Lifestyle | Vacation vs. STAYcation... Pros & Cons

There are many of us that count the days, the hours and the final minutes before a vacation. It's the same feeling we had as kids on the last day of school, knowing the end of structure, deadlines and being indoors is over and freedom is a second away!

Recently people have opted to take Vacation time and use that time to stay home and not actually leave to go anywhere! Fondly, a new term was invented to refer to this time off. It is known as a STAYcation!

Vacations away were popular and still are of course. There are many of those who love to plan, budget and swear that leaving to go away is the best thing. However, there are the other group of people who favour relaxing at home and having that time off locally is enough to recharge and relax.

Now I have done both, and to be completely honest, I love both! However here are the comparisons in my mind, the good and the bad for doing either.

Vacation Benefits:

• Exotic Destination
• Better weather options (if you go to a hot destination during Winter Months)
• Variety of AMAZING Food Options
• Numerous amenities (Room Service, Spa Service etc.)
• Entertainment Options (Casinos, Bars and Clubs)
• Couples only options as well as Family Friendly
• Relaxation options are endless and you go home with an amazing tan!

Vacation Downside:

• Depending on the travel rating, the destination may not be what you expected or read about.
• Tropical destination also carry the risk of tropical storms
• Food Options can be dismal or not exciting
• Too many amenities to enjoy (Think Vegas! A good and a bad)
• If the hotel has a down season, the entertainment options can be limited or closed
• If you are looking for relaxation and end up in younger demographic resort or vice versa
• With a beautiful Tan also comes the risk of an awful one! (Think "Glasses" Tan)

I have been blessed to have gone on a variety of vacations and I have enjoyed my time and my destinations accordingly! What I dread the most is the time when you board your plane and head back to your normal routine, it's such a downer! Especially when you get off that plane and the Toronto Weather welcomes you back with a cold weather slap, which is always refreshing (NOT!).

STAYcation Benefits:

• You can pretty much do whatever you want
• There is not cost, so you save money
• No worries about packing or waiting in lines for your plane
• You can do a variety of things, catch up on good TV or nothing at all
• If you are a home project lover, you can finally get those things checked off your list

STAYcation Downside:

• Sometimes the things you want to do you opt not to because you become too relaxed
• If you are a social butterfly, you can end up spending money but not as much as a vacay
• Weather can also be a factor. The one week you pick can either be cold or blah
• Being home might force you to do those tasks which end up tiring you out
• You may end up watching too much TV or overkill on Reality TV (which can be a good thing too)!

The good thing after a staycation is that it forces you to be creative and see your own city as a playground. Also, each day moves slowly because there is no time limit on what you have to do. So your days seem to last longer which makes your vacation seem longer.

Whatever you decide, time off is time off, and be sure to un-plug, disconnect and enjoy whichever option you pick! I think it`s good to alternate time off between Vacation and Staycation options. So my next vacation will be a trip away, we shall see!