home and garden tours to boat rides. The adventures on Groupon are always changing and the expenses range from small to great (but always discounted). When on Groupon be sure to check surrounding areas, since a little drive might lower your cost and help you discover an amazing adventure. Another suggestion would be to check out the website for any place you are considering for coupons or call them directly and ask if they have a discount day of the week. In the middle of the range is always Frederick Keys games. We love the Keys games because they are inexpensive and there isn’t a bad seat in the place. Some of our inexpensive staycation days involve food! We might do a free activity and follow that up with a meal at one of the kids’ favorite restaurants. Many outdoor activities fall into this category, whether we go mini golfing or visit to a community pool or get a Groupon for a paintball adventure; it is always a ton of fun.

In the expensive category there are a ton of activities. We find for our budget (which always depends on how much we have saved over the past year) we need to choose anywhere from 1 to 3 expensive activities. We have our staples of course. One trip to Sight and Sound on our first staycation and the kids were hooked. If you have never been it is the most amazing show I have ever seen! We have also been known to go to Dutch Apple Dinner Theater, the plus here is the meal is included and is quite a nice buffet. With 4 kids (3 of which are teenagers) any place that has a buffet is a good deal for us. I would like to interject a little life lesson I have learned planning all of these staycations for so many years, always compare apples to apples when pricing out activities. What I mean is, if a place includes a meal and another place doesn’t (especially if you would need to eat out on your way to or from the place that doesn’t include the meal) then you need to take that into the consideration of the prices. A day at an amusement park would also fall into this category and be a fabulous memory for everyone. Last year we did our first room escape, which can be very pricey for a family of 6, but we used a Groupon which brought the price down to much more affordable and introduced our children to one of their favorite staycation activities ever! Another excursion that can actually fall into moderate or expensive is the Turkey Hill Experience. The reason it can be either is because you pay one price to get in, which includes a bunch of activities and free samples of their ice creams and drinks. You can also pay an additional fee to create your own ice cream! This added fee is totally worth it and an absolute blast!!

So, whether you have a little money or a lot don’t overlook the idea of having a memory filled staycation with your family. Remember, for the cost of one nights hotel stay away from home your whole family could go to a Frederick Keys game and enjoy hotdogs and a hometown baseball game, do your first ever room escape, or go on a brand new adventure that even I haven’t thought of yet! Have a great summer and make some memories!

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