My family and I go to Hawaii nearly every year to escape the cold weather in the Pacific Northwest. We love the soft sand, the turquoise blue water, the colorful fishes and sea turtles!
Part of the fun vacationing is doing things you normally don’t do. Going out for a walk after dinner or welcoming the morning with breakfast outside. You don’t need to hop on a plane and fly thousands of miles to get there. You can create your own tropical staycation at home.
Time
One of the things I love about Hawaii is the laid back attitude of time. You’ve heard the saying “hawaiian time” right? Let’s start there.
When creating Hawaiian staycation experience, start by ditching your phone (or hiding it) – because this is probably where you check the time. Instead make your staycation a bit more intuitive. Wake up when the sun wakes you up, eat when you’re hungry and go to bed when you feel like it. If you feel rushed to do something, just stop, breath and tell yourself that it’ll happen when it happens.
Reconnect with your body’s natural clock.
Food
Next, gather some groceries. When I think of hawaii, I think of Acai bowls topped with tropical fruit if you can find them. Or a classic, Loco Moco (this recipe is gluten and dairy free) which is cooked rice with a hamburger patty and fried egg piled together and covered with gravy. Make it vegetarian by exchanging meat for a portobello mushroom. Try adding some sauteed veggies like spinach and peppers to make it healthier.
For dinner, the first thing that pops to mind is hawaiian style mahi mahi with a huge salad. Any seafood paired with mango or pineapple gives a nice tropical feel though so get creative here. Maybe it’s shrimp tacos with pineapple salsa and avocado or grilled skewers filled with shrimp, pineapple and peppers served with rice. Rice is very popular in hawaii.
Hawaiian snacks for your staycation could include pineapple, mango, macadamia nuts and coconut water. You can also get adventurous and buy a young coconut and open it up yourself! Grab a couple straws and drink your coconut water straight from the coconut.
Decorating
I’m not going to suggest you totally redecorate but you might consider these few strategies to bring a more tropical vibe to your home.
First, tidy up and clear some of the clutter in your main living space because hotels and vacation rentals don’t have clutter right? Also take a look at your outdoor hangout space if you have one. Tidy this space up too.
Then add a bit of color. I love the blues of Hawaii, big leafed tropical plants and sand. So consider bringing in some of these elements to your home. These might be vases, candles, glasses filled with sand and seashells, new pillow case covers or even a throw to cover your couch.
A big leafed indoor plant like a fiddle leaf fig can create a tropical vibe right away. Check this Apartment Therapy article for some ideas.
Next make a beach hangout spot in your living room or outdoor living space. Bring out blankets with blues, white and beige to create your beachy spot on the floor or outside on your patio.
Collect things you like to do while you’re at the beach. When I’m on vacation I love to read fun books or magazines. If you love to play with sand at the beach, consider picking up some kinetic sand and bring out your beach toys to make your own mini sand castle.
Activities
My family loves to snorkel, go on hikes and kayak when we’re in hawaii. Sadly snorkeling here in the Pacific Northwest could be fatal because the water is so cold, so instead renting a kayak and hiking are great alternatives.
Think about the activities you enjoy doing while on a tropical vacation and see what will translate for you in your area.
I’m looking forward to creating my Hawaiian staycation this year with my family.
What is your favorite vacation and how can you recreate that experience at home?
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