Staycation \stā-‘kā-shen\ n
1. A vacation that is spent at one's home enjoying all that home and one's home environs have to offer.
2. A vacation spent close to home.
With the price of gas soaring, a staycation is what most Americans will experience during the summer of 2008. www.urbandictionary.com
DURANGO, CO --It may be eco-consciousness with a desire to be more “green” and reduce your carbon footprint. Could it be the rising cost of gasoline or maybe limited vacation time? Quite possibly you have discovered that you live in an incredible place that people travel from all over the world to visit and you haven’t taken advantage of the many things this area has to offer. Isn’t it time to take a vacation in your own backyard and experience Durango and La Plata County? The choice to stay and play in our corner of heaven is indicative of a vacation trend that is sweeping the nation: the Staycation. It’s a vacation where people are staying close to where they live for their summer holidays or not leaving at all.
Since Durango Area Tourism Office (DATO) focuses our marketing efforts on visitors from out of the area, you may ask why we are promoting a local vacation experience. For all the reasons above and the fact that we have a plethora of fantastic activities right here! You don’t have to travel across the country to experience quality family time, exhilarating adventure or relaxing downtime. We are encouraging locals to spend part of their vacation right in their own backyard and enjoy what we have to offer—raft the Animas River, hike the Colorado Trail, bike the Animas River Trail, stroll historic downtown, zip down the Alpine Slide or ride the scenic chairlift at Durango Mountain Resort, saddle up for a breakfast horseback ride at Vallecito Lake, enjoy a trip on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, soar above in the tree tops at Soaring Tree Top Adventures…the possibilities are endless and you don’t need to travel far.
The Durango Area Tourism Office extends this Staycation offer to locals: participate in a Durango tourist activity (rafting, Soaring, bike rental, Melodrama, Henry Strater Theatre, Durango Mountain Resort, horseback ride, boat rental or other Staycation-related activity) and we will reward your holiday choice. Simply bring in your Durango/La Plata County Staycation-activity receipt dated June 26 through September 1, 2008 and we will give the first 100 locals $10 in Durango Dollars and an entry to win a Durango Osprey Daypack filled with local goodies. Enter at the DATO office in Santa Rita Park—111 S Camino Del Rio. One offer per household; local identification required.
The trend to stay local is evident across the country. According to Consumer Reports, “With the U.S. economy sagging and the nationwide average price for unleaded regular gas surging past $4 per gallon, a pricey destination holiday is beyond the reach of many Americans. Not wanting to experience a summer devoid of well-deserved R&R, many families are trading in their travel plans for a stay-at-home vacation. These Staycations take many forms, including backyard camping “expeditions” and romantic “escapes” to a local hotel.”
Durangoans are lucky that we get to “stay” in one of the most awe-inspiring and desirable places on earth! Welcome to your next vacation as a tourist in your hometown. Pick something that Durango offers that you haven’t done and enjoy your Staycation.
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