Unconventional Summer Vacation Ideas

By Guardian Business Services Inc. |

Summer is often the perfect time for a vacation that provides a mental break and rejuvenates you. The typical idea is to travel somewhere to relax, dine at nice restaurants and see the sights.

While the typical vacation can be fun, why not try something new? Here are some unconventional summer vacation ideas that may be rewarding to you and your family:

The edu-vacation

There are many full-day or weeklong courses centered around a special theme available during the summer months. If you live by or can travel to a major city, you can often find instruction in interesting subjects such as:

  • Cooking
  • Creative writing
  • Dancing
  • Foreign languages
  • Martial arts and self-defense
  • Painting
  • Sculpture
  • Woodworking

If you're closer to wilderness areas, you can often find courses in things like:

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  • Camping and outdoor survival
  • Scuba diving
  • Canoeing and kayaking
  • Target shooting and gun safety
  • Whitewater rafting

The great thing about an edu-vacation is that it engages your brain and gives you a purpose behind your time off. Not only will your mind be refreshed, you may come away with a new hobby and a memorable experience.

The active stay-cation

Many people live in interesting places that tourists come to visit, but they don't ever take the time to enjoy those things themselves. Why not? Try an active stay-cation where you use the time to look at the place you live with fresh eyes. Here are some things you could do:

  • Take a guided tour of your city or a nearby city. Trolley cars and bus tours are geared toward foreign visitors, but you may be surprised how much you can learn about the place you live.
  • Visit historical sites, local museums and art galleries.
  • Tour the local environs. Take a day trip by car, bicycle, canoe or by foot to explore a nearby area you've never visited.

Active stay-cations are great because they are cheap and they can give you a greater appreciation for the history and culture of the place you live. You'll likely come away with ideas about new things to try out, places to visit and community groups to join.

The project vacation

During a project vacation, you may hardly leave the house! Instead take a week or two off to focus on a creative project. Consider:

  • Creating a garden, landscaping or building a deck.
  • Creating a work of art, like a sculpture or painting.
  • Making or refurbishing a piece of furniture.
  • Beginning creation of a novel, memoir or nonfiction book.
  • Restoring and updating something you value, like an old car or motorcycle, or redecorating your house.

Project vacations are very meditative because they focus intensely on a hobby or interest, which can be even more refreshing than sitting on a beach.

Enjoy your time off this summer, whether you take a standard vacation or an unconventional one.

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