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Backyard Vacations

Cheap Vacation Ideas for a Family Vacation or
Staycation in Your Own Backyard

Backyard vacations in Minnesota have all the appeal of any other vacation. Use these cheap vacation ideas to enjoy a Minnesota vacation close to home.

For those of us who live in Minnesota, it’s easy to think we’ve been everywhere and done all that there is to do in our own backyard. The truth is that most of us really haven’t.

We live in a state where millions of people come on vacation yet many times fail to take advantage of what we have--right in our own backyard.

We have been Minnesota residents all of our lives and have yet to see hundreds of Minnesota attractions. Even before gas prices began to soar, we made a commitment to spend more time exploring our own, beautiful, Minnesota backyard.

Check out what others say about the places near your home in Minnesota.

All it takes is a change of mindset and a spirit of adventure to see vacation opportunities in your own home state.

One of the best guides to things to see in Minnesota is Minnesota Marvels: Roadside Attractions in the Land of Lakes.

With the economy making vacations more of a challenge it makes more sense than ever to experience the joys, and savings, of a backyard vacation.

On weekends, we pick an area of Minnesota to visit and make a list of places and attractions we want to see. If we don't have the whole weekend, we can still enjoy day trips to see a few Minnesota roadside attractions some of the many many little-known "hidden gems" in our state. There are several great guidebooks to the hundreds of monuments, statues and out of the way spots around the state that commenorate the real, imaginary and quirky parts of Minnesota history.

We'll never get to every wonderful vacation spot in Minnesota so we've created a page where you can share your favorite Minnesota vacations spots by going to the Minnesota Forums Page and offering tips about close to home getaways.

If you are not a resident of Minnesota, we hope you will visit! However the tips that follow for backyard vacations, and how to have fun without leaving town, can apply no matter where you live.

A word that has become popular recently for these "stay-close-to-home" vacations is "staycation."

That's when you spend your vacation at home - or closer to home than you might have in more prosperous times. We like the idea of "one-tank" trips as well. So, while you can literally stay at home and be on vacation, getting away from it all while spending as little as possible is very appealing.

A Backyard Vacation in Your Home Town

Here are some tips that will help you have a backyard vacation no matter where you live:

Stop at your local Chamber of Commerce or Visitor Center and gather up a stack of the brochures they offer.
Research on the website of the town you live in, or want to visit. Most cities and towns list their local attractions.
Pretend you have never been to your town before. Use the same skills you would use to explore a new vacation spot if you were across the country or around the world!
Visit your town's museums and historical places.
Picnic in local parks; swim at local beaches or an indoor water park; visit nearby theme parks.
Shop in local gift shops, quaint and unusual stores, even local thrift shops and flea markets.
Eat in restaurants you've never visited before. Make it a point to try ethnic restaurants for new food experiences.

A "One Tank" Backyard Vacation

One secret to a successful backyard vacation is to find ways to have the same relaxing and fun experiences you would look for in any vacation. Some people think "beach" when they think vacation. Others think "great food" or "beautiful scenery." Make a list of the things that you want from a vacation and then surprise yourself by finding them near to home.

Start your one-tank backyard vacation by geting a map of the state and deciding where you can go from where you are on half a tank of gas or less. (The other half is for getting you home.)

In Minnesota you could:

Vacation In Your Own Backyard--Literally

When I hear the words, backyard vacation, the first thing that comes to mind is setting up a tent in our backyard as a child and spending the night out there with my friends. Sleeping under the stars as a family can be a new and unique experience. Do some of the same things you would do if you were camping in a campground:

Create your "campout environment" by setting up your tent as far away from the house as possible. Set up a picnic table nearby. Bring food to your campsite in a cooler and cook it on a grill.
Bring out lots of blankets and sleeping bags to keep everyone cozy.
Tell stories and sing songs around the "campfire" even if your campfire is the glowing coals of your grill.
Make s'mores or other favorite campout treats.
Watch the stars, listen to the crickets, talk to each other away from the distraction of the TV.
Enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the outdoors, in your own backyard,
You will likely have to have one deviation from avoiding the house--when you go in to use the bathroom!

In many small ways we can enjoy the benefits of a vacation without spending the money and time that a cross-country or global vacation requires. Instead, spend a bit on creating a stress-reducing atmosphere in which you can relax at home. You can take short day trips to beautiful locations nearby. You can pamper yourself with some time at a local spa or lying on the beach. Visit local Farmers Markets. Turn off the phone, the TV and the computer and spend the day with a good book. Speaking of good books, get to know your local library.

Make plans with friends or family to try new things, new foods, new sights that are close to home, maybe right in your own backyard!

Here are just a few more important tips on how to have a backyard vacation:

Use coupons and discount offers for local attractions. Find some great offers on the Minnesota Deals page.
Remember that you are on vacation. Don't do any of your normal household chores or errands. Pretend you are not at home.
Block out the vacation time on your calendar as if you really are out of the area and unavailable.
Eat out as much as your budget will allow. You shouldn't be cooking and cleaning up the kitchen while you are on vacation!
Consider staying one or two nights at a motel or Bed & Breakfast.
Take lots of pictures to remember how much you enjoyed your backyard vacation.

This summer, give yourself permission to take a vacation in your own backyard. It’s affordable, family-friendly, and you’re guaranteed to think afterwards: "I had no idea there was so much to do right here in Minnesota."