Set a Time

Your first step is to set a time for your at-home vacation. Don't skip this. When you're busy, it's easy to keep putting off a vacation. Call your family together, and compare calendars. Choose a couple possibilities, and see if any conflicts can be resolved. You should also decide on how long you want your at-home vacation to last. Maybe you can only fit in a weekend or perhaps four days or a week. You might not be able to get rid of every interruption, but do your best to select a time when the greatest number of family members can participate to the greatest extent.

Brainstorm Ideas

While you have everyone together, take some time to brainstorm at-home vacation ideas. Give everyone a sheet of paper and a pen, and ask each person to list several possibilities. If people seem stuck, provide some examples, taking into account your family's interests. You might suggest a board game day, a movie night, a special meal, a visit to a museum or a sporting event. Then compare lists, and talk about which options best fit your vacation time and budget.

If your at-home vacation is in the future and scheduled for a period of warm weather, you might plan an extra special surprise for your family by adding a pool to your home. Be sure to carefully consider your budget, space and time before you move ahead, but if you can swing it, do an online search for “reputable pool builders near me.” Read some online reviews, and select a couple likely companies to contact for quotes. You might just be able to make your family's at-home vacation feel like a tropical retreat with your own pool.

Adjust Attitudes

Whether or not your at-home vacation includes pool time, you may have to help your family adjust their attitudes. There is likely going to be disappointment about not taking a “real vacation.” So you'll have to focus on the fun you can still have and all the opportunities you can take to do things you've been wanting to do. Emphasize that each family member can pick an activity, and also insist that every other family member go along cheerfully and make an effort to enjoy every bit of your at-home vacation.

Make a Schedule

When the brainstorming is complete and your at-home vacation is drawing near, make up a schedule. Be sure that you include ideas from every family member, but be realistic, too. You aren't going to be able to do everything. Include your family in the schedule-making process, and work out the details together, making sure that you focus on compromise and respect. When you've sketched out a rough schedule, consider taking a vote on it (if that's practical). After any further discussion, finalize the schedule.

Leave Some Flexibility

You should, however, leave some flexibility in your plan. This is a vacation, after all, not a task for work. You want to be organized but not too organized. Perhaps an event will come up that you and your family really want to attend. Then do it. Or maybe there's a new movie coming out. Take it in. Everyone might decide to spend one night at home just relaxing together. That's okay, too.

The whole point of your at-home vacation is to have fun as a family even if you can't travel. If you set a time, brainstorm, adjust attitudes, make a schedule and remain flexible, you might discover that your at-home vacation may be one of the best experiences you and your family have ever enjoyed.

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