French Staycation Ideas

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Staycation to France 

If you have been needing a vacation, but are on a tight budget, we have the perfect staycation ideas for you! My hubby and I love to travel and discover the wonders of the world. If we could go anywhere we wanted, we would visit New Zealand and Paris. Unfortunately, we don’t have the budget to travel across the seas right now. To save money, we vacation at the Je t aime Hotel, our French cottage of love! The best part is that it’s right in the comfort and luxury of our own home!

A staycation is a great way for us to explore our town, visit local attractions, local “dives”, and spend quality time together. These French-inspired staycation ideas will make you feel like you are really on vacation from your normal life! So stop your daily routine, pack your luggage, go on a pleasurable adventure together, and get ready to make memories at your own home hotel.

Travel to France TONIGHT! Transport yourselves with this fun, themed staycation! #staycationideas #staycation

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Staycation Ideas

This is seriously so easy to put together and really is so much fun. To make your staycation enjoyable, plan ahead of time and focus on details that will make your staycation memorable and easy. Carisa from Messes to Memories created gorgeous printable perfectly on theme for you to create your very own staycation to France using our staycation ideas and printables!

Staycation

What do you enjoy most about going to a hotel? What type of service makes you feel relaxed and pampered? How can you recreate this experience at home to truly turn these staycation ideas into a real vacation from real life? We have created printable room keys and bed cards to add that extra little touch of magic!

Staycation Ideas

Staycation Dining

One of the best parts of being on vacation is the food! Trying new things and sharing plate after plate of foods you don’t normally get at home. Create that same delicious, excitement with food inspired by those found in France. We’ve included staycation ideas for food that can easily be found at a local grocery store. Things like:

  • Éclair
  • Croissant
  • Crepe
  • Quiche
  • French fries
  • Prosciutto
  • Salami
  • Cheese
  • Baguette
  • Pasta
  • Macaron
  • Gelato

Staycation France TravelWe also have a menu that you can fill in yourself with the things you will be offering at your home hotel! Get creative and try something new–after all, that’s what vacation is all about! We have also included food tents that you can write the name of the food you are serving on! There are also the cutest printable French flags for your straws. It’s the little things that make these staycation ideas so special!

Staycation Home Hotel

If you’re not up for cooking new French cuisine, this might be the perfect excuse to try that new place you’ve been talking about or going to your favorite spot. Don’t miss the chance to serve breakfast in bed or have a picnic for lunch or romantic dinner over candlelight! For a flirty dinner idea, check out The Couple’s Cafe, the two of you will be kissing your way to dessert in no time! 

Staycation Activites

You need staycation ideas for activities that make it feel like you are truly on vacation. First things first, don’t wait another second before ordering berets for you to wear together! Next, every great hotel has a great concierge to guide you on activities you should try. For your staycation to France don’t miss out on doing plenty of french kissing! You may also enjoy training for the Tour de France together (or just taking a relaxing ride together), watching Les Misérables, eating pastries, or painting masterpieces together in your new berets!  Write down your own plans on the blank activity card! Let us know in the comments any great staycation activities you have planned!

Using any of these staycation ideas will be so much fun, a little different, and will keep your weekend feeling very French, indeed!

Staycation Je t Aime

What do you look forward to the most when you’re on a vacation? Whatever you enjoying doing, make sure you include it in your staycation plans! Get your camera ready, for all the fun moments that will come your way!

Staycation At Home

Need a little help coming up with even more staycation ideas? Here’s a little list to get you started…

On The Town: Ice skating, museums, sledding/snow tubing, bowling, make a snowman, pick pumpkins, play in the leaves, check out Christmas lights, check out the zoo animals, snuggle up by the campfire, live entertainment, bundle up and go for a stroll, snow-shoeing, horse-drawn buggy ride, make-out under the stars, horseback riding, volunteer, skiing, paint pottery, attend a sporting event, mini-golfing, car ride to spot all the changing leaves, rock-climbing, or go hot tubbing.

At Home: Cinema at home, make dinner, make a gingerbread house, arts and crafts, karaoke, pumpkin carving contest, snuggle by the fire, take silly pictures and scrapbook them, make a yummy desert, have a game night, or grill s’mores.

For more ideas on how to think like a tourist, check out Tourist in Your Home Town.

MIchelle-staycation-pinterest-(1)LOGO

Je T Aime Hotel

Now that you’ve collected all of your staycation ideas, it’s time to make a plan for your at home hotel. Schedule the events, make a list of the activities, and stock up on the food you will need to create your Je t aime Hotel. Don’t forget to schedule intimate time for the two of you. If kids are in on the plans,  come up with a fun activity to keep them entertained while the two of you enjoy each other. Make a grocery list, prepare food ahead of time, mark the calendar, prepare items needed for your staycation, make reservations, and pack your clothes accordingly. Remember you are making memories that will last a lifetime… so make sure you enjoy every moment!

At Home Hotel

At Home Hotel

Aren’t the printables lovely?  Go grab your darling printables below and print them on cardstock. 

Included are:

  • Hotel Keys: Present each member with a room key upon arriving at the hotel.
  • Door Signs: Remember this trip is just as much about having fun as it is about enjoying quality time together! Sleep in or think of something else creative to do, *wink, wink!
  • Treats at Check-In: Place the little welcome note next to candy or a cookie in their hotel bedrooms.
  • Housekeeping: Leave a little mint along with the little welcome note on their pillow once the room has been refreshed. 
  • Daily Newspaper: Drop off a newspaper or children’s book right outside the door first thing in the morning. Also, drop a menu showcasing the meals and the activity log for the day. 
  • Continental Breakfast: Set out plates, wrap silverware in napkins, fresh fruit in a trifle dish, muffins set on a cupcake holder, hot cereal or cocoa packets placed in single serving sized mugs, etc. These creative ideas will make breakfast a hit!
  • Room Service: One of the days, allow family members to “call the front desk” and order dessert in their rooms, breakfast in bed, or a movie on the laptop served with bags of popcorn.

These printables add that special touch and a little extra love to your hotel at home.

Stop delaying the vacation of your dreams because you don’t have money or time off of work. Create your {almost} dream vacation right at home. Get everyone on board and make memories together that will last a lifetime.

Free Download

French Staycation Ideas

Printables Designed by Carisa @ Messes to Memories Exclusively for The Dating Divas

Michelle

I love anything that sparkles, everything dealing with love, warm summer rays, and my hot hubby. I find balance in life by staying physically fit and keeping it real. My purpose in life is cherishing my marriage and making our adventure shine!

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Recent Comments

  1. I can’t wait to try this idea with my bae! It will be especially fun since we DO live in Paris, Illinois population 8,000.

  2. These are so great!! I knew immediately that I wanted to do this idea, since my husband and I went to Paris on our anniversary! We always try to do the most we can each anniversary. Spending a few days (even at home with babysitters for the kids) alone to celebrate. This year will be 12 years, and we have a weekend at home planned for next week..so I found your site just in time. I hadn’t come up with anything very special, but I know what to do! Thank you!

    1. Alice, I love hearing this!!! So glad you find this post just in time for your anniversary! Congratulations on your 12 year anniversary! I want to hear how it went!!! Did your hubby love your hotel at home? Did you add any fabulous ideas to the mix? Can’t wait to hear about your celebration! xox

  3. I have no idea how you’d make this work living out of a trailer and living in a small town that has nothing really to offer but a walmart, target, community center and a Kmart. Any ideas anyone?

    1. Krista it sounds like you need to get a little creative. Some of my ideas would be:

      *Creating a photo scavenger hunt. You could take photos of places around town and spend a morning searching out the locations on the photos.

      *You could have a grocery store hunt that will make your hubby feel really special- https://www.thedatingdivas.com/just-the-two-of-us/grocery-sticky-hunt/

      *Have a romantic picnic outside. Then watch the starts.

      *Spend an afternoon of making a telescope and grabbing an astrology book for a night of star watching-https://www.thedatingdivas.com/just-the-two-of-us/star-light-star-bright/

      *Create a love journal together- https://www.thedatingdivas.com/holidays/valentines-day/abcs-of-you-photo-alphabet-book/ or https://www.thedatingdivas.com/holidays/valentines-day/100-reasons-why-i-love-you-diy-book/

      *Play a game together- https://www.thedatingdivas.com/just-the-two-of-us/go-kart-super-mario-kart-date/ or https://www.thedatingdivas.com/just-the-two-of-us/50-card-games-for-2-people/ or https://www.thedatingdivas.com/just-the-two-of-us/all-about-us-charades-date/ or https://www.thedatingdivas.com/just-the-two-of-us/getting-to-know-you-matching-game/ or https://www.thedatingdivas.com/how-two-people-fell-in-love/couples-would-you-rather/

      *Play an intimate game together- https://www.thedatingdivas.com/romantic-rendezvous/75-sexy-bedroom-games-round-up/

      *Have a super creative movie and dinner night, with the help of our themed dinner and a movie nights- https://www.thedatingdivas.com/just-the-two-of-us/40-creative-movie-date-nights/

      *invite friends over for a group date- https://www.thedatingdivas.com/four-or-more/county-fair-themed-group-date/

      Now, you are going to have so many ideas, you’re not going to know which to pick!!! Make your staycation all about spending time together and it’s going to be great even if you just stay home! Enjoy a great staycation!!!! xox

  4. Wow great article I am from NZ I live in a stunning place called New Plymouth. My husband and I have decided to do a staycation this year and I was doing some research on it when I found your page – fantastic ideas!!!

    1. I bet it’s stunning! So excited you found this post! Continue to browse around our site, I promise you will love everything on our site! Enjoy and please let me know how your staycation turns out! xox

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