Staycations — Who needs them?

It looks like the “staycation” will be here to stay, for better or for worse. The term, which is defined as a vacation spent at home or nearby, made it into the 2009 edition of the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary last week.  John Morse, president of the Springfield-based dictionary publisher, said the word has become too popular [...]

It looks like the “staycation” will be here to stay, for better or for worse.

The term, which is defined as a vacation spent at home or nearby, made it into the 2009 edition of the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary last week.  John Morse, president of the Springfield-based dictionary publisher, said the word has become too popular to ignore.

Fueled by a bad economy and rising unemployment, the staycation has become increasingly popular over the past year.  Though the term has been around since 2003 or so, its surge in popularity began during last year’s summer travel season, when gas prices were climbing, and has continued to grow ever since.

Staycationers may visit local parks and museums or simply relax in the comfort of their own home for a week while swearing off their BlackBerrys, laptops and laundry pile (or at least attempting to do so).  Others take the idea to the extreme, setting up a campground or a beach party within the confines of their living room.

Staycations are far less costly than a real vacation, since there are minimal travel expenses and no lodging costs.  Staycationers can feel good about supporting their local economies and avoiding the stresses of packing and sitting around in an airport all day.  Even successful businessmen have given up vacations to enjoy life at home.

But let’s face it, staycations suck.

That, at least, is what LastMinuteTravel.com declared in a recent press release.

According to a survey publicized by the travel site, seven out of 10 people would prefer a real vacation to a staycation.  Of those who had a bad staycation experience, 76% said it didn’t feel like a real vacation, 56% were bored and 20% had too much contact with work.

In the interests of self-promotion, LastMinuteTravel.com asks you to join them  in the fight against staycations. At the company’s new staycationssuck.com Web site, the retailer declares, “No more will we be oppressed by cheap turtle-shaped pools.  We’ve had enough backyard camping and daily ‘movie excursions.’  … If you ask us, staycations are un-American.”

By becoming a Facebook fan of Last Minute Travel, you can create a post about your miserable summer plans. The company will pick its favorite entry each week, for six weeks.  Each winner gets a paid-for vacation of his or her choice.

This loss of true family vacations may have other implications, suggests the Sierra Club.  With average vacation time down from two weeks to a long weekend, families have less time for shared adventure and the cohesion it brings, not to mention the novelty our brains need to function.

While it is understood that many families may have no other options in these difficult times, I despise the staycation — both the term and the concept.  Why not roll that “staycation” money into next year’s travel fund, instead of putting Junior in his swimming trunks and telling him the bathtub is the swimming pool?  I think this family has exactly the right idea. View This Poll
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