Midwest
Chicago
Food Staycation. Nothing helps you escape the realities of home like some cultural cuisine. Chicago offers a huge variety of fantastic restaurants that will help get you out of your restaurant rut and feel like your miles away from home. Try Riccardo Trattoria. This all in the family, Northern Italian restaurant offers home made recipes and a warm Italian welcome that will make you feel like you’re at a home in Italy. Click here for a complete list of staycation restaurant ideas.
A different kind of tour. Avoid the tourist attractions and pedal your way into some premiere Chicago neighborhoods with a bike tour. Bobby’s Bike Hike offers daily tours, including a Lakefront Neighborhood Tour that includes rides past Gold Coast homes and the Lincoln Park Zoo. A great way to stretch your legs and see home from a whole new perspective. Visit: chicagotribune.com.
Michigan
Beach towns. You don’t have to hit the ocean coastlines to enjoy some of the most spectacular beaches in America, Michigan offers 200-miles of beach practically in your own backyard. According to michigan.org, Saugatuck and Douglas are said to be Michigan’s premiere beach towns. Nestled among towering sand dunes and bordered by the winding Kalamazoo River on its way to Lake Michigan, both towns maintain public beaches on Lake Michigan for swimmers and sunbathers. Saugatuck’s Oval Beach has been rated by Conde Naste’s Traveler Magazine as one of the 25 best shorelines in the world. Visit: Michigan.org.
Northeast
New York City
The Met. Enjoy the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a new way on Friday and Saturday nights. Friday nights require a suggested $20 museum admission, but the views from the roof garden that overlook Central Park and the city skyline make it worth the price. To get that real vacation feel, be sure to indulge in some martinis or other cocktails that are available as well. For a more extensive list of local staycation ideas, Visit: divinecaroline.com.
Central Park. Escape the hustle and bustle of NYC in one of its greatest landmarks, Central Park. If lounging in the shade or walking along the paths don’t give you that fun vacation vibe, check out SummerStage. SummerStage in Central Park serves up music, dance, poetry and comedy acts—mostly for free. Visit: summerstage.com.
Nantucket
Bike Rentals. A charming beach town nestled in Massachusetts; Nantucket Island is a close getaway that offers everything a vacation needs. Said to be ideally suited for getting around on two wheels with its relatively flat terrain, enjoy a ride to the quaint town of Siasconset that features streets lined with rose covered cottages. If you’re looking for more of a fun family excursion, take the 3-mile ride to Surfside Beach. Madaket Beach is also a great stop at the westernmost tip of Nantucket. Sit among the white sands, bring a bag of snacks and enjoy the beautiful sunset. Visit: boston.com
Northeast Beaches
Boston.com. Visit boston.com for a list of 10 great beaches across the Northeast that are all easily accessible by public transportation.
Southeast
Florida
Milton. Adventures Unlimited offers a variety of water activities that will provide your family with a vacation adventure close to home. Enjoy canoeing, tubing or kayaking or embark on a host of daytime excursions, overnight trips and fishing groups. Adventures Unlimited also offers another mode of transportation in its adventure ropes course. Said to be the largest and highest coast on the Gulf Coast. Visit: adventuresunlimited.com or florida.org for more Floridian suggestions.
Miami Beach. A trip to Miami might be the wild road trip you need to make your home staycation feel like a vacation. While you’re at the beach, take time to visit Joe’s Stone Crab, a reported quintessential Miami Beach institution that has been open since 1913. Known for some of best stone crab claws anywhere, indulge yourself with a delicious treat that you might not enjoy any other time then on a vacation. Visit: joesstonecrab.com.
New Orleans
Café Du Monde. A French café near Jackson Square, Café Du Monde is famed for its beignets. Sit around its large outdoor dining area and enjoy a treat that is truly a New Orleans staple.
Sightseeing. Today, the city isn’t overrun with tourists and offers an opportune time to explore one of America’s most cultural and diverse cities. Be sure to take trips to St. Louis Cathedral, Commander’s Palace restaurant, homes in the garden district, Jackson Square and the above ground Lafayette cemetery. Click here for more New Orleans suggestions.
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