Vacationing can be a nightmare.

It’s expensive, packing is difficult and time-consuming, and children can be loud and uncomfortable in unfamiliar places. Sometimes, vacations are actually more stressful than simply staying home. 

Which, coincidentally, is why many families consider doing just that.

Staycations are growing in popularity, says Andrew Miller, executive director of the Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau in Pennsylvania. A recent AAA survey found that only 35 percent of Americans are planning on traveling more than 50 miles from their home this year for their family vacation.

“The term was coined around the economic downturn in 2008 because people started staying closer to home to conserve gas, avoid hotel prices and just save money in general,” said Miller. “But then they found all these great things to do in their backyard and they started telling friends and family about them. The staycation was kind of born from that.”

Staycations can last any length of time, from one day to one week. Typically, staycationers only venture one to three hours away from home for their trip, but many people don’t even need to go that far to have a refreshing break from life.

Miller said locals can become indifferent to the surrounding landmarks, heritage sites or festivals because the spots are part of their everyday lives.

However, those small museums, historical spots and outdoor recreational areas offer some of the best and cheapest staycation spots.

Where to go

Camping at any number of state parks or campgrounds can provide the solitude and relaxation that adults crave after a long week at work. Many campgrounds offer packages that make the outings fun and affordable.

Perhaps a family doesn’t enjoy the great outdoors. Not a problem, says Miller.

“Public libraries are the new community centers,” he said.

Public libraries had to reinvent themselves after losing some critical funding in the last few years. As a result, most now offer free public programming, especially in the summer.

Parents can plan a day of library activities with their kids, pack a picnic — or visit a new local restaurant for a treat — and supplement free time with quiet reading in the library to teach children the value of self-entertaining, reading and family time.

Families can also check out free festivals held throughout the summer in many places. Most offer food stands, children’s activities, pony rides, hayrides, games and information booths.

Want to have a kid-free staycation? Check out your local wineries or breweries. Many areas have ‘trails’ that offer discounts or planned events. 

No time to relax? You’re not alone

Laura Keys Campbell is like most people whose job offers a paid vacation. She takes it.

But the Geisinger Medical Center psychologist, who holds a Ph.D. in psychology, is among a shrinking number of American workers who use that time off.

In fact, she knows of people, including some patients she sees, who never take time off.

“I think there are a lot of real pressures out there, a lot of crossing of boundaries and not a lot of work-life boundaries,” Campbell said.

“I do take vacation,” she said. “I learned over the years how important it is to my physical and emotional well-being.”

She said workers who never take vacation feel there are more expectations placed on them, but those are not always real-life expectations. They feel a lot of pressure and fear they will be seen as replaceable or others might not do the job as well.

Washington Post columnist Robert Samuelson wrote that the growing number of people who don’t take vacation from work is a commentary on the new work culture in America.

Quoting Labor Department figures, Samuelson said that about 90 percent of American full-time workers receive some paid vacation. From 1978 to around 2000, those workers earned and took an average of 20 vacation days a year, he wrote, citing studies done by a travel industry group called Project Time Off. But in 2015, he continued, the full-time workers earned nearly 22 days of vacation but took only 16. He said about half of workers leave some vacation days unused. Samuelson said the travel industry refers to those who don’t use all of their vacation days as “work martyrs.”

In contrast, European countries must provide at least a month of vacation, Samuelson wrote. He said that according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, average French employees worked 20 percent fewer hours than their American counterparts in 2014.

Campbell said not taking time off from work can have serious consequences, such as burnout, depression and personal relationships that suffer.

“Burnout is a very real phenomenon,” she said, noting it can result in becoming less efficient at one’s job, feeling down and resentful and an inability to sleep well.

Not taking time off puts physical health in jeopardy, too, Campbell said. People may not eat right and they’re probably not exercising if they are working all the time.

She said workers might not take time off because they fear they will be replaced.

“At the same time, we are replaceable, the job can go on without us,” she said.

“My advice is if you’re not taking vacation, do it, take a vacation, even if it’s a staycation,” Campbell said. “Invest in your relationships, take up a hobby, even plan for your future — where do you see yourself in your job?”

Delsite and Sylvester are reporters for The (Sunbury, Pennsylvania) Daily Item.