The Great American Road Trip used to be a vacation mainstay. But with rising gas and hotel prices - more and more people are embracing the idea of a Staycation - creating a vacation at home.

It sounds odd at first - but there's a lot of stress and hassle that comes with travel - and the idea of a vacation is to relax.  It's exhausting to pack, wait in long lines at the airport, etc. - and if you're traveling with a family, going out for every meal adds up.

The idea of a Staycation is to re-invent your home as a sanctuary, and plan your week like you were going out of town. As long as you stay committed to breaking up your routine - you'd be surprised how fun a Staycation can be.

For the doubters out there: Think you've done everything in your city? Think again. With a little imagination and help from the world wide web, you could have the best vacation of your life - without packing a single suitcase!

Depending on where you live, here's a few suggestions:

• Get a massage - either in your home - or spend a day at the spa.
• Go to a park and picnic. While you're there, rent a bike or go for a leisurely stroll surrounded by nature
• Cook some gourmet meal you wouldn't otherwise cook at home - like fondue or something off Iron Chef
• Get the freshest, seasonal ingredients from a local farmer's market
• Go to a museum - and get some culture
• Take an art class or create an art project at home
• Tour a winery - or go wine tasting. Or go to a brewery
• Go to a sporting event - and plan another activity nearby like seeing live music or visiting a local fair
• Visit a zoo or an aquarium
• Take a sunset cruise
• Hire a maid for the day so when you come back from your adventure - you arrive to a clean home

The important thing is to treat a Staycation like a regular vacation - meaning have a start and end date and unplug from your regular routine. If you stick to a fun itinerary that you and your family planned, you could have the best vacation ever - without having to spend a fortune.