Also keep in mind that some cities (like Savannah, GA-where we live), you can get a city pass if you are a resident and get a discount for being local. Just proof of residence (your ID is fine) is all that’s required. Check into something like that in your town too, if it is prone to tourism.

Derrick

Ps – Heard a great idea. My wife’s cousin is serving in the Army, at Pearl Harbor. When a gaggle of relatives descended on him, instead of getting a set of hotel rooms or imposing on him, they paid for a hotel room for him and his family. They loved having a home to stay in, saved money, and he and his wife loved the privacy and luxury of the hotel room.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g52024-d663253-r11902760-Portland_Walking_Tours-Portland_Oregon.html

Last winter I took off two weeks, told everyone at the office that I would not answer e-mails and would not be available to fix whatever wacky new crisis came up, and hugely enjoyed my own backyard and home. It was the most relaxing vacation I can remember. And I never thought of giving it any special name. “Staycation”? Say what?

One of my colleagues owns a vacation condo in the high country. She tells everyone she’s going there, even when she’s not, and she also claims (prevaricating baldly) that the place has no phone and no computer connection. And when, as usual, everybody keeps blitzing her with e-mails and calls while she’s off work, she just doesn’t answer them. You don’t have to BE out of town to make people think you are out of town.

secondly: Good beers take time to appreciate. Try a variety, and be prepared to dislike alot of them.

http://www.homeexchange.com/

Not for everyone, but maybe for me.

I’m planning a weekend getaway myself in September to the far-off distant land of Forest Grove. I’m spending Sunday night (cheaper hotel rates) and taking Monday off. The money I would have spent on plane/train tickets I’m spending on an all-day spa splurge.

Vacationing in my home city? Um, that’s what we call weekend plans.

Agreed: There’s more to your hometown than dinner at the Chili’s and a movie at the googleplex. But if you have to call it a vacation, you have other issues.

And it’s a lot easier to take the kids to stuff near home. A vacation with them isn’t really a relaxing vacation for us grownups. It’s always nice to be able to promise (not threaten) to cut the adventure short if the kids start behaving badly.

As for vacationing at home…we do “activities” in our town, but it’s kind of hard to do the tours and stuff with a toddler, when you’re still planning around naptime. Something to keep in mind for future years, though.