(Family Features) If you don’t have the time or the money to get away this summer, there’s no reason you can’t have a memorable vacation. Everything you need is right in your hometown.

The trick to having a great stay-at-home vacation is to create the environment of a traditional vacation. Travel expert and creator of www.TravelingMamas.com, Shannon Hurst Lane, has some tips to help you plan:

- Schedule it. Decide on a beginning and an ending date, then put them on the calendar. Clear those days of anything that smells of work or regularly scheduled events. You’re on vacation, remember?

- Let local deals help you decide. These days, there are hundreds and even thousands of deals available close to home for dining, spas, attractions, museums and more. Going to m.bing.com on your cell phone will save you time and money by showing you local deals - all in one place - from Groupon, LivingSocial, Tippr and many others.

- Establish a “No Chore Zone.” This is not the time to clean out the closets, re-landscape the yard or tackle that home-improvement project. This is time for fun and family activities only.

- Plan activities for every day. You wouldn’t go to Orlando and stay in the hotel room the whole time, so don’t just sit around the house. Find interesting places to go and fun things to do
every day.

Get the kids involved in planning, too - let them choose a place to go or a theme for the day.

- Act like a tourist. Take photos and videos to document your local adventures. Pick up postcards and souvenirs from the museums or amusement parks you visit, just like you would if you had gone out of town.

Fun Staycation Ideas

Here are just a few ideas for some hometown adventures:

- Science and nature. Visit an arboretum or nature center. Bike the trails in a local or state park. Go horseback riding. Have fun in a local science center, or spend the day at the zoo or aquarium. Some zoos have overnight camping adventures available, too. Live near a lake or river? Try boating, water skiing or tubing for a day.

- Amusement parks. You may not live near one of the big theme parks, but there are more options around town than you might realize. Check out regional theme parks, water parks, and even local community centers. Family fun centers that have mini golf, laser tag, go karts and bowling are a fun option, too.

— Family food fun. Explore the local farmers markets and pick up fresh produce and local goods. Visit a U-Pick farm and gather things like fresh blueberries right off the bushes. Treat the family to a night out at a fancy restaurant, and have everyone dress in their best outfits. Or, order in from your favorite local eatery and have an indoor picnic.

- Local highlights. You know all those places that out-of-town guests want to go to when they visit but you’ve never gotten around to seeing? Well, now’s your chance. Look for walking tours of historic districts; tag along on guided tours of famous landmarks; or take that scenic drive everyone talks about.

Find plenty of local deals at www.bing.com

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