The hardest part of a staycation is not the budget or the time off — it is deciding what to actually do. Without a plan, a day at home fills up with chores, scrolling, and errands, and by evening it feels like any other day off. The fix is simple: pick a few things to do for a staycation before the day starts, and treat them like plans you would keep on a real holiday.
This guide gives you 20 things to do, grouped by mood, plus a simple way to build your own day plan. Most of them are free or cost very little, and they work for a solo day, a couple, or the whole family.
A Simple Staycation Day Plan
You do not need a timetable — just one thing for each part of the day.
Morning — do something slow. Sleep in, make a proper breakfast, and start with one relaxing activity: a walk, a bath, or an hour with a book. Mornings set the tone; if you rush, the whole day feels rushed.
Afternoon — do something new. This is the time for the main activity: exploring your town, trying a recipe, visiting a museum, or a day trip nearby. New experiences are what make a day feel like a holiday instead of a weekend.
Evening — do something together. Cook a nice dinner, play a game, watch a film, or sit outside and talk. Evenings are for the people you are spending the day with — including yourself.
Pick one activity from each group below, and you have a full day that actually feels like a vacation.
20 Things to Do for a Staycation
Relax and Recharge
- Sleep in — properly. No alarm, no guilt. A lie-in is the cheapest luxury there is.
- Have a slow morning. Coffee or tea, a real breakfast, and no phone for the first hour.
- Take a long bath or shower. Candles, music, and nowhere to be for a while.
- Read a whole book in one day. Pick something light, find a comfortable spot, and keep going.
- Do nothing on purpose. Sit in the garden or by a window for half an hour. Doing nothing is an activity too — it is the one most people never schedule.
Explore Close to Home
- Walk a street you have never walked. Every town has roads its own residents have never explored.
- Visit a local museum or gallery. Many have free days — check before you go.
- Take a day trip within an hour. A beach, a lake, a forest trail, or a small town you have never visited.
- Tour your town like a tourist. Look up the top sights, take photos, and stop for coffee somewhere new.
- Watch the sunset from a new spot. A hill, a park bench, a rooftop, or the end of a pier.
Make and Create
- Cook a meal from another country. One recipe, done properly, with music from that place while you cook.
- Start a craft project. Painting, knitting, woodwork, or a photo album — something you make with your hands.
- Learn something small. A new card trick, ten phrases in another language, or the basics of a song on guitar. Free lessons are everywhere online.
- Rearrange one room. Moving furniture and clearing a shelf changes how a home feels, and it costs nothing.
- Bake something from scratch. Bread, cookies, or a cake — the smell alone is worth it.
Eat, Play, and Be Together
- Host a picnic. Pack sandwiches and fruit, find a park, and stay until the light changes.
- Run a game tournament. Board games, cards, or a video game — keep score and crown a winner at dinner.
- Have a movie night with a theme. Pick a country, a decade, or a director, and watch two films back to back.
- Try every ice cream flavour at a local shop. A small, silly mission that everyone remembers.
- Stargaze from the backyard. A blanket, a clear night, and a free stargazing app. No telescope needed.
How to Pick the Right Activities
Match the activity to your energy. Tired? Choose relaxing things. Restless? Choose exploring and making. A good staycation mixes both.
Match it to your budget. Mark each idea free, cheap, or a treat before you start. Two free activities and one treat is a good balance for a day.
Match it to your group. Solo days suit reading, walking, and learning. Couples suit cooking together and day trips. Families with kids suit picnics, games, and backyard camping.
Keep the list short. Three activities make a full day. Five is a lot. Ten is a chore list, not a holiday.
Every one of these things to do for a staycation works with three activities a day — no more.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Planning nothing. A staycation with no plan becomes a normal day off. Pick your three activities the night before.
- Planning too much. A packed schedule is stressful, not relaxing. Leave gaps.
- Doing chores “while you are at it”. Laundry and admin can wait. A holiday that includes chores is not a holiday.
- Spending the day on your phone. Scrolling eats a staycation alive. Put the phone away during activities.
- Copying someone else’s holiday. The best things to do for a staycation are the ones you actually enjoy — not the ones that look good in photos.
Bottom Line
The best things to do for a staycation are simple: one relaxing thing, one new thing, and one thing shared with the people you love. You do not need to travel, spend a lot, or plan for weeks. Pick three activities from the list above, put your phone away, and treat tomorrow like the holiday it is.
Related guides: What Is a Staycay? 15 Fun Staycation Ideas to Try at Home and Staycation Ideas: 50 Fun Ideas for Every Budget
Written by the Staycation Tips Editorial Team. Our content is researched and checked against standard travel and local-activity guidance.
FAQ
What are the best things to do for a staycation?
The best things to do for a staycation are one relaxing activity (a lie-in, a bath, a book), one new experience (a museum, a day trip, a new recipe), and one shared activity (a picnic, a game night, a film). Three activities make a full, restful day.
What can I do on a staycation at home for free?
Plenty: sleep in, cook from ingredients you already have, walk a new street, picnic in a park, read a book, stargaze, rearrange a room, or run a game night with games you own. A free staycation can still feel like a real holiday.
How do I plan a staycation day?
Pick your dates first, then choose one activity for the morning, one for the afternoon, and one for the evening. Keep the list to three activities, set a small budget, and switch off work notifications. Planning takes less than an hour.
What should I do on a staycation with kids?
Kids love simple, active things: backyard camping, picnics, treasure hunts, baking together, bike rides, and game tournaments. Let each child pick one activity — they will enjoy the day far more when they chose part of it.
How do I make a staycation feel like a real vacation?
Treat it like one: take the time off properly, sleep somewhere different for a night if you can (even a local hotel), eat out once, dress up for dinner, and keep chores and work messages out of the day. The mindset matters more than the miles.