This April, travel seems to be pretty much paused but that doesn’t mean we can’t make the most of our vacation time. The world is full of wonders that could be right outside your front door! This is the perfect time to embrace the staycation! Staycations are becoming a popular way to spend the holidays – especially during recent times of travel restrictions. We have put together a list of fun staycation ideas perfect for all kinds of travellers!

So, what is a staycation? It’s basically a holiday spent at home rather than abroad. It covers things like day trips and local leisure activities. No matter where you live, whether you are in a big city or a quiet small town, if you get creative enough, your staycation will be amazing! Dare we say it… it could be just as good as an overseas trip?   

Staycations give you the chance to feel the wonder of travel while you spend the holidays at home (or at least somewhere nearby). April is spring in the northern hemisphere and autumn in the southern hemisphere. This opens up a whole load of options for fun activities! 

Related: Now is a great time to look ahead and plan your April holidays for next year – take a look at these great 2022 Easter Break ideas!

Expat Explore’s top April staycation ideas:

• Explore your city or hometown

You may have lived in a certain spot for years but have you really taken the time to explore it? Take a day or two to truly get to know your city or home town! You could act like a tourist and go sightseeing. Visit the museums, local attractions and famous restaurants or cafes! Is your town famous for a certain dish or drink? Try it! Better yet, why not head off on a walking tour if they are available where you live? You could also enjoy something niche like a street art tour or even a ghost tour. Do some research and start exploring! 

• Embrace the outdoors

Very few things revitalise your energy quite like being outdoors! Vacations are usually times to rest, relax and replenish. You can definitely do all of this by spending some time in the great outdoors. Whether you grab some family and friends and set off on a hike, go cycling, spend an afternoon relaxing beside a lake or on the beach, or simply take a stroll around your neighbourhood. Time spent outdoors gives you the chance to slow down and appreciate nature’s wonders. In spring, new buds will be bursting into bloom while autumn brings with it beautiful fall colours. 

Related: Take a look at Europe’s beautiful national parks and explore them if you live nearby! 

• Go camping

Grab your tent, sleeping bag and some marshmallows to roast on the campfire! Camping is a great way to bond with friends and family during your staycation. It gives you the chance to enjoy a change of scenery. Find a popular campsite nearby or pitch your tent in your garden. Don’t have access to an outdoor space? Why not set up a mini campsite in your living room? As long as you’re having fun, you can’t go wrong!

• Take virtual trips

In 2020, much of the world locked down due to Covid-19 and many places that relied on people being physically present (think museums, theatres, national parks, walking tours etc) had to adjust how they operated. This led to the popularity of virtual tours! With virtual tours, even if you need to stay at home, you can still experience something new! From opera performances and tours of the Metropolitan Museum of Art to safari game drives and even a virtual tour of Mars! 

Find out more about incredible virtual tours here. 

• Take a day trip

Do you live within driving distance of a city, town or attraction that you’ve heard of but never visited? Now is your chance! You can even take the nostalgic route and visit places from years ago that hold great memories for you. If the trip is within the distance of a day or two of driving – take it! If it is safe and permitted to travel around where you live, make it a mini road trip and spend a few nights somewhere. No car, no problem! Hop on a train or bus – anything that will get you out of your routine for a while. 

Related: 10 Excellent day trips from London to help you explore more of England. 

• Have a spa day

Holidays are all about rest and relaxation, right? Well, then you deserve a spa day! Make a day of it at home with face masks, manicures, pedicures and a bubble bath – utter bliss! If there is a local spa open for business, you can treat yourself to a few treatments. As we said, you deserve it! 

• Host an international cooking night

Are you a foodie traveller? This is your opportunity to embrace your passion and bring a world of cuisine into your kitchen! Invite a few friends over or serve your family some delicious home-cooked meals. Choose a country as a theme or make it international. Asking friends to bring an international dish of their choice is also great fun!

Looking for some inspiration? Take a look at Expat Explore’s Irish, Dutch, British, French, Japanese and Italian recipes to try at home. 

• Visit a local winery or brewery

Many of us are lucky to live in cities that are home to excellent wineries and breweries. Take a day to enjoy some incredible local tastes. If you live in an area where many places are closed or have limited capacity, try ordering a few items for home delivery and indulge at home. 

If you’re in Dublin, Ireland, you could grab a pint at the Guinness Storehouse, find a nearby Whisky distillery if you live in Scotland, head to a vineyard if you call the French countryside home, or visit one of the Cape Winelands’ award-winning wineries if you live in South Africa. 

• Go treasure hunting!

Have you heard of geocaching? This global “treasure hunt” is a real-world outdoor game that anyone using a GPS-enable device (like a smartphone) can take part in. There are geocaches (an object xx) hidden around the world and there are bound to be a few in your home town. Find a few to add to your hunt, plug in the GPS co-ordinates and get searching! Once you find the geocache, you can add your name to the log and leave it where you found it for the next treasure hunters who come along. It’s an amazing way to discover new parts of the world and who doesn’t love a good treasure hunt? 

Find out more about geocaching by watching this video:

• Have a film festival at home

Can’t attend Cannes or the Sundance Film Festival? Or even just missing the novelty of watching a movie in the cinema? We have a solution – host a film festival at home! It may not be filled with glitz and glamour but you get to choose the films (and you don’t have to worry about sitting through a dud of a film you don’t enjoy… you can just switch off!). Make it fantasy or sci-fi themed with Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and Star Wars Marathons. Watch the oscar-winning films that have been on your list for ages. Or bring the magic of travel into your home with these fantastic travel films. 

• Go stargazing

Many of us tend to forget that we have the wonders of a billion worlds available to us, all we need to do is look up! Stargazing can be done from the comfort of your own garden or balcony. To prepare, orientate yourself with north, south, east and west, and do some research on what to look out for in your part of the world. Hop on Google or download a free astronomy app to help you find planets and constellations (Travel tip: Look up when the International Space Station will be visible over your part of the world – it is visible with the naked eye). Obviously, the stars will be clearer the further away you are from the light pollution of big cities. But wherever you are, switch off any nearby lights, grab a pair of binoculars and see what the night skies have to offer! 

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We may not be able to jet around the world just yet but that doesn’t mean we are stuck at home with nothing to do! Make your April vacation one to remember by having the best staycation possible! 

While we wait for international travel to kickstart safely, you have time to start planning your next dream trip. Where do you plan on travelling first? Share your destinations with us in the comments!