Seattle
When the summer months hit, Seattle shakes off its gloomy, rainy persona and becomes a whole new city. The days are beautiful and the neighborhoods come alive with happy locals who are grateful for the sunshine. With a break from the rain, summer is the best time to experience what makes Seattle so great—aspects that, as a local, we might take for granted. (No, we aren’t talking about Starbucks or the Space Needle.) One Seattleite’s staycation recommendations run the gamut from a peaceful picnic in Gasworks Park to a fun night of karaoke at Venus Karaoke to a restaurant that she claims has “the best fish and chips on planet earth.” Seattle boasts an array of fresh seafood eateries, outdoor markets offering local goods, and new venues to explore—all of which, our local expert assures, won’t be brimming with tourists and fanny packs.
Denver and Boulder
Denver is the Gateway to the West and most locals are at that gate every year, packing up our vacation bags and heading into the mountains. But what about all the fantastic activities we leave behind in the city? Our local Boulder/Denverite came up with twenty staycation activities—from kayak lessons and jazz in the park, to gallery hopping and tubing Boulder Creek—and in the process, came up with twenty great reasons to stay put in Denver … and hope everyone else quits town so she has all the fun to herself!
Atlanta
Atlanta is a city teeming with culture, great shopping, affordable-but-tasty restaurants, and many charming neighborhoods worth exploring. But chances are—just like any great city—its locals have not slowed down long enough to appreciate its many gems. A staycation here could include a visit to Oakland Cemetery followed by a cold beer on a rooftop patio, shopping on the Westside followed by cheap eats, chilling with Coca Cola, hanging in the Botanical Gardens, or (heaven forbid) working up a sweat on the Silver Comet Trail. Our local Atlantan’s staycation plans showed her that she could stay in Atlanta but feel like she was a million miles away … without spending a million dollars to get there!
So it seems there’s no excuse to be a sorry statistic. Not only does it help us renew our appreciation for the places we’ve chosen to make our homes, but staycationing helps our carbon imprints, credit card statements, and local economies. What seals the deal for me is not needing to belabor what to pack!
Related Stories: Why I Live Here: New York, San Francisco, Illinois, Washington State, Boulder, Atlanta
