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Travel prices are high. International conflicts have left many risk-averse travelers wondering if they should head abroad this summer. Meanwhile, high fuel prices have made both air travel and road trips expensive this year. This might be the year you have the most epic staycation ever.
To help you plan, the Nerds have compiled this list of ideas for inspiration. Set aside a day (or several) on the calendar, make an itinerary and then spend your staycation having new experiences and making memories.
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Arts & media
1. Bowl all summer for less than $60
Lucky Strike just launched its Summer Season Pass, which gets you two games of bowling per day plus shoe rental, valid May 18 through Sept. 1. Prices start under $50 at some locations, and if you buy before May 17 you lock in the presale rate.
The premium pass adds extras including 15% off food and non-alcoholic beverages, a $5 arcade reload per visit, and access at all Lucky Strike, AMF and Bowlero locations.
2. Stream movies and TV — and maybe not pay for it
Make a list of all the shows and movies you've been meaning to watch, then actually watch them. And check your credit cards before paying for another subscription: Many credit cards cover the full monthly cost of popular streaming services as an automatic statement credit, which means you may already be getting something for free that you're not using.
3. Go to the movies
If you haven't been to a theater in a while, you might be surprised how many ways there are to score cheap or discounted movie tickets.
Authorized ticket reseller Undercover Tourist sells discounted tickets for both AMC Theaters and Regal Cinemas. It can be worth buying vouchers in advance there before you buy at the box office.
And if you're an AMC regular, the 2026 AMC Popcorn Pass is worth a look. For $29.99 plus tax, you get 50% off a large popcorn every day through Dec. 31, 2026. Popcorn prices vary by location, but at typically about $15 per large popcorn, you'd breakeven after four visits.
4. Watch musicals and plays for free
If crowds and ticket prices are a deterrent to attending live performances, theater fans can get access to a wide array of filmed performances. Shakespeare’s Globe, a replica of the Bard’s famous theater in London, has released some performances on their YouTube channel.
If you time your free trials right, you can also see major productions without spending the big bucks on Broadway. Fans of the smash hit "Hamilton" can stream the musical on Disney+. Another option is the BroadwayHD streaming service, which has a catalog of hundreds of plays and musicals.
5. Listen to a full album
Remember the days of lying on your bedroom floor and listening to an entire album from start to finish? In today’s world of streaming music on-demand, the concept of committing to a whole album has been lost. Pick an album or three, ditch the phone (and the distractions) and just listen. Take a trip down musical memory lane, or give something new-to-you a whirl.
6. Attend a live concert — without leaving home
Many artists have livestreamed performances or released previously unseen footage online. Pick up an outdoor projector and watch from your backyard for an elevated experience.
7. Learn to edit videos
Whether you start with free software like iMovie or jump into Adobe Premiere Pro, video editing is a genuinely useful skill — and a staycation is a great time to build it.
Learning & self-development
8. Reconnect with an old hobby — or learn a new one
Sewing, knitting, painting, baking, learning a new language on Duolingo, gardening — whatever you used to love and stopped making time for.
9. Learn an instrument
Now is a good time to pick up something new or get better at something you already play. Check whether local music stores are running summer promotions.
10. Borrow e-books or audiobooks from your public library
Many public libraries offer instant digital cards and access to e-books and audiobooks, including new releases and bestsellers. It costs nothing, and most people don't realize how good the selection is.
Travel without traveling
11. Be a tourist in your own town
Grab a guidebook, visit a landmark you've skipped for years and try a restaurant you've never been to. Apps like Tripscout and GeoTourist offer audio walking tours you can download to your phone — a surprisingly good way to see familiar places with fresh eyes. If you want a more structured way to hit multiple attractions, a Go City pass bundles entry to popular local sights into one purchase, and Undercover Tourist sells them at a discount.
12. Have afternoon tea at a fancy hotel
Many luxury hotels in major cities offer afternoon tea, and you don't need to be a guest to go. It's one of the more underrated ways to experience a high-end property without paying for a room.
13. Dine at a local hotel
Besides tea, many hotels boast award-winning restaurants or hidden gems offering cuisine from around the world. Many hotel credit cards offer bonus points at the hotel restaurant. Those are points you could use toward your next, real hotel stay.
14. Make your home feel more like a hotel
Small touches make a bigger difference than you'd think. The Kimpton Hotels candle — yes, you can buy it — is a cult favorite featured in NerdWallet's travel gift guide. Light one and suddenly your living room smells like a boutique hotel lobby.
15. Eat your favorite hotel and airline foods at home
You can order DoubleTree cookies — the warm chocolate chip ones they hand you at check-in — straight to your door. Same goes for Biscoff cookies, the famous in-flight treat. These also are featured in NerdWallet's travel gift guide.
16. Plan your next vacation
Part of the fun of a trip is the anticipation leading up to it. Create that spark of excitement by researching where you’ll stay and what you’ll do on a future trip. Make an itinerary, scour Yelp for the best restaurants (and drool over the menu), and find the off-the-beaten path spots you’ll explore.
17. Relive your best trips
Grab your photo albums (or even your old projectors) and get ready for a fun trip down memory lane. Go slowly through the photos and souvenirs from some of your favorite trips. Thumb back through your guidebooks and recall the museums you visited, the foods you ate and the adventures you had. If it’s been many years since you visited the city, check out Google Earth to see how much the landscape has changed or whether your favorite restaurant still exists.
Kids & family
18. Teach your kids things they won’t learn in school
Involve your kids in tonight’s recipe prep, show them how to do laundry or even teach them how to change a tire. Even small kids can learn how to do basic tasks at home that will serve them well for years to come.
19. Create a scavenger hunt
Whether you leave simple clues around your house or launch a full-scale quest around your city, a scavenger hunt can be a great distraction for young and old. Check out a variety of apps and websites that can help you craft your hunt for kids, families and adults alike.
20. Create a custom photo book to share with loved ones
Love scrapbooking or photography? Consider making a photo album with all your favorite photos. Whether it's an album of a favorite trip or a memorable birthday party, whatever you create will definitely put a smile on the faces of the ones you love.
21. Record your kids reading books (or you reading to them)
Reading to your kids is one of the best ways to increase their language skills, and any parent will tell you that watching your kids learn to read (or memorize their favorite books) is an amazing developmental milestone. While you have plenty of family time, make recordings of these moments for posterity. Extended family will love seeing your little ones grow up, and a recording of you reading one of your kiddo’s favorite books could be a real tear-jerker 10 years from now.
22. Involve the family in a home improvement project
If you have home improvement projects you’ve been putting off, consider whether any are good candidates for DIY-ing with the family. Depending on their ages, your kids may enjoy helping remove wallpaper, painting a room, building some raised planters or rearranging the furniture. You could even get them involved in the design process, choosing colors and accessories if you need to redecorate a space.
If your home improvement project is a big financial investment, consider one of these great credit cards for home improvement.
23. Invent a family game
Create your own board game or card game, and let the kids make the rules. More ambitious? Host a family tournament that incorporates your kids’ favorite outside games or other activities. Who can make the funniest sidewalk chalk drawing, decorate the best sugar cookie or throw a football the farthest? You never know whose talents may surprise you.
Crafts & DIY
24. Get artistic with apps
There are amazing coloring book apps out there. Not only is this activity fun and relaxing, but you get to see your own creation when you’re done coloring a piece. Apps such as Colorfy, Paint.ly and Happy Color are always adding new pieces to color, so you never have to worry about running out of art.
25. Paint rocks for others to find as a gesture of kindness
Why is this a thing? According to those familiar with the concept, painting rocks and hiding them in a place where someone will find them is bound to put a smile on that person’s face. Whether you paint them in colors or write inspiring quotes on them, painting rocks is a fun and creative way to do something good for others.
26. Tackle an organization project
If you live in a house, consider an organization project for an entire room or your garage. Those who live in an apartment can especially benefit from an organization project; when living in a small space, it's so easy to stuff things in a closet to get them out of sight. Why not use this time to clean out a closet or your desk drawers to free up some space?
27. Make home goods
You’re spending a lot of time at home right now, so maybe spend some time making items to spruce up your personal space. Get the right supplies and you can make potpourri, a candle or a macrame project.
28. Learn calligraphy
Calligraphy videos are a highly underrated genre of relaxing internet content. If you haven’t ever dipped your pens into the world of Instagram calligraphy videos, you should. And why stop there? You can practice your own penmanship with online tutorials. It’s a good way to finally motivate yourself to send your friends some snail mail.
29. Try your hand at papercraft or origami
Compared with other art projects, origami and papercraft require little equipment or know-how. All you need is a sheet of paper and a set of instructions to start origami-ing. If you want to go deeper into the paper art world, check out online tutorials for an introduction to the (relatively) wild worlds of papercraft and pepakura.
30. Create a PechaKucha presentation
PechaKucha is a storytelling format that involves selecting 20 slides or images that you show and discuss for 20 seconds each. In other words, you create a slideshow with 20 slides, each on a 20-second timer. It sounds simple, but — as a quick search for good examples online can reveal — it can be a powerful way to express a simple idea or story.
Share yours online via Zoom, then invite others to make their own.
Tech & gaming
31. Binge on Twitch
Not familiar with Twitch? It’s an Amazon-owned streaming platform that lets you watch others play video games. If that sounds boring, you might be surprised how engaging it can be. Browse the front page for popular streams, or search for your favorite games (including nostalgia-inducing ones).
32. Attend virtual game night with friends
Love board game nights? Zoom makes it possible to play some virtual games together with friends. If you like strategy and playing in teams, Werewolf is a perfect app game to play with friends.
GooseChase is a fun scavenger hunt that divides a group into two teams. The teams have to complete silly missions, and whoever completes the most missions in an hour wins.
33. Try an online escape room
Whether you’ve tried IRL escape rooms in the past or just heard of them, their online equivalents offer a cheaper way to enjoy the experience without taking off your jammies.
Never heard of escape rooms? They are essentially puzzles that you and a team of friends must solve in a certain amount of time. Some find it stressful. Some find it fun. Some find it both.
34. Build your own website
Whether you have a small business or just a hobby, building a website to promote it can be faster and easier than you might think. Plenty of services online will let you create a cookie-cutter website in minutes, or you can build one from scratch if you have the technical chops.
35. Learn a computer language
Why bother with French when you can learn a language that could get you a raise? Learning a programming language may be easier than you think (especially if the payoff is immediate). Ask around at work for which languages could help in your role, then search for free tutorials online.
As with all languages, you’ll pick it up a lot faster if you actually have to use it every day. Try to give yourself a project that you can only complete with programming, then stumble your way through the process until you learn enough to be dangerous.
36. Go ‘dark’ for a day
Yes, this may be the opposite of tech ... but you might be surprised how good it feels to keep all your phones, tablets, TVs, etc., off for a full day. What happens next? Who knows — but you’ll survive, and you might even come out refreshed to tackle the next day.
Fitness & outdoors
37. Take long walks
Feeling stressed? Overwhelmed by your to-do list? Take a long walk in the neighborhood or at a nearby trail or park. Not only will you get a bit of exercise, you might also clear some of the “mental fog” that can set in during long days at home.
38. Rent a bike
If you don’t have a bike of your own, consider renting from a local shop for a day. If you haven’t ridden one in a long time, don’t worry: It’s just like riding a bike.
39. Have a backyard campout
Let's face it: glamping is expensive.
But it doesn't have to be expensive if you're in your own backyard. Bust out the tent and sleeping bags and head right outside your back door. Build a fire, roast some s'mores and tell stories with a flashlight. Enjoy a little rest and relaxation in whatever backyard space you have. Bonus points for leaving the electronics inside for the whole night. Kids or no kids, a backyard campout is fun for all.
40. Gaze at the stars
Step outside, look up and get curious. Check out the Sky Map app to plot out constellations you can barely see with the naked eye. Stargaze to your heart’s content, and enjoy a night of natural lights instead of man-made.
41. Go to a pick-your-own farm
You might be surprised how close some farms are to your own home. Even if you don’t have a home garden, food is sometimes growing not far from your backyard. Check out whether pick-your-own farms near you are open to pick summer fruits or flowers.
42. Throw a block party
Get some neighbors to join in on your staycation. Have everyone bring their own lawn chair, and perhaps a potluck dish to share. Low-cost entertainment could include lawn games like corn hole. Or, you could get creative and use toys you already have, like a shoe-kick contest.
43. Build an 'American Ninja Warrior'-style obstacle course
Depending on your handiness with the tools, you can build an obstacle course in your backyard. All you need to do is search "Ninja Warrior” for plenty of inspiring contraptions. This could be especially fun if you have kids. Just remember: Safety first!
Self-care & beauty
44. Learn to meditate
The definition of mindfulness is simple: awareness of the present moment with acceptance. Yet practicing it in real life — even for a few minutes — can be both challenging and rewarding. Try meditating 10 minutes every day for a month, and see if you notice any changes in your stress levels, mood or well-being.
You can get an app to help pick up the practice (usually for a fee) or search for free guided meditations online. The most important element is consistency, so set aside time every day to build the habit.
45. Throw yourself a celebration day or week
TGI … Tuesday! Without office birthday parties or happy hours, the week can slip by in a homogeneous blur. It might feel cheesy to throw yourself or your family a party, but thankfully there’s probably nobody around to judge you.
46. Spa day
Turn your home into your favorite resort spa. Get yourself a face mask, run a warm bath and give yourself a manicure or pedicure. If you’ve got a buddy who is joining in on the staycation, maybe they get bonus points for giving you a massage.
47. Experiment with new makeup looks
For everyone who has said they know nothing about doing their makeup, this is your chance. If you mess it up, you have plenty of time to watch some online makeup tutorials and test what works best for you. Maybe you can experiment and find ways to tone down (or up?) that smoky eye look you’ve always wanted to try. Bonus: Now's your chance to use up all those free samples cluttering your bathroom.
48. Learn to do your own nail art
Always wondered how manicurists can turn your fingernails into tiny works of art (and make it look easy)? Time to experiment. There are plenty of online tutorials that can give you ideas and inspiration, and the supplies you’ll need are easy to order online and have delivered.
Helping others
49. Do some volunteer work
Volunteering is an enriching experience, and it can be especially rewarding now when so many people are in need of help. Most organizations (like food banks, pet shelters, etc.) have websites with information about how to sign up to volunteer, and you can always call for details.
Keep in mind: “Volunteering” isn’t restricted to working with an existing organization. Doing something like helping your elderly neighbors buy groceries can be a huge, meaningful help.
50. Offer to review resumes or do mock interviews
If you know people who are looking for a job, consider offering to review their resumes or practice interviewing. A second set of eyes on a resume can help spot inaccuracies. If you plan on doing a mock interview, try it over Zoom so you can record yourself and review later for practice.
51. Teach others a skill
If you have a skill you can teach others, consider doing a virtual meeting on Zoom, hosting a webinar or a panel discussion, participating as a guest on a podcast or guest-writing on a blog. A lot of us have great skills that others would love to know about, so why not share your knowledge with those who want to learn?
52. Do mass reviews for your Amazon purchases
When was the last time you left a positive review for that product you bought that you actually really like? Even if you bought it on Amazon, a lot of those sellers are smaller businesses — and we all know how much people rely on positive reviews when shopping.
So show some love as you scroll through your purchase history, and leave positive reviews for the items you truly enjoy.
53. Support your favorite local businesses
When you travel elsewhere, you're stimulating another city's economy. But why not stimulate your own?
Go on a shopping day in your city, but only shop at one-of-a-kind, local stores.
54. Complete random acts of kindness (on a budget)
For a fun and helpful challenge, set a budget and a timeline to do some unexpected nice things for your friends or loved ones.
Shop online for something affordable to brighten their day, bake something they’ll love (and deliver it secretly), compile a playlist of their favorite music, write about your best memories together, etc.
Food & cooking
55. Learn how to make your food more beautiful
Be the talk of the neighborhood at your next block party when you wow them with handcrafted carved garnishes. Practice carving watermelon into a fabulous fruit salad centerpiece, or sharpen your knife and learn how to carve radishes and turnips into ornate flowers to brighten any dinner table.
56. Throw yourself an indulgent tea party
Find some white gloves and a wide-brimmed hat and throw an all-out tea party in your living room. Prepare tiny crustless sandwiches on a tiered cake stand. Bake some scones and lather them with jam and butter. Lay out your spread with a sugar bowl, a creamer full of milk and, of course, a variety of teas.
57. Make handmade ice cream
Learn the art of making ice cream using only a few ingredients, and it will taste that much sweeter — no machine required (but by all means, use it if you have it). Check out online DIY tutorials and enjoy delicious ice cream treats on demand.
58. Take a world tour in your own kitchen
Cook one new dish every day from a new country. Read up on each culture and find ethnic music to accompany your cooking and dining. Bonus points for outfits to match!
59. Cook with a loved one
Sharing is caring! Find a new recipe to cook with your in-person isolation buddies, or share it with someone you don't live with and cook together over Zoom. Enjoy some laughs and chitchat while you cook, or maybe have a friendly competition over who does it better.
60. Dust off that dormant kitchen appliance
Got a Crock-Pot, Instant Pot, steamer, waffle iron or Dutch oven that you never use? Load up on recipes and give that long-forgotten kitchen helper some love. Find recipes from books you already have, or crowdsource from your friends and family.
61. Check out Pinterest for food recipes
Pinterest is a great visual search engine, which makes it much easier to know what the dish you want to cook will ultimately look like. If you’re running out of ideas on what to cook or just want to learn how to cook a new dish, check out the many inspirational food-themed boards here.
62. 'No cooking' day
Vacations often include a lot of eating out, exploring new restaurants and taking a break from doing the dishes. There’s no reason your staycation can’t include restaurant food, too. Close the kitchen one day, and instead plan a day where you can splurge on ordering food. It could be for one fancy meal, like a to-go setup from a high-end restaurant that now does takeout orders.
Or it could be an entire day: Get brunch (pancakes to go!), an afternoon snack (ice cream has always been takeout, really) and dinner from a local favorite.
And who knows? Your credit card might offer discounts or other benefits for food delivery.
63. Take on an ambitious recipe
With the day off work, you might be able to finally conquer some of those time-consuming recipes you’ve always wanted to try. Think homemade bagels, carnitas, pho or ramen. The more prep time, the better. Plus, while you’re waiting for the dough to rise or the meat to marinate, you can get back to binge-watching, puzzling, reading or any of these other staycation ideas.
64. Perfect your cocktails
Happy hour is whatever hour you want it to be when you’re on a staycation. Take some time to test new cocktail recipes or master old ones. Alcohol delivery is certainly a thing, so you don’t even need to leave the house to get the right supplies.
65. Try making beer or wine at home
If this idea always fell under the category of “I’d love to, but I don’t have any time," then guess what: The time could be now. In fact, you might be surprised how simple brewing your own adult beverages can be. The big trick is keeping all the equipment sanitized.
66. Collect and share family recipes
If your family’s recipes are kept on pieces of paper or in the minds of a few grandparents, do a service for future generations and collect them digitally. Here’s how to get started:
- Send an email requesting family recipes.
- Collect them into a single document.
- Share the final results in an easy-to-keep format, like a PDF (or even a hard-copy book if you’re ambitious).
67. Master the BBQ
Even if you already consider yourself a grill master, there’s always more to learn. Whether you want to try your hand at something new or perfect that meat you’re already good at, you won’t be sorry you invested some time in upping your BBQ game.
Pick a new dish, a new meat, a new rub or a new style and get to work. With so many online resources available, getting that perfectly cooked burger or juicy chicken to come off your grill is a delicious way to spend a staycation.
Your home is your oyster. The number of things you could get up to while staying put is limited only by your imagination. Whether you want to learn a new skill or be a total couch potato, we hope this list provided a few ideas for how to spend your next staycation.
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