I, for one, can’t wait to go on mine. I actually have two summer vacations planned: one is just a weekend away at the seaside (we live about 2.5-3 hours next to the sea), and the second one is a longer one, a one week road trip. Counting the days!

Since I’ve always loved to travel and I had the privilege and opportunity to do so, I’ve gotten used to packing fairly quickly. By quick, I mean I’m usually done in 30 min to an hour, tops, depending on the length of the trip. 

But I always manage to forget something, or don’t even think to bring it in the first place. For example, on my last trip, I forgot to bring tweezers, and I had two strays that bugged me for 3 whole days before I caved in and brought a cheap one from the supermarket to resolve the situation. (Guess who just added tweezers to her list of summer vacation packing?)

So I’ve decided to create a packing checklist for summer vacations, based on my previous experiences. Here is how to pack for summer vacations, I hope it helps you pack better and faster, so you won’t forget anything and the whole process doesn’t stress you out:

How To Pack for Summer Vacation

CLOTHES

The key tip on how to pack for summer vacation that I can give, especially when it comes to clothes, is to plan your outfits. 

Let’s say you are gone for three days. Think of three outfits, top + bottom. 

If you want to save space, you can wear one pair of jeans for two days and the third day you’ll wear a dress. So instead of three pairs of pants and three tops, you will have one pair of pants, two tops and one dress. 4 items instead of 6. More room for souvenirs and shopping, am I right? 

Besides your daily outfits, don’t forget pajamas, socks, underwear (bras and panties). Maybe an outfit for late nights or days you stay inside, if you’re staying in, and not visiting and walking all day.  Or a car drive outfit, if you’re going on a road trip (more tips on how to prepare for road trips here).

If you’ve already reserved a meal at a fancy restaurant, maybe grab a special outfit for that night, too.

And of course, don’t forget bathing suits and cover-ups. I recommend at least 2 bathing suits, for diversity and for wetting reasons. 

SHOES & ACCESSORIES

This section of “how to pack for summer vacation” will look different according to taste, destination, comfort level, etc. You choose what you know you need and want. 

Flip Flops will be mandatory if you’re going to the pool / seaside, and so will sunglasses. 

Maybe you won’t need beach towels, so check to see if your hotel provides them. 

TOILETRIES

This is a rather important section of your luggage. You definitely need a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, even SPF, if you’re going to the beach. 

Otherwise, some things you can leave behind, if you want to pack light. For example, you might be able to skip body wash, shampoo and conditioner, if the hotel provides them. 

The rest is up to you. For example, makeup. How to pack for summer vacation when it comes to makeup? Well, you might only bring a CC cream, a concealer and a mascara. Or you might have a separate bag just for your makeup products. Your choice. (Just make sure you have room for them in your luggage)

MISCELLANEOUS 

Then we have the “Others” category. This includes electronics, chargers, entertainment, and the little things that you usually keep in your purse / carry on, like documents, lip balm, tissues, and so on. 

The two most important items of this list are, by far, the phone charger and the travel documents. Definitely don’t forget those!

And that’s it. That’s how to pack for summer vacation! The printable above should help you pack everything you need! Let me know in the comments if I missed anything!

The post How to pack for summer vacation + Packing Checklist appeared first on Cozy Home Hacks.

In a time when the tourism industry is heavily affected by the pandemic, because of travel restrictions and country-specific rules like quarantine after entry, staycations have become the norm.

Probably because people are afraid to travel during these uncertain times. When the virus is so easily transmitted, it is said an enclosed space like an airplane could be a great place to catch it.  So most avoid it, in order to stay safe and healthy, which is totally understandable.

That’s why I think most people will resort to staycations in 2020, 2021, maybe even 2022. If you’re here, you’re probably one of those people, too. (I know I certainly am)

And while you might think this is horrible news, I am here to help you realize that you can definitely travel and make wonderful memories in your own country. 

I’ve compiled 13 staycation ideas to help you enjoy your vacation this year. Two of them require minimum planning, while the third can be more complex and will require some time set aside for figuring out what you actually want to do. 

The staycation ideas have no specific person limit. You can do it with your partner, or with your family, or you can arrange a vacation for a larger group. You can even go solo (just please exercise caution). It’s your choice. 

They are split in three big categories, but the first two have at least 5 staycation ideas you can try. The third is a beast in itself, and needs a plan of its own. 

Without further ado, here are the top 13 staycation ideas when you can’t travel internationally: 

Day trips

This is the easiest version of a staycation, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. 

The day trip is pretty self explanatory. You take only a day to go into an adventure. It’s usually pretty close to home, because you need to travel to and back from. I recommend you leave as early as you can in the morning, so you don’t have to return too late into the night.

Where should you go? So many one day staycation ideas to choose from:

• Local national park, for a hike. 
• An amusement / adventure park. 
• Walk / hike in a nearby forest trail, or by the lake. Please don’t go alone, always have at least one other person with you.
• Beach day, if you’re lucky enough to live close to a beach.
• Local farm, for fruit picking or for watching the animals. (recommended for families)
• Other attractions / Museums. For example, World’s Largest Ball of Rubber Bands, in Wilmington, Delaware.
• Shopping. Some states have very large shopping outlets / malls where you can get great deals. Disclaimer: I know some might not consider this an actual vacation, but to each its own.

How to plan a one day staycation? Just research your area for a 100-200 miles radius, and pick something you always wanted to visit. Fill up your tank and go on an adventure! Have fun!

Weekend getaways

You might read “Weekend getaway” and think of a romantic weekend in two at a cabin, during winter, all white and cozy. You’re not particularly wrong, that was my inspiration. 

But you can take a weekend trip anywhere, with anyone you want, anytime.

How? Plan one weekend, either Friday to Sunday, or Saturday and Sunday, away. Find the location, book the accommodation, and you’re done. You can choose from the following weekend staycation ideas:

• Romantic getaway. I recommend a cabin in the mountainside, or a rented apartment on the beach. Perfect for couples.
• Rent a beach house for you and your friends. Maybe to celebrate the 4th of July? Or someone’s birthday? You don’t really need a reason, just go for it.
• Go to Disneyland. Perfect trip for people with kids, but definitely not only for them. Book your fairytale vacation now!
• Camping with family. This could be so much fun. I can just imagine the camp fires, the s’mores, the laughs, the games. I wish I could go camping right now. 
• Big City (lights). I used to do this when I was younger with my girlfriends. I would choose one of the bigger cities (New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco) and fly in for a weekend. We would do sightseeing, eat delicious food, go to bars, and just explore the town. 

Cross-country road trip

If you really want to feel like you’re travelling, you need to plan a cross-country road trip. Now, I’m not saying that you should go from Los Angeles to New York, but I do mean you should travel through at least 4 different states. 

This type of staycation idea is not as easy to plan as the first two. That’s because you need to actually sit down and figure out your itinerary. What’s your starting point, what do you want to visit on the road, and where is your end point (or where you plan to turn around home). After that, you need to secure accommodation for each stopping point. 

It might take a while to plan, but I bet it’s going to be worth it. Imagine 1, 2, maybe even 3 weeks on the road with your partner, friends or family, discovering new places and exploring your country. You will have so much fun!

This type of staycation is, obviously, best suited for driving (car, RV, you name it), but  you can also fly to a place and then explore the cities and places in that area. Whatever feels good!

So here we are: 13 staycation ideas for this summer! What are you choosing?

P,S. If you need to save money to plan a staycation, find out how to save money!

The post 13 Staycation Ideas When You Can’t Travel Internationally appeared first on Cozy Home Hacks.