During this economic downturn, more and more families are breaking tradition from their yearly vacations and opting for a staycation. A staycation is when a family stays in the comfort of their home, or local neighborhood, to relax and enjoy themselves, rather than going off into another location. Here are my top 10 essentials to make the most out of a staycation:
- Barbecue Grill: Food is always an essential to having fun. Nobody’s going to have energy for any activities without food, so having something like a Napolean Ultra Chef 405 series grill on hand is perfect to prepare food.

- Sunscreen: Being outdoors is all fun and games until you go indoors and find out you received a sun burn. Keep the entire family protected and use Blue Lizard sunscreen, which is SPF 30+, to ensure nothing deters any of the family from enjoying the outdoors.

- Sports Equipment: Throwing around a football, playing catch, or shooting hoops is definitely a great activity to get everyone in the family involved. Not only is it good exercise, but helps to strengthen families by promoting teamwork and trust.
- Water Guns: A water gun is a classic toy to welcome summer and good times. Families can even be creative and pick teams to play a friendly shooting game. This is an inexpensive activity and can be played from the comfort of the backyard. ToySplash water guns are reasonably-priced, made of high-quality material, and come in a wide array of colors and sizes.

- Lawn Chairs: The purpose of a staycation is to get away from life’s distractions, like the phone and internet, and spend time with the people you care about. By having access to lawn chairs, you and your family are able to stay outdoors and just relax. The Cynthia Rowley folding beach chair is ideal for families because it comes in sets and is lightweight for travel and storage.

- Blu-Ray Player: A Panasonic blu-ray player is a ideall to closing out each day of a staycation. When everyone is tired from the day’s activities, watching a movie in the family room is a great way to unwind.
- Sunglasses: The logic with wearing sunscreen is no different for sunglasses. No matter if your family is out in the backyard for 8 hours or 8 minutes, wearing sunglasses is an essential to keep your eyes protected from the sun’s rays. Classic Ray Ban sunglasses are not only stylish, but also constructed with high-quality lenses for effective UV protection.
- Bicycles: A staycation doesn’t necessarily mean staying confined in your home. It could also include taking trips to local attractions. Equip the family with the appropriate road bicycles to travel to and from your staycation destinations.

- Digital Camera: Capture your family’s very first staycation with a Canon digital camera. They offer high-quality affordable cameras that are perfect for all photography levels.
- MP3 Player: An MP3 player is a great tool for added entertainment. Most notably an Apple Ipod Nano because of its size and ease of use. Just connect it to an ipod dock or any other sound system and you’re set.

Whether you decide to implement all 10 of these essentials to your staycation or pick and choose the ones of best fit, make it a memorable time out with the family!
-John





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