When we spend so much time continuously working on school assignments and taking shifts from our jobs, we are eventually bound to feel burnt out at one point or another. Due to this, it is necessary to take a break to give ourselves enough time to relax and be at ease.

That is where vacations come in. Typically, the first thought that comes to mind when someone says the word vacation is packing, booking a place to stay, planning an itinerary, getting on a plane, and going to someplace far away from home. Sure, it is good to go to a far-away destination because you get to leave whatever stresses you behind, new cultures, and maybe even take in a more desirable climate. But, is a vacation of this type, which requires work and planning before it even begins, the best form of vacation to go for when you need a break?

Sometimes, the vacation that may be best is the one where you stay in the comfort and coziness of your own home. This type of vacation is known as a staycation, which by definition is a vacation spent either at home or within close distance of home.

One reason why staycations can be better than a regular vacation is safety. At the moment, this is an important factor for vacations as traveling during the current pandemic comes with following many safety guidelines and travel restrictions.

This includes travel recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which have a majority of countries in North America, South America, and Europe listed as Level 4 countries, indicating travelers should avoid going to these countries at all costs.

If you were on a staycation, you would not have to worry as much about safety guidelines or CDC travel recommendations because you can either stay at home to avoid worrying about guidelines or just follow the basic guidelines as you usually do when you go out to local places. You can also manage your safety in this way as you can limit your personal bubble to just family and friends when vacationing near home.

Speaking of family and friends, another reason why staycations can be better than vacations is because of the quality time you can get with your loved ones. Since staycations do not require as much time for planning, packing, and other traveling preparations, there will be more time to organize something with friends or family.

Lastly, staycations can open up the opportunity to explore the community. Typically, there seems to be some kind of event going on in either Huntley or Lake In The Hills.

For example, the Village of Huntley’s website has a page where they have stated what kind of events they have such as seasonal events like the Indoor Farmer’s Market or special events like the Green and Clean Huntley Day on April 24. There are also a lot of opportunities to help out the community such as going to Animal House Shelter or volunteering at the Grafton Food Pantry.

By staying local with activities during a staycation, we can become more connected to our community and even get to learn more about it.

Overall, staycations can reap their share of benefits that we may not receive going on vacation to somewhere far.