How do you definite "staycation"?

[disneysteve]

Masseurs/masseuses, aroma therapy, golf, tennis, tours, room service, club lounges, in-house restaurants... there are perks to staying at nice places, even if they're nearby. When you start asking, "Is this a staycation?" you're just discussing semantics, not economics.

I'll agree to disagree on this one. If you go to a nice resort where you stay overnight, you aren't at home. That means it isn't a "stay"cation - it's a vacation. You vacated your usual residence and went somewhere else. It doesn't matter if that somewhere else is down the street or across the country.

It sounds like the word staycation has lost its original meaning, which is fine I suppose. It just makes it a bit confusing when someone says they did a staycation at a $400/night luxury resort.

Thanks for the replies. I had no idea that so many people used staycation to mean something entirely different.

[scfr]

I don't think there is a right/wrong in this case. When using a colloquialism, the meaning will change from person to person, from region to region.

That being said, I agree with your definition.

Well said. What to me is "frugal" is "cheapskate" or "spendthrift" to others.

[Wino]

You vacated your usual residence and went somewhere else.

But you "stayed" in your city.

When you eat out, you also "vacate" your house. You're simply using where you sleep - and only where you sleep - to define "stay." I could make your same case to say that if you cross the lintel of your front door, you're no longer in a staycation.

[disneysteve]

You're simply using where you sleep - and only where you sleep - to define "stay."

Exactly. If I don't come home to sleep at night it is a vacation, not a staycation. Once there is a hotel involved, it ceases to be a staycation.

Someone on the other board said that if they go to the shore for a few days, they consider that a staycation since they live 45 minutes away. I fail to see how that wouldn't be considered a vacation. You pack your bags and check into a hotel for 3 days. How is that a staycation?

[Wino]

If I don't come home to sleep at night it is a vacation, not a staycation. Once there is a hotel involved, it ceases to be a staycation.

I have driven from Houston to New Braunfels, gone tubing on the Comal (twice around), and then come back to Houston that evening. Is that a staycation because I didn't sleep in a hotel? Gas costs alone are over $60 for that trip, not to mention the de rigeur stop at Frank's each way. It's at least $100 for a couple, assuming you own your own tubes (which I do). If you have to rent tubes, you're another $20 to $40 out of pocket.

My ex-in-laws live in New Braunfels. We stayed in their place a few times and did the Landa Park picnic as well as tubing and the Schlitterbahn. Is that a staycation because I didn't stay in a hotel, or is it now a vacation because I stayed out of my house overnight? The two trips are equivalent in distance traveled. The only difference is the fact that two days are spent in New Braunfels with the overnight, plus the ticket prices to the Schlitterbahn.

I often travel for work. I stay in hotels all the time, but I work during the day. On the weekends and in the evenings, I can see the sights. Is that now a vacation because I didn't sleep at home, or is it something else entirely because someone else is paying for my room and meals, plus the fact that about 8 to 12 hours per day are taken up with work-related tasks? Five-star hotels are pretty good, especially when someone else pays the bill.

DW had the chance to join me in a resort in Indonesia, but she declined because she was still working at the time. Would it have been a vacation, assuming the previous paragraph was "something else?" Was she then on vacation, and I not on vacation, even though we would have been in the same room, only I would work during 8 to 10 hours of the day while she could golf, play tennis, go shopping, on tours, etc.? At night, we would be together and doing the night life and restaurants. She declined, but if the same or similar opportunity comes up, she's said she'll come next time; the opportunity has not yet presented itself as obviously as the Indonesia resort trip had presented itself.

I have two friends who have private pilot's licenses, and both own their own airplanes. One of them lives in a neighborhood set up with houses along a runway instead of a golf course, and all the houses have private hangers. Either of them could easily fly several hundred miles for lunch, and return home in the evening on any weekend. Are they on "staycation" when this occurs?

Lastly, don't you hate it that a typo in the title can't be corrected?

[disneysteve]

I have driven from Houston to New Braunfels, gone tubing on the Comal (twice around), and then come back to Houston that evening. Is that a staycation because I didn't sleep in a hotel?

I'd be more apt to call that a day trip. To me, a staycation is a vacation spent at home. It isn't one day. If we go to the shore on Saturday just for the day, I wouldn't call that a staycation or a vacation. If however I take a week off of work, stay at home, and do day trips every day to area destinations and attractions, that would be a staycation - a vacation where I stayed at home.

My ex-in-laws live in New Braunfels. We stayed in their place a few times and did the Landa Park picnic as well as tubing and the Schlitterbahn. Is that a staycation because I didn't stay in a hotel, or is it now a vacation because I stayed out of my house overnight?

Yes, that is now a vacation because you are staying away from home.

I often travel for work. I stay in hotels all the time, but I work during the day. On the weekends and in the evenings, I can see the sights. Is that now a vacation because I didn't sleep at home, or is it something else entirely

I'd call that a business trip. Separate category.

[disneysteve]

So I have a follow up question for those who think a staycation doesn't require staying at home. How do you define vacation? What's the difference between the two? Is it based on distance? Is it based on duration? When would you say you are on one vs. the other?

[bjl584]

I think that we are starting to split hairs here.

There will always be strange and unique circumstances and gray areas with just about anything.

I'd argue that a good general rule for a vacation is something that you do that is fun, relaxing, and voluntary away from home for more than one day when you aren't working.

If you are doing something fun, relaxing, and voluntary at home that you took a day or more off work to do then you are probably having a staycation.

[disneysteve]

I'd argue that a good general rule for a vacation is something that you do that is fun, relaxing, and voluntary away from home for more than one day when you aren't working.

If you are doing something fun, relaxing, and voluntary at home that you took a day or more off work to do then you are probably having a staycation.

I would agree with this.

When I said a day trip wasn't a staycation, I meant if I didn't take off from work to do so, like on the weekend. If I take time off, that's different.

[bjl584]

When I said a day trip wasn't a staycation, I meant if I didn't take off from work to do so, like on the weekend. If I take time off, that's different.

Yes,
Weekends and holidays don't count. You have to take a day or more off from work.

[Gailete]

How would I define a staycation? HMM let me see, this is something that we can't afford to do much less a vacation. I would love to take a week or so off and twiddle my thumbs, but not maintaining our on line business or my hubby's job doesn't coincide well with having money for goofing off. the closest I got to a staycation this summer, is on a nice sunny day while running errands the other day I drove down to the Lake and watched the waves for a while and then went out to eat.

I think perhaps part of the 'staycation' mentality while paying $400 for a night in a hotel room near Disney helps the person feel like they are fitting in with co-workers, etc. that can't afford a vacation like he is taking. It amazes me that almost everyone you talk to always wants to convince you that financially they are worse off than everyone else including you. It is like it is un-American to claim to have plenty or even enough. To fit in we all have to moan about being poor so you can only afford a staycation.

[willuc8]

Definitely staying at home if I'm on a staycation!