Staycations – Travel And Fall In Love With Your Home State

Need some rest and relaxation but short on money or time? Go on a Staycation!  Whether your looking for cheap vacation ideas for 2, families or even inexpensive group vacations, you’ll find ideas here on how to find things to do in your own home state.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see full disclosure for details.

I became a widow four years ago and one of the things that I did to push through the pain of loss was to travel.   I’ve traveled to Spain, Italy, France, Switzerland, Mexico and also have gone to California quite a bit since then.

I want to be on the go all the time, seeing new places and experiencing new things.   However, my funds are limited and also is my time.  So I decided to start exploring this wonderful state I live in, Arizona.  I live in Tucson and in itself has a lot to see and offer but  I want to see more of the wonders of my home state.

You’re probably thinking that your state doesn’t have much to offer but you’ll be surprised on interesting sites you weren’t aware of.   You can even travel solo to these places.  Read my recent post on the benefits of traveling solo, Solo Travel : Seven Compelling Reasons Why You Need To Travel Alone.   Traveling in-state is a great place to start.

Four Great Staycation Resources

ONLY IN YOUR STATE   

ONLY IN YOUR STATE is a website that will email you everyday, if you subscribe, of interesting places to visit in your home state.   What I truly like about it is the places are often unique, overlooked or hidden from well known tourist spots.   Visit their website and on the top left hand corner is a drop down menu to select your state, they have all 50 states, I believe ( I was absent during Geography lessons , so I’m not 100% sure…LOL)  Here are examples of what they have :

ALABAMA :

The Sapphire Lake In Alabama That’s Devastatingly Gorgeous

CALIFORNIA :

You’ll Want To Plan A Day Trip To Northern California’s Magical Butterfly House

IOWA :

Do Not Do These 10 Touristy Things In Iowa. Here’s What To Do Instead.

NEBRASKA :

The Tiny Unknown Town In Nebraska That Will Make You Feel Like You’re In Another Country

KANSAS : 

11 Underrated Kansas Towns That Deserve A Second Look

You get the gist.  I gave just one example out of the many, many lists they have for each state.  Try it out and see what fun things you can find in your home state!

GROUPON

Whenever I’m looking for something to do on the cheap, I check Groupon first. They have some incredible deals for GetAway’s, restaurants, things to do and things you can buy. Check them out!

AIRBNB

Have a whole family going or need a place for a group of friends? Then Airbnb is where you can get the best deals to accommodate everyone without breaking the bank. I know of some people that will get an airbnb rental just to stay at a luxury home with a pool right here in Tucson even if it’s just for the weekend. And they have a blast! Click here to get $40 off your first booking.

PINTEREST

PINTEREST is a great resource for just about anything you’re looking for.  Just do a search for your home state and you’ll get a wealth of information.   I have a travel board with pins for all the places that are on my Bucket List.  Check it out and Follow me 🙂 BLOSSOMING WIDOW’S TRAVEL BOARD

I work four days a week, 10 hour shifts, but I don’t always get the same days off.   I usually only get one weekend day off so I’ll spend that with my fiance, Jeremy.  But when I look at my schedule and I have two days off in a row during the week, I’ll book a night stay somewhere that’s more than a few hours drive, like lets say, Sedona.  That’s approximately three and a half hours drive from Tucson.  Sometimes I’ll even take my sister, Beth, with me so she can be my photographer.   She’s retired and more than happy to accompany me.

I’ve lived in Tucson, Arizona for almost thirty years now and am just now starting to explore my wonderful home state.   Arizona isn’t very big compared to other states but it sure has some pretty beautiful places to travel to. Some of the places I’ve visited are:

THE ARIZONA GRAND RESORT AND SPA in Phoenix.  I’ve even written a review on it and how you can get the most bang for your buck! Click here for that review

LAKE PLEASANT, PEORIA

JEROME

SEDONA

BISBEE

SONOITA – See the Visitors Guide

I have a lot more to visit and I can’t wait to see it all!  I hope you feel inspired to get to know and fall in love with your home state.  Where will you go?   Tell me in the comments, I would love to hear from you  🙂

Happy Travels!