The rise of staycations is no secret; while the world was once consumed by far-off destinations and two-week cruises to nowhere, it now finds itself in much closer quarters. There is a myriad of reasons as to why these close-to-home vacations have become so popular, least of all is the fact that they're easy. Could there be another benefit to them, though, besides the obvious?
Science tells us that human beings simply work better when daily life is broken up with some type of brief moratorium. In modern times, this is what a vacation is designed to do - but are there any benefits to taking one that's close to home? Let's find out.
Staycation Vs. Vacation
By definition, a staycation is a vacation that's done within close range of one's home or even in their own home. It doesn't necessarily mean that a person is staying somewhere nearby which, obviously, yields a very different result than that of an actual vacation. When thinking of the latter, we often forget that there are stressors involved from the planning process all the way up to the arrival.
These include:
- Arranging airfare plus the price tag that comes with it
- Booking hotels in another country
- Money conversions and calculating sales tax
- Determining what to pack for an international trip
- Airport stress such as checking in, waiting in lines, canceled or delayed flights
- Unknown fees that are processed after the fact
- Public transportation or renting a car in an unfamiliar place
It's easy enough to forget all of these things once a person is on vacation because the notion of just being away from it all, in general, is a great distraction. However, it's that same feeling of 'being away from it all' that accounts for the science behind a staycation.
The Benefits Of A Staycation
There are many, but the most important benefits come from those which contrast with that of planning an actual vacation. To compare and contrast with the points listed above, these are the stressors that no longer become stressors when one has 'booked' a staycation:
- As soon as a person arrives home or their local destination, the vacation begins
- There's no lost travel time because of flights or long drives
- Travelers can use their own car or familiar public transportation
- There's no language barrier
- There's no need for money exchanges
- If something is forgotten while packing, it's easy enough to pick up or buy on the road
- No flights mean no jet lag
- There's no airport stress, or less stress if the flight is domestic and local
Already, a staycation is probably looking pretty good in comparison. Additionally, the argument goes even further when the notion is realized that, in the event of an emergency, one's home is perhaps only a few towns away, an hour's drive away, or a quick flight back. According to Global Gladding, this is one major facet of taking a staycation that many people don't realize. It's not the idea of taking a staycation so that in case something happens, home is still nearby; rather, it's the reassurance of knowing that if something were to occur, getting home would be a non-issue.
The emotional keynotes of a staycation play a large role in why, and how, staycations are taken, as well. Global Gladding claims that a staycation allows travelers to get a 'similar buzz' by discovering things in one's own backyard rather than traveling halfway across the world for something foreign and unknown. There's a major serotonin boost in discovering a beautiful place that's so close to where one lives, and it's not all theoretic - it's science. Finding ways to commune with nature has also given rise to national park vacations, as well. Travelers are finding that the beauty they seek might not be within a city but, rather, outdoors where things are tranquil - thus contrasting the chaos that has been the last couple of years.
For The Pet Owners Of The World, Staycations Are Everything
Another simple, yet entirely accurate, reason that many people are choosing staycations is that they are pet-friendly. Whether it's a dog-friendly hotel suite or a pet-friendly Airbnb rental on the lake, travelers are enjoying the pride they get out of exploring a new place with their four-legged best friends.
Waving goodbye to one's pup from the car doesn't compare to opening the car door for them, and staycations make the process of bringing them along so much easier. In terms of boosting serotonin and overall mood, this is one major reason staycations are here to stay (no pun intended).