We've also been doing more of these.
We live in coastal Southern california, so...not a bad place to live.
We have two kids.
Flying is a pain, we do it once a year, tops.
Travel is expensive.
The 12 year old gets carsick (do you know what flaming hot cheetos look like coming back up? Trust me, not pretty.)
Any kind of destination that we like (Legoland, Joshua Tree) involves several hours of driving. At least 4, up to 6.
I guess we are all sort of homebodies?
After evacuating a couple of times during the fires, we opted to stay put at Christmas and spring break.
It was pretty glorious to just grab a pizza, go get a glass of wine, go to the beach.
A few comments though:
1. It can be hard to decompress when you are still in town and answering emails. We did not untether, and in fact worked 3/5 days we were in town.
2. Our Thanksgiving trip, we drove to Arizona. Camping, Grand Canyon, visiting family. The distance and the untethering was very very relaxing. (As an aside, I am stressed and I don't sleep, and I take sleeping pills. During the Arizona vacation and for 2 weeks after, no need for them. Then the fires started...)
3. We opted for a "fun" day of games and mini-golf at a nearby town, and shouldn't have bothered. It was too expensive and we all got hungry and cranky.
When it comes right down to it, I like exploring far more than the husband and kids. I'd honestly go on a summer trip, Thanksgiving or Christmas, and Spring break every year. Although they are work (camping gear, or cooking at an AirBNB, long drives to AZ or UT, or flying to CO...) they let me decompress in a way that staying in town does not normally do. (as well anyway).
Anyway, we are probably more on the 1 to 2x a year schedule now. Every other summer we go to the east coast to visit family for 2 weeks (drive to LAX, fly to city 1, spend a week, figure out how to get to city 2 eight hours away by either train or rental car, but my family is 2 hours from anywhere, spend a week with his family in city 2, fly back to LAX, drive home). Alternate summers we do "something else". (Next summer: Europe? We think? Haven't been since 2002, kids have never been, husband has family there.)
The 2nd trip is generally within driving distance in CA - San Fran, Yosemite, Mammoth, June Lake, Legoland, Joshua Tree, Palm Springs... though we have ventured as far as UT or AZ - that's tough because it's 2 days driving each way.
To make my staycations fun, I ask myself - what do I like about vacations away?
1. Breakfast in the hotel. Namely, free breakfast that I don't have to prepare or do the dishes for. Also: I can go down while everyone else is sleeping and eat in peace.
To duplicate this at home: Buy easy things or prep them ahead. I can't eat wheat, so I might treat myself with some bakery gluten free bread, bagels, or muffins. Or make up a frittata at the beginning.
2. A meal out once a day. I don't really like this but the family does, so we do it.
3. The hotel pool. I haven't really found a way to duplicate this - the YMCA pool is not quite the same. I'm sure there may be ways to get into local hotel pools (heck, I'd be happy to pay a day-fee!)
4. Nature. I like camping and hiking. So, during staycations we'll go for a hike/ walk. Instead of camping, we might go to the beach and watch the sunset, so you get that "outdoors" thing and then go home and make cocoa.
I also like to go for walks on vacation to explore, and will do the same at home.
5. Books. In order to get extra time to just read, yes sadly I have to let the kids have extra screen time.
6. Adventure. Instead of a rafting trip "somewhere else", use that kayaking gift card at the harbor.
7. Go out for ice cream at least once.