Few are those who can get by without an annual break from the rigors of everyday life.
Vacations are a healthy way to reset the dial and experience something new — but what a grand episode they can be. Long, luggage-laden treks can dissuade even the most burnt-out nine-to-fivers from taking the break they need. That is not to mention the distinct impression that someone has burned a dollar bill-shaped hole in your pocket.
Enter the “staycation,” a departure from traditional departure. No longer a tongue-in-cheek way to suggest loafing around at home, the modern staycation is a budget-friendly adventure right within the outskirts of the ol’ hometown.
Now, Spring Break approaches, coiled like a school-age kid at the foot of their parents’ bed at 5:30 a.m. on a Saturday. It brings a great opportunity to get out and explore some yet-unseen corner of the Greater Tampa Bay area.
Here is a short-but-hot list of local staycation spots to get readers started on their own little nearby adventure.
Kids’ Pick: LEGOLAND Florida Resort
Tourists travel from all over to get in on Florida’s theme park action. GTB locals have an advantage here. Block out a few days on the calendar for LEGOLAND Florida Resort, located right here in GTB.
A family-friendly getaway for Greater Tampa Bay families who do not plan on getting completely away, Legoland offers three places to stay. These include the Legoland Hotel, Beach Retreat and the Pirate Island Hotel. The latter offers free parking for “ye pirate crew,” which is a deal at which no scoundrel would sniff.
LEGO delivers on all the rides, kid-friendly nighttime entertainment and smart, creative energy.
Grownup Choice: Hotel Haya
Hotel Haya is the rather new — yet almost quintessential — 7th Avenue experience in Ybor City. In equal measure, this exciting resort is filled with charm, nostalgia and its own distinct character.
The Hotel Haya is itself a vacation from bland sleepovers in uniform hotel chains. It furnishes Tampanians’ staycations with coastal cuisine, room decor by local artists and an unpronounceable café, Quiquiriqui.
Airbnb Staycation Options
Theme parks and hotels must scoot a bit to afford space for Airbnb, a homey alternative to the traditional hotel stay. Experiences vary from place to place. For staycationers looking to hit just the right note for Spring Break, Airbnb offers visits to locations as diverse as the GTB itself.
For instance, the Surf’s Up Cottage represents a wholesome bundle of cozy pastels — a Key West-style cottage ranked by some among the top ten best Airbnb rentals in the Tampa area. For the aquatic at heart, Boathouse on the Hillsborough River is a rustic-exterior cabin docked in the river.
These are just a few examples of hundreds. There is no guarantee that any given Airbnb will be open for visitation during Spring Break. For every delicious little cottage that has already been booked, however, Tampanians are sure to find another.
By Drew Mortier
