Turn Any Regular Weekend Into a Refreshing Mini Vacation: 5 Ideas

Bracing yourself against the waves of envious, exotic trips that will be flooding your Instagram feed now that summer’s almost here? Whether you’ve got your own exciting vacation coming up or you have to stay closer to home this summer, you don’t have to take off time from work to unwind. Use these quick tips to make any weekend feel like a mini vacation.

You don’t have to clear off your entire weekend schedule anytime you want to try and create a vacation feel during your two precious days off a week, but you do want to make some room for being able to forget time a bit. If you have work to do (either work-work or around-the-house work), get it done early in the day so you can give yourself a few hours of you-time that don’t require having to watch the clock.

Take out the dirty laundry and the technology. Make the bed tight and add something in there that smells good. Think about the things you love about walking into a fresh and clean favorite hotel and try to mimic the feel in your sleep space. If you’ve got a attached bathroom, consider giving that space a spa-like makeover.

• 5 Ways to Make Any Bathroom Feel More Spa-Like

Are there any museums in your town that you keep meaning to visit, and forget? Are there parks you always tell yourself you’re going to pack a picnic for, and then don’t? Are there any hopelessly touristy things in your town you avoid but secretly wish you visited? The fastest way to feel like you’re on vacation is to go do something vacation-y. See the sights.

Whether it’s on your living room sofa, your backyard hammock or anywhere in between, if your idea of a relaxed vacation is quietly relaxing in comfort…then relax! Combine getting comfortable with the idea of losing track of time and just sink into your weekend for a few hours.

For many, great vacations involve great food. So whether you try out a recipe at home (consider using local ingredients to give yourself a local taste) or try out a new restaurant, adding in something flavorful to your weekend will make it feel like a retreat from the everyday.