I believe that staycations should be on just about everybody’s bucket list and here’s why.  Not only can you plan them around tight work schedules but they also cut out a lot of the stress and financial strain of traveling long distances.

Add Staycations To Your Bucket List

Yes, international travel is great and vacations out of state can be wonderful, but how often do you travel & explore places within your own state or city?  Many of you that visit my site come from major metro areas like NYC, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, and Nashville.  Of course, there are always things to do in these places but when was the last time you packed your bags to stay overnight somewhere in the city where you live or in a nearby town?

There are so many attractions to see and experiences to be had right under our noses but these tend to get overlooked.

Some of us are so bogged down with work, kids and other responsibilities that often times when we think about getting away from it all, all we can think about is getting away to some exotic beach, even if it’s out of our current budgetary reach.  

Things like bed & breakfasts, glamping or just a plain ‘ole, “I need some time alone in a nice hotel” aren’t the first things that come to mind. But, staycations have some excellent benefits!

The Benefits of A Staycation

• Your spending helps boost the local economy
• Less travel time = more fun time
• Cost effective. Save money by not spending on flights, bus/train tickets or gas. 
• Perfect for limited budgets
• Close enough to handle “while on vacay” emergencies
• Dive deeper into learning more about your local areas
• Getaway without truly leaving
• No passports are necessary

Our Anniversary Staycation at Aloft Nashville Franklin

This year the Hubbs and I decided to have a fun anniversary staycation right here in Nashville. My in-laws took the grandkids for the weekend and we booked a stay at a local hotel.  We celebrated our 17th by going on a historical tour of a local plantation followed by a wine tasting. We ate at some local spots and caught a late night movie at AMC dine-in. 

On our last day, we strolled down Main Street in Franklin to check out some of the local shops and had brunch at Mellow Mushroom. 

This was our first time staying at Aloft Nashville Franklin and our first experience in an Aloft hotel period. If you’re not familiar with the brand they’re an international chain of stylish boutique hotels under the Marriott brand umbrella.  Here you pay for certain amenities such as breakfast or little things, like if you forgot your toothpaste.

The Rooms

They do provide ice for guest rooms down in the kitchen/snacks area refrigerator. Our room also had 1 complimentary bottle of water and Bliss bath products with makeup wipes in the room on the vanity. You also get a small refrigerator and safe in your room. 

On the desk, they have a multi-functional charger/media port station so you can charge your electronics and connect streaming devices to the TV. 

Although our king bedroom & bath was a bit compact Aloft really maximized the space with multifunctional furniture, built-in shelving and a room separator in the bath that doubled as a door on one side and mirror on the other. This was a nice added touch!

It was nice to just relax in kid-free existence with no cares about whether or not the bed was made or what we were going to eat.  We had access to a pool table, lounge, bar, an indoor pool, gym, and nearby restaurants & shops. 

I even brought my oil diffuser and essential oils for a little aromatherapy while we were there. It was nice waking up to the aroma of my favorite oil blend. Click the pic below to learn more about Gurunanda. 

For this stay, we booked a King Room that included breakfast for two which meant the hotel gave us 2 $15 vouchers to purchase whatever we wanted from Re-fuel, Aloft’s snack/dining area.

Breakfast in an Aloft hotel consists of a variety of continental offerings and hot breakfast bowls, like the Re-fuel The Southern bowl I had as part of our stay package.  

Staycation or Vacation?

I believe that taking time off and getting away from it all is beneficial to our overall health and well being. Staycations give us more options to do just that. Take some time to think about some of the places you’d like to visit in your area. Maybe there’s a new hotel you’ve been dying to check out or a winery that offers tours.

Whatever it is, the most important thing is that you enjoy yourself and come back to your regular routine refreshed and energized. 

Do you have a staycation in your travel plans this year?