Stay-Cations: 86 Places to Enjoy Outdoor Activities Close to Home (by Geographic Area)

For many reasons - not the least is our economy - people are choosing to stay home more than ever versus planning lush vacations.

This does not mean they are missing out on seasonal fun, however. Instead, they are becoming part of a growing trend called 'stay-cations', which simply means they are having much of the fun normally reserved for vacations at local area natural attractions.

And it just so happens with so many (tens of thousands) natural attractions nationwide, there are bound to be some within convenient driving distance. What's more, you are probably less familiar with them than your favorite get-away spots!

So without further ado, here's how you can have all the fun of a vacation without the time or expense this season:

With gas prices sky high and everyone looking for ways to save money this summer, you might think about taking a Staycation. Look through the list of Staycation entries below and see if one is near your home and then check out all the great ideas the participants have shared all over the United States. Handbook of Nature Study...

It is possible to eat at home on vacation without feeling like you’re slaving away over a hot stove.  And it’s the best way to save money.  We’ve been known to take our food on vacation with us, even if we’re traveling long distances.  Lots of people do this if they are camping or going to the beach, but we’ve even done it in Disney World.  So I know it’s possible to do it at home, make it special and keep it simple all at the same time. Eat At Home...

Our Human Need for Nature

On Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, it can be found the most basic of that which we as people require for survival and growth. However, upon viewing his hierarchy what we do not see listed is perhaps the most basic and critical of human needs: the need for nature.

Do We Need Nature?

Paraphrasing William Shakespeare, 'is nature to be or not to be'? That is the question. It seems simple and straightforward. But is it? Who, for example, makes up the "we"? Does the "we" refer to peasant farmers whose livelihoods depend on the productivity of local soils or the availability of water and other natural resources that they must exploit to survive? Does it refer to corporations whose operations and success depend on the use of various elements of the natural environment? How might one interpret the meaning of "need"? Is it a need related to one's well being, or is it a desired need, but not a necessity? Fragilecologies...

I believe without too much thought, however, anyone can easily experience the satisfaction of their nature need uniquely. You need but walk into the cool forest and watch the water fall on a warm summer's day. Or see the ice crystals glisten upon the pine trees after a fresh winter snow. For others, it is the tropical atmosphere, the shoreline, even the thrill of flight. One pattern is always present however, we always feel better in nature.

Why We Need More Time in the Natural World

But what exactly is being restored by such immediate connection with nature? Or, put another way, what are we missing without these experiences? An entirely different experiment sheds some light on this question. University of Michigan psychologist Marc Berman believes that nature actually shifts our brain from one processing mode to another. That is, when we walk around city streets with a lot of stimulation, we need to employ a very focused and analytic kind of attention; that's how we process rush-hour traffic and police sirens and other urban noises. But this kind of attention can get depleted. Interacting with nature shifts the mind to a more relaxed and passive mode, allowing ourl powers to be restored. Newsweek...

 Regardless what we currently know about nature, or what we may ever know, one thing is certain: this is where we came from. Whether from this planet or another, whether from air, sea, or land, mystical nature is the birthplace of consciousness itself - something we neither can nor want to leave entirely.