Take a staycation for the perfect quality time

Luckily, taking a holiday doesn’t always have to mean flying to faraway places and staying in a hotel for weeks on end: The best spots for relaxation can be right at your doorstep. A good start is a free weekend, a cabin and a car. 

The journey there can be an experience itself 

With kids, it may be easier to stay in a hotel; but for a romantic staycation just for the two of you, a cabin you can rent for a weekend is perfect. Forget all schedules and make the drive there part of the quality time together. 

Make sure you have enough time to stop as many times as you like along the way – the countryside is full of local food stores, small boutiques and nature’s marvels to visit. When you have enough time, getting a bit lost and taking a detour isn’t the end of the world, but rather an opportunity to find special places you would never know about otherwise. 

High-quality equipment makes life easier even on a holiday 

If you are into the outdoors, a night under the starry sky in a tent or even in your car may be the perfect experience. Find a national park near you and jump in the car. Camping outdoors is easy to organize, as there’s no need for booking anything in advance and the forest is there for you to use free of charge. 

However, if you plan to spend the night outdoors or in the car, it’s important to make sure you have the correct equipment for comfort and durability. When you invest in high-quality gear, you don’t have to keep replacing it, and if you take good care of it, it will always be ready for you to use when you have any free time to get away. 

If you plan to go to a cabin in the woods or at a remote area in the forest, checking your tires is a good idea before setting off, as tires in good condition are vital for navigating those country roads. If you need to buy new tires, invest in ones that are specially developed for rugged North American roads.

5 tips for the perfect staycation menu 

1. If you plan to stay at a rented cabin, make sure it has a well-equipped kitchen. You need to eat anyway, so why not make mealtimes part of the vacation experience? Plan and cook meals together. That way no one gets stuck in the kitchen the whole time, but fixing food is a shared activity. 
2. Make mealtimes special by cooking something you don’t normally do or trying something that you have never made before. Try to use produce that is in season or that you have picked up in a small local store on the way to make the meals even more unforgettable.  
3. If you plan to camp outdoors, get a small portable stove you can use anywhere. Buy foods that are light to carry and easy to heat up, and only pack as much as you think you will use.  
4. Out in nature, it may not always be possible to heat up your meal, so have something with you that you can eat without cooking. Nuts, dried fruit and protein bars are also quick and easy snacks to have if you plan to hit the forest trails. If you don’t plan to go far, take hot food with you in a thermos to make lunchtime special. 
5. If you have a town nearby, a staycation is the perfect opportunity to try new restaurants. Why not go somewhere special for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner – or for each meal!