Last Minute Vacation Ideas

By Sarah Balke

School is beginning again and social media is filled with bittersweet images of parents packing up and moving kids into college to start their next chapter of life. It’s that time during summer when many people are trying to squeeze one last family vacation into their schedule.

What you choose to do really depends on your personal comfort level with hotels, airports, planes, or restaurants. Here are a few ideas for a variety of comfort levels.

1. The Staycationer: If you are being extra cautious and sticking close to home or looking for a low budget vacation idea, plan a staycation. Plan your vacation as you would a traveling vacation, including device-free activities. Have each member of the family plan a meal (or two) and an activity. Eat somewhere you don’t typically eat, such as an outdoor or a living room picnic. For daytime activities, head to a local park and take a walk or bike ride; plan some yard games such as ladder ball, croquet, or bocce ball. Bubbles are fun for all ages - no matter how much the teenagers complain about it. Check out this DIY giant size bubble idea and recipe.
2. The Risk Taker: Leave it up to chance… draw a circle - or use the zoom tool on your digital map - to represent the furthest point you’d like to drive. Envision a clock over your area, shake a pair of dice, and head to the “time” you landed on; 6 would be due south and 12, due north! Many campgrounds are booked up if you haven’t already made your reservation, but sometimes you can luck out in smaller towns. For something a little less crowded, look for a house or condo on Air BNB or VRBO. Once you know where you are staying, visit a variety of city chamber websites to find things to do in the area. Small towns are often some of the coolest places to visit. For packing ideas, check out our “What to Pack on a Road Trip" blog!
3. The Adventurer: Feeling adventurous? Flight deals are pretty amazing right now, and airports are seeing a relatively low number of travelers. Southwest has several one way flights for under $99, and just the other day I found a roundtrip flight to Alaska from Minneapolis for less than $250 on Sun Country Airlines. No matter what service you prefer, look on their website for last minute deals to help you decide where to vacation. Regardless of where you are flying, you will need to pack a cloth face mask. All major US airlines are requiring passengers to wear a mask on the plane. Also check travel restrictions at your destination; some states require a 14 day quarantine or proof of a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival.

Last tip for a fun vacation, hand held devices are our computers, cameras, phones, and entertainment. It would be tough to have a vacation anywhere without them, especially if you are a teenager! Download a fun app/game for the whole family to play. My personal favorite is Heads Up! If games are not up your alley, try a virtual reality tour of a museum! VR viewers start at less than $15 from Google Cardboard.

I know it’s Cliché, but time really does go quickly. No amount of “stuff” will ever replace an amazing experience. Find joy in the planning and the vacation, wherever that may take you!