Home is where the heart is. There’s no place like home. Repeating these words as you consider locations for your next getaway will help you plan the perfect staycation on your home turf. Finding the time and money to go on vacation isn’t easy. Staycations can be a nice alternative to stressful and expensive traveling options. Stuck in traffic? Nope. Long lines at the airport? No way. Save yourself the headache and backache of over packing and book your staycation at one of these great B&Bs. Explore your city and unearth treasures you never knew existed as you eat, play, and shop local on your best vacation ever!
All aboard! Streetcars in New Orleans take locals and visitors on a scenic tour around the city. Built in 1835, the St. Charles streetcar line is the oldest operating streetcar in the world. This historic streetcar has carried passengers to and from work, to famous restaurants, shops, festivals, and grand hotels. Grand Victorian Bed & Breakfast, located in the beautiful Garden District, is right on the St. Charles line. This lovely B&B offers guests comfort, endless charm, and convenience. “Many of our locals live out in the suburbs and don’t come into the city proper unless required to do so for work or an isolated occasion,” says innkeeper Bonnie Rabe. “Often we have New Orleanians that come down for a long weekend or a holiday weekend to explore their home city.” Lafayette Cemetery, the French Quarter, historic monuments, centuries-old oak trees, Audubon Park, and Tulane University, are just some of the popular tourist attractions that visitors can’t get enough of, and locals rarely take the time to appreciate. “I probably have almost three dozen couples who regularly visit for a staycation here annually. They try new restaurants that they’ve been reading reviews of but have yet to try.” After taking in the city’s lively culture and cuisines, this B&B welcomes guests into its stately Victorian parlor, perfect for relaxing with a book from the library. The balcony is also ideal for people watching (you might even see one of your neighbors) as you enjoy complimentary snacks and beverages.
It’s time to stop, take in nature’s beauty, and breathe in that fresh mountain air. Get off the hectic treadmill of life and hop on to a gentle horse or cozy carriage ride at Farm by the River Bed and Breakfast with Stables. This North Conway, NH, inn is a great staycation that has all of the necessary ingredients to de-stress without traveling too far. “You can get away with your loved one and you don’t have to get on a plane,” says innkeeper Rick Davis. “Staycations give you the opportunity to gain a unique perspective on your life, try something new on your bucket list (such as our horseback riding and sleigh rides), and for a bit of romance.” A romantic carriage ride includes complimentary champagne or sparkling cider with chocolates, and a fleece or faux fur blanket. Davis has married over 400 couples and many of them come back for their anniversary each year and take another sleigh or carriage ride. This beautiful B&B in the White Mountains will help you unwind with over 70 acres with 20 horses, bird watching, swimming, and fishing. “Guests come back and tell us it’s a home away from home. They stay in the same rooms for the bed and the views,” he says. Waking up in your cozy room to the sight of horses lazily grazing in the fields outside your window is the perfect recipe for relaxation on your staycation.
Fall in love with the peaceful calm and relaxing retreat that is Hartzell House Bed and Breakfast, in Addison, PA. You can immerse yourself in the beautiful outdoors then reenergize your senses with plush bed linens and gourmet breakfasts. “Over the years, we have had many guests choose to have a staycation at our B&B,” says innkeeper Kitty Stemac. “We are ideally situated in a tri-state region that offers everything from white water rafting and various outdoor adventure activities, antiquing, birding, the Gap bike trail, and so much more!” There’s also can’t miss architectural treasures like Fallingwater, a house designed in 1935 by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. This public museum has attracted more than five million visitors since its debut 82 years ago. After viewing this world-class piece of art, the beauty continues inside the walls of Hartzell. There are 6 lovely guest rooms, comfortable living spaces to relax by the fireside, a sunroom, and cozy furniture made for pampering guests. “We offer a unique brand of caring, individualized service in a casually elegant, modernly equipped, adult-oriented environment, with several outdoor and indoor spaces for gathering with friends, retreating for intimacy, or escaping from the over-stimulation of a hectic life,” says Kitty. You will definitely forget about your worries as you enjoy an amazing breakfast of mushroom quiche or oatmeal cooked in apple cider, served with love and care by Kitty. “Why go far when you can come home to Hartzell House and experience a life that is worlds apart from the norm?”
From free parking out front, local bus lines that will easily take you to and from one destination to another, to walkable places like restaurants, shops, and The Woodland Park Zoo (only three blocks away), 9 Cranes Inn, in Seattle, WA, is a great place for a staycation. Located in the Phinney Ridge area, this early 20th century Craftsman B&B offers four guestrooms with a king or queen bed, comfortable robes, and private en-suite bathrooms. These amenities will surely check off all of the boxes for anyone looking for some R&R from their busy lives. “We have a local mother of three children who is a teacher that visits us at least twice a year. Sometimes she brings her husband, but most times she doesn’t. He takes the boys, while she escapes to her favorite room in the city – our top-floor oasis with a huge jetted tub and a mountain view,” says innkeeper Shelley Goulding. End your stay at this boutique hotel with a tasty breakfast menu of salmon scramble with a side of roasted tomatoes, strawberry rhubarb baked French toast or pumpkin pancakes with honey-pecan butter. One stay at 9 Cranes Inn, and you will rave about your fantastic staycation. Don’t be surprised if you’re ready to hit the repeat button again in a few months!
