My friends had a picnic on Monday for Memorial Day, gathering around lunchtime with food, blankets and softballs. I came wandering over to the lawn about 5 hours late, dressed in full business attire, and had this conversation with a friend who ran over to greet me:

“Yeah, I had to work today, but it’s all right because I got comp time and I’m taking a staycation at the end of the week.”

“Didn’t you JUST take a staycation?!”

Photo by Samy Ruby

Why yes, yes I did. Back in April, I took a week off for my birthday and spend it frolicking around New York City and volunteering at She is Free. I’m taking one in August, too, when my sister flies out for her nineteenth birthday.

So why do I love a staycation so much?

The long and short of it is: I get a ridiculous amount of paid time off (SO GRATEFUL, by the way) and I just can’t afford to travel for ALL of it. Seriously, after working every holiday, I ended up with 22 days to take off this year, which is just nuts for an entry-level position. But with an entry-level job comes an entry-level salary, making it hard to escape as much as I’d like. By the time the year is over (at the end of September, per my company’s calendar) I’ll have been to Phoenix, Cleveland, Boston and Los Angeles, plus these three staycations. Even though I keep my trips cheap-ish by taking the bus or staying with friends and family, it’s just not feasible to add even more to that schedule.

Money aside, I live in one of the top tourist destinations in the world. There’s just a ridiculous amount to do here, and it doesn’t have to be outrageously expensive (although NYC’s reputation as pricey is well-deserved). With a staycation, I can act like I’m on vacation by taking advantage of this wonderful place, but still sleep in my own bed at night.

Visiting Grand Army Plaza on my last staycation – walking distance from my house!

So with all of that said: I’m on staycation until Monday! I scored discount tickets to Mamma Mia! tonight, my roommate and I are going to the World Trade Center Observatory and an event at Anthropologie tomorrow, Friday is the Awaken event, Saturday is a college friend’s birthday, and Sunday will bring a full day of church. It’s amazing how easy it is to fill the days!

So tell me: Are you a fan of the staycation? What else should I do in NYC?