It looks like a lot of us will be staying put again this summer and choosing to stay at home while the sun shines. Many of us have had holidays cancelled or postponed until next year. That doesn’t mean we’re not looking for a bit of an escape from the trauma that has been 2021 so far. We live on the Emerald Isle giving us plenty of opportunity to explore and indulge in this wonderful Island. Take a leaf out of our book and make the most out of your staycation in Ireland.
A staycation can be a holiday in your own home or pitching a tent in the back garden. Changing the rules of daily life and exploring your local town and back roads can make for a very memorable holiday. A staycation can also mean checking into a hotel or B&B a county or two away. And if you’re up for real adventure, a staycation can be a week of glamping in some of the most unique locations in Ireland.
No matter where you decide to rest your head, open up a new world with a staycation this summer.
Find Your Spot
If you’re not too sure where to go, by doing a quick online search, you will find hundreds of different spots to take to for a week or two during the summer. Ireland has the rivers, the lakes, and mountains our dreams are made of with everything families, kids, couples, and solo travellers could ever need and want. You will be spoiled for choice.
When thinking about where to bring your packed bags to, figure out what you’re looking to discover from this year’s getaway. Art, culture, history, tranquillity, exercise? Ireland has it all, and often in the one spot, so no matter where you choose you will find it all. Fall into Galway for a city of culture or embrace the Wild Atlantic on your bike. How about finding the warm and welcoming fishing villages along the Wexford coast, take to the waves in Kerry, or bask in the heat of the midlands. Every corner of Ireland is waiting to be explored with something special for everyone.
Find the Hidden Gems
When you find your ideal spot, go local. When we holiday we can forget that this is home to so many. Instead of keeping to the ordinary transactional interactions between you and the locals, find out about life in their part of the island. Ask about the hidden gems rarely advertised but known and loved by the people who live there. To deeply appreciate a space you have never visited before avoid being the tourist for a day or two and make it your home for the time you are there.
And if you don’t know where to start in finding the unique neighbourhood attractions, ask the butcher, the greengrocer or any of the locals for the unique hotspots tourists rarely visit. Find the sandiest and quietest part of the beach, the hills the locals roam and the quickest way to the craft quarter through the old town. A hidden gem in Ireland is a worthwhile discovery.
Visit the Museums or Take a Tour
And when you have explored as a local, go and be a tourist. Take a tour. There is nothing that says holiday more than an open-air bus! The history or Ireland is diverse with a richness waiting to be explored. Take a walking tour in Dublin City Centre or jump into the museums and art galleries. If you’re in a small town, find the local museums and libraries and learn about the history of that town, its people and its own unique culture.
Indulge in Local Cuisine
Enjoy the local cuisine. Eat fish caught from beyond the harbour, indulge in omelettes from the free-range hens from the farm down the road and savour the roasted vegetables grown outside in the restaurant garden. The wonderful thing about small villages and unique towns is the vast knowledge of locals to live off the land beloved by them for generations.
Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
Keep adventure on your side as you explore a new town, or even your hometown. You may be surprised to find rock climbing is right on your doorstep or surf lessons down at the beach. The idea about a staycation is to explore what you would not normally explore. We often become boxed into our usual routines and ordinary routes. Take a step outside of your comfort zone. Take the train instead of the bus or your car, walk the paths you usually skip and open the doors you never noticed before.
Pamper Yourself
Remember, the perfect staycation includes a bit of pampering. Just because you have stayed home or hopped over the border to stay in an Airbnb in the next county does not mean indulgence is not available. Take a spa day, or stock up the freezer with your favourite tub of ice cream. A staycation is as much of a holiday as any other. Relax and unwind and pamper yourself.
Please let us know your suggestions for staycastions for 2021.
Main Featured image Photo by RUBEN XOVE on Unsplash
Lighthouse image Photo by Trevor Cole on Unsplash
Spa image Photo by alan caishan on Unsplash
