Staycation Survey, Tips, Ideas, and Things to Do – 67% Have or Will Staycation in 2022

Our 2022 Summer Travel Survey indicated more than 80% of Americans will travel this summer. This accounts for 208 million people. With so many people traveling, we wondered how many people were taking time off from work and still staying at home just to relax. The term “staycation” has become very popular over the last few years. That is, even though you are taking time off from work, you will stay at home (or at a nearby hotel), spend time at your house, enjoy your family, etc. This is instead of going on an actual traditional vacation.

We asked this Staycation Travel Survey Question to find out how many people have or will do a staycation this year. Are most people doing staycations living with someone or alone? Below you can find the results of our question as well as a survey methodology. Additionally, you will find an interesting demographic comparison and a key takeaway. Lastly, find tips for a staycation and suggestions of things to do.

Have you or will you do a staycation this year? – (Survey Question)

Let’s take a look at the survey results:

• No. — 32.72%
• Yes, and I live with my significant other or family. — 55.92%
• Yes, and I live alone. — 11.36%

Interesting Demographic Comparison — Americans living in the Middle Atlantic region are the most likely to do a staycation this year. This region includes the states of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. 75.82% of people living in the Middle Atlantic region said they would be taking part in a staycation this year. On the other hand, the Mountain region has the people least likely to do a staycation. The Mountain region includes the states of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. Only 50.79% of people in this region will do a staycation.

Key Takeaway — More than 67% of American adults have done or will do a staycation this year. The 67.28% equates to over 173 million people. This means that while many people will travel this year, a lot of these same people will also take time off and stay home to relax. The 55.92% of people doing a staycation that do not live alone account for 144 million Americans. And, the 11.36% that are doing staycations while living alone represent more than 29 million people.

What is a Staycation?

A staycation is a “vacation” taken either at your home or a nearby hotel or other accommodation. It generally lasts a few days and acts as a break from your normal routine. Things like getting up early, doing chores, and working are not part of a staycation. If the drive is more than an hour, you have to get on a plane, or it lasts more than a few days, it should be classified as a traditional vacation.

On a staycation, you should explore your hometown in the ways that you normally explore cities where you vacation at. Think new restaurants, museums, tourist attractions, and hikes. Additionally, a stay-cation can involve simply enjoying your home without the normal pressures and responsibilities.

Staycation Tips

Tip 1 – Pick Your Dates and Request Off From Work; Create an Itinerary

While planning a staycation usually takes less work than planning a traditional vacation, there is some overlap. First, select the days you want to take the staycation and request off from work. If you have children and they will be joining you on the staycation, you should do it over the summer or when they are on a break.

Think about things you want to do while on the staycation. While I highly recommend doing new activities, you may want to spend the majority of the time inside your home. After coming up with an itinerary, you should be able to figure out how many days you want your staycation to last.

Tip 2 – Create a Budget

In the majority of cases, a staycation is going to be significantly less expensive than a traditional vacation. You will not be flying, so your only transportation costs will be gas or public transportation. You should factor in costs for activities, restaurants, and other things to do. If you opt for staying at a nearby hotel or Airbnb, that will likely be your biggest cost.

See our guide on How to Create a Travel Budget for more information.

Tip 3 – Book a Local Hotel, Airbnb, or VRBO

The point of a staycation is to relax near your home and do things that you do not usually do. While staying home is free and saves money, a local hotel, VRBO, or Airbnb may offer more of a vacation experience without having to travel far. Like with a traditional vacation, you should book your accommodation as far in advance as possible for the best prices and the most room availability.

See our guide on the Best Websites to Book Cheap Hotels for valuable money-saving tips. Our top picks for booking hotels are Orbitz, Travelocity, and Hotels.com (see our complete guide to Hotels.com).

You can also see our vacation packing list guide and our beach packing list guide.

Tip 4 – Make Reservations at Restaurants and for Local Activities

A staycation is a perfect opportunity to stay local and eat at restaurants and do activities that you may not have done before. To book activities, use websites like Viator, Get Your Guide, and Groupon. All three sites offer powerful search features to find local activities that you were previously unaware of.

For dinner reservations, use apps like Resy, OpenTable, and Yelp. Set alerts at popular restaurants to get a push notification immediately when a time becomes available. All three apps provide powerful filters to let you discover local restaurants that you may have never heard of.

Tip 5 – Complete Household Chores, Grocery Shopping, and Work Beforehand

Ensure everything is done before the staycation starts. Finish grocery shopping, mow the lawn, and complete all work for your job and around the house. Do the laundry and make sure everything you will be wearing is clean and available. Schedule doctor appointments to take place before or after your staycation dates, and get your haircut in advance. During the staycation, you should not be worrying about household chores, such as cleaning and the laundry, or attending any appointments.

Staycation Things To Do

1. Things to Do for Families

A staycation is a great time to have a family game night. It is fun for both the kids and the parents, and it allows time for bonding. It is free if you already have the games, which is perfect if your budget is tight. If you are looking for new board games, Amazon has a great selection of some of the most popular.

Having a “Yes-Day” for the kids is also a great staycation activity. It involves the parents saying “yes” to anything the kids ask for over a 24-hour-period (within reason!). Examples include staying up late, breakfast in bed, extra snacks, extra video games, etc.

Regular fun family activities, including seeing a new movie, going bowling, riding go-karts, and going miniature golfing are also good staycation activities. Go to different spots instead of the usual ones in your town. While you are still doing the same activity, different golf courses, movie theaters, and bowling alleys often offer unique experiences.

Going out to a new restaurant for a family dinner is also a great idea. Explore cuisines and spots that you may not have considered in the past. I recommend parents with picky eaters check out the menu first, however. While a staycation is a time to try new things, a hungry child is not going to have a good time.

Viator, Get Your Guide, and Groupon also offer a variety of local activities to book for families.

2. Things to Do for Couples

Couples can also benefit from a game night. Instead of traditional board games that you may play with kids, couples should focus on games where they can find out new things about their partner. Examples include Cards Against Humanity, The Ultimate Game for Couples, and Taboo. Free games include “Truth or Dare”, and”Never Have I Ever”. Amazon has a great list of other fun card and board games for couples.

A great activity for couples is cooking a new meal together. Since it is a staycation, I recommend doing the grocery shopping beforehand, but cooking is a great activity to bond and have a good time. See a variety of cookbooks here for new ideas. Additionally, making new cocktails can add to the fun! Amazon has a selection of mixology and bar books here.

Couples can also benefit from going on a hike or nature walk. Ideally, it is a new hike, but doing the same one again is fine too. This gives couples a chance to guarantee some quiet time and enjoy a great conversion. Use the AllTrails website or app to find new hikes around you.

3. Things to Do for Individuals

An individual staycation should involve a chance to relax and disconnect from others. Like with couples, an individual can benefit greatly from trying a new recipe and cocktail. Individual staycations can also include reading new books and listening to new music. 

A staycation also gives an individual the chance to try a new hobby. Painting, pottery, and learning a new language are a few examples, but the individual can cater to what they feel interests them the best.

Viator and Get Your Guide both provide activities that individuals can enjoy.

Survey Methodology

This Staycation survey question was conducted by SurveyMonkey on behalf of The Vacationer. In total, 1,030 Americans over the age of 18 were polled on May 1. Of those surveyed, 46.21% were male and 53.79% were female. The age breakdown of participants included in this survey was 18.25% in the range 18-29, 28.93% in the range 30-44, 35.53% in the range 45-60, and 17.28% over 60. This survey question has a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of ±3.116%. You can learn more about SurveyMonkey’s sampling method by clicking here.

The questions were chosen and the results were analyzed by the post author, Eric Jones, who is a Mathematics and Statistics Professor at Rowan College South Jersey.

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.