Staycations Around Your Duty Station
Military and civilian families from coast to coast have either gone or are preparing for their much anticipated (and often much needed!) summer vacations. Most of the time, we spend months planning for our trips, especially if they’re far away. But, sometimes, a vacation to a distant land isn’t viable. Summertime is also the time of the year that boasts the most expensive rates for flights and vacation packages. My husband and I try to plan on big vacations during the off-season, just to save some bucks in our big trips. Staycations are in the cards for many this year.
So, we’ve passed the summer months exploring locally. It started when we were dating in the Fort Drum area. I would visit him and we would go out on dates, trying to do something new each time. Since then, we really want to make the most of our duty stations, because we don’t really know when we’ll get a chance to come back.
Here are six places to start exploring:
1. Local Parks/Outdoor Recreation
In Virginia, we’re lucky to have so many different types of locals parks to choose from. Aside from the local parks, there are a bunch of National Parks that are free to military families (I’ve mentioned it before here). Also, there are outdoor recreation programs available on your installation! My husband and I enjoyed Remington Park Beach while at Fort Drum.
2. Amusement Parks
I’m a bit of a roller coaster nut. I enjoy time spent at an amusement park. As a little girl, my parents would buy season passes to Six Flags in Texas, so it’s been a part of my life for a while. Your military installation’s ticket office should offer park passes to local theme parks, or most offer a military discount, you just need to ask. We’ve already been to Six Flags America in Maryland!
3. Historic Areas/Monuments
When we were at Fort Drum, we went to Boldt Castle, among other places. We’re lucky now because we live close to Washington, D.C.! We have all the museums on our bucket list and are working through it. Even if you aren’t stationed at a metro area, you can visit your current state’s capital.
4. Themed Nights at Home
Make night at home a little different by bringing another location to you! My husband and I haven’t been able to go to the beach yet this summer, so we brought the tropical vibe to our home. We made tropical beverages, lounged outside on our patio, and played card games.
5. Dinner and a Movie
It sounds cliche, but is there anything better? It’s a great way for your families to enjoy each other’s company. The dinner and a movie could be at home or out. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you’re together.
6. Discounted Local Activities
My husband and I found out about the Northern Virginia Craft Beer Festival because of Groupon. It was a family affair with music, food, and craft beer. We’ve used LivingSocial, too. If it weren’t for those types of websites, we would have never known about the local happenings to participate.
Do you have any staycations planned this summer? What advice do you have for military families wanting to try a staycation?
