Who says we need to spend thousands of dollars to have a quality family vacation? Staying at home can not only be cheaper but it can also offer opportunities for creativity and bonding that many paid vacations would have a hard time emulating. Here are 13 ideas to get you started:
• Camp out. This can be in your yard or your family room. Cook marshmallows. Tell ghost stories (within reason). Do magic tricks (a bunch of tutorials are available online).
• Try geocaching. This activity involves using a handheld GPS to find hidden treasures. Just Google the term to learn about this universe around you.
• Order your dinner in all week.
• Sit outside and read for pleasure.
• Try a marathon or two: movies, board games, card games and so forth.
• Have a water gun war; you could even chose teams, make rules, assign points 
and award prizes. Augment with water balloons.
• Make your own movie. Write a plot (or improv it), have costumes, make up, direction, filming, and so forth. Invite family and/or neighbors to the premiere.
• Eat some meals in an unusual spot (e.g., the driveway, a safe spot on a flat section of roof); if at night, add candlelight.
• Devote a day to making and sampling the cuisine from a particular country. Stress those that none of you have ever tried and make sure to include deserts.
• Have your own cupcake wars. Invite a neighbor in to judge. Get a trophy that the winner can lord over everyone until next year’s contest.
• Turn your house into a haunted mansion and invite neighbors and/or family to tour.
• Watch home movies.
• Create some crafts using family photos. Again, many ideas are available online.
As you live your staycation try to create one-on-one moments with each of your family members; these are the sorts of moments that will tend to matter the most over time.
Dr. David Palmiter's Blog for Hectic Parents 