Summer Staycation Guide: Countryside Edition
Do your vacations often involve frolicking in fields with wildflowers, farm-to-table meals and horseback riding? While you might not be able to escape to your ideal countryside retreat, you can still enjoy the tranquility of nature with our 24-hour countryside staycation guide.
Whether you live in an apartment far from nature or you’ve got a big backyard, enjoy the great outdoors from wherever it is that you call home.
The Itinerary
1. Bake cookies
The best part about being in the countryside is breathing in the crisp air. To set the mood, try to recreate this cozy atmosphere at home by baking chocolate chip cookies and making homemade lemonade. Who doesn’t love the scent of cookies baking in the oven?
2. Try forest bathing
Nature is a huge part of countryside vacations, you can also recreate it locally with forest bathing. Forest bathing is the practice of taking mindful walks in nature, it has positive effects on our wellbeing. While it’s commonly practiced in well, forests, you can also take a mindful nature walk at your local botanical garden. Botanical gardens are often humid, warm and very relaxing places. It’s a nice chance to reflect and be transported to another world without ever leaving your city.
3. Plants, plants, plants
Why stop there? Bring some green into your home and enjoy all of the feel-good benefits plants have to offer 24/7. Whether you want to start collecting house plants, plant a window box of your favorite flowers or adopt an unusual plant (a lemon tree, perhaps?) Bring nature to you! Don’t forget to create your own face mask before heading out.
4. Bike ride-picnic-flower extravaganza
While you might not be able to go horseback riding, our bike ride-picnic-flower extravaganza will be even better! First, you’ll want to find a park you haven’t previously explored. Then you’ll want to pack a picnic, prepare some delicious sandwiches and your freshly baked cookies for dessert. You can rent a bike or ride your own. Bonus points if the bike has a basket. You’ll also want to bring a scissors with you because… you’re going to be picking wildflowers for a special project.
5. Flower crowns
Finally, wrap-up your staycay with a fun craft. Gather the wildflowers you foraged for earlier and get ready to make some flower crowns! If you’ve never made a flower crown before, you might want to check out this guide. While flower crowns only last for a couple days, they’re a trademark of fun summer style. Plus, if you really love the result you can create your own T-shirt inspired by your flower crown.
What to Pack
- Chocolate chip cookie supplies
- Monogrammed sun hat
- Garden shears and/or scissors
- Face mask for bike ride
- An eternal flower crown T-shirt
