Exploring Your Own City: Staycation Ideas

It’s always exciting to travel to an exciting, new destination for your vacation. New restaurants, scenic views, a nice hotel, new cultures, and new experiences are what memories are made of! As amazing as these vacations are, they can wipe out your budget (When saving to purchase a home, finding the money for a traditional vacation may seem impossible) Have you ever thought about exploring your own city? “Staycations” are becoming more common. A staycation is a vacation that you take in your own city or very close by. You do everything you normally would on vacation-dinners out, exciting activities and sightseeing but within your own town. Birmingham has an incredible variety of choices when it comes to planning a staycation. To help plan your staycation, we have collected some great Birmingham area ideas to your family out exploring your own city and having a fantastic time!

Get Outside!

Alabama has some of the most beautiful state parks! With the cooler weather and changing foliage, you can rest assured there will be some beautiful sights. Cheaha and Oak Mountain State Park are right here in our backyard and have several trails and areas that are perfect for a day or half-day of play. If you don’t mind an hour’s drive or so you can check out new trails in northern Alabama also.

If our state parks are a little too much nature for you, there are so many more options for getting outside that don’t require hiking boots! Rotary Trail is a gorgeous walking trail in the heart of downtown Birmingham. You could also ride a bike. The ZYP system of Birmingham is very affordable (starts at $6) and has convenient pickup and drop off stations nearby. Railroad Park in downtown Birmingham is a great place to be outside enjoying nature but still close enough to have a great restaurant dinner after. Take a nice walk outside together!

Historical & Artistic Fun!

Yes, I know history + fun don’t often go together. What’s a vacation (or in this case staycation) without doing something out of the box? Sloss Furnace gives a look at Alabama’s industrial history. Did you know it is why we are dubbed “Iron City?” You can also take a tour at our very own Golden Flake Factory. The Birmingham Museum of Art, The Vulcan Park and Museum, and The American Village in Montevallo are also great places to spend the afternoon.

Dining and Drinks

   Food Trucks are all the rage now and Style BluePrint Birmingham lists their Ultimate Guide to Birmingham’s Food Truck Scene here. Pick out something different to try! There are so many options for restaurants in Birmingham we are sure you can find somewhere new and unique to break up your regular routine. You also don’t have to look too far to find a great craft beer community near you.

Final Tips

Be sure to treat your staycation like a vacation. Even though you are sleeping at home in your bed rather than a hotel, you have to plan activities and meals. If you are not careful you will end up doing chores and things around the house and before you know it, your time is gone.

Think outside the box. Don’t be afraid to embrace new things and decide ahead of time that you are going to enjoy being together and experiencing things. Maybe a factory tour or nature hike is not your thing but it would definitely be something to do as a family for the memories. Pour into each other and soak up the quality time! After all, you don’t have the stress of traveling to deal with and the money in your wallet will last longer!

Enjoy yourself! Don’t stress out about planning and don’t overdo it!

These are just a few of the many amazing things that you can enjoy on your staycation in Birmingham, Alabama. It truly is a wonderful place to live. If you are looking to become a homeowner for the first time or ready to upgrade to your forever home here in our beautiful city or surrounding areas, we would love to help you get started!