MAKE THE MOST OF A STAYCATION Explore the outdoors or set up a tent in your backyard

Staycations have grown in popularity in recent years. A 2018 poll from YouGov Omnibus found that 53 percent of the more than 100,000 participants had taken a staycation at some point, proving that forgoing traditional vacations for relaxing respites in the comfort of home is a wildly popular trend. While they might not be as exotic as venturing off to parts unknown, staycations need not be limited to days spent lounging by the backyard pool or laying out on the living room couch. Families planning staycations can make these relaxing respites at home more enjoyable by incorporating a few unusual activities throughout the week.

SPA EXPERIENCE: Who doesn’t like the chance to engage in a little pampering when staying in a fancy hotel? That same luxury can be enjoyed during a staycation by booking an appointment at a local spa that offers all the amenities, including a sauna, steam room, beauty treatments, and, of course, massage services.

A DAY ON THE LINKS: The opportunity to test one’s mettle on a new course in an idyllic setting is one golf lovers simply cannot pass up while vacationing. A similar challenge can be found when staying at home. Do a little homework to find the most challenging course within driving distance of your home and then book a tee time, treating yourself even further by indulging in a good meal in the clubhouse once your 18 holes are up.

THE WONDERS OF NATURE: Professional and personal lives can make it hard to enjoy the great outdoors, even when it’s steps from your front door. During a staycation, commit to exploring by hitting the trails to hike or mountain bike or renting a boat or kayak and taking to the water.

CITY LIFE: Just because you aren’t traveling far away doesn’t mean you cannot still get out of town for a day. Plan a day trip to another city within driving distance of your home. See the sights, take note of visit-worthy spots and order takeout from one of their local spots.

“GO” CAMPING: Parents of young children can make a staycation more special by spending a night camping in the backyard. Leave your devices indoors as you sit around the firepit telling stories and making some delicious s’mores. Then set up the tents and sleep under the stars for a memorable night in the “wild.”

RAINY DAY: If the weather is not cooperating during your staycation, create a backup plan to add a little life to rainy days. Plan a daylong film festival in which each member of the family gets to choose a movie everyone can watch together. Make sure you have plenty of popcorn on hand and order in a few pizzas so everyone can focus on the films. SEE MORE RAINY DAY IDEAS ON PAGE 26

LAY OUT YOUR TENT: First, find the bottom of your tent and lay it on top of the tarp, positioning it in the right direction.

CONNECT THE TENT POLES: Depending on what type of tent you have, your tent poles may be held together with bungee ropes, or you may need to connect the pieces yourself according to their numbers. Some tents, such as pop-up tents, may not require tent poles at all. Once you’ve connected the poles, lay them across the flat tent.

INSERT THE TENT POLES: Next, insert the tent poles into the sleeves or clips on the tent. For dome tents, the tent poles typically form an X across the top of the tent. Insert the end of the pole into an eyelet at each corner of the tent, and proceed to attach the poles to plastic clips on the top of the tent or slide the poles through small flaps on top of the tent. Consult your tent’s instruction manual to make sure you are inserting the poles the correct way.

RAISE THE TENT: Raising a tent often requires coordination, and it’s helpful to have a partner aid you in lifting the tent off the ground. Once you’ve fit your poles into the connection spots, they will probably bend and raise the tent on their own. Fit the bottoms of the poles into a small sleeve or clip at their connection points.

REPOSITION AS NECESSARY: Once the tent is standing, it may be necessary to adjust its position before staking it down or attaching the guylines. Make sure the doors and any windows face the direction you intended, and that the tent is centered over the tarp.

STAKE IT DOWN: Take the tent stakes and secure each corner of the tent to the ground. Insert each stake through a loop at the corner of the tent at a 45-degree angle, angled away from the tent — this will help the tent remain secure. If you’re staking your tent over turf, you can probably insert the stakes using just the force of your hands. However, on hard or rocky terrain, you might have to use a hammer or a blunt object to push them into the ground. Some tent stakes bend easily, so take care not to bend them.

PHOTOS BY: MICHELE VOWELL

SECURE: Attach any additional securing agents, such as the rainfly and guylines. Some tents come with an extra guard against rain called a rainfly. For some tents, you can clip the rainfly directly to the tent, while for others you need to tie them above the tent. Some tents come with guylines to provide extra stability in storms and high winds. Often, guyline attachments are on your tent’s rainfly cover — to tie the guylines, you might need to pull on the rainfly. Attach guylines to guyout points, which are sturdy loops located roughly halfway up the tent wall. For maximum stability, attach guylines to points uniformly surrounding the tent, such as nearby trees, logs or rocks or stake them into the ground.