Make an Awesome Staycation this Summer

Forget the packing, driving, and all that sandy laundry — Take your next family vacation right in your own backyard! With affordable backyard entertainment, you can throw a party, invite the neighborhood and create happy summer memories every weekend. 

Make it an event by choosing a theme to go with your summer blockbuster. Harry Potter fans love potions, slime, and gummy worms. Set a southwestern theme for your favorite cowboy movies like Lonesome Dove, True Grit, or The Magnificent Seven. Heck, serve spaghetti and watch a classic spaghetti western like The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. 

Turn your next neighborhood cookout into a festive backyard luau to celebrate Moana or Lilo and Stitch. Invoke the Aloha State with fresh fruit kebabs, sweet rolls, and toasted coconut. Maybe you can’t truck sand to your backyard, but you can add flower garland, hula skirts, and pineapple lemonade (try Pina Coladas for the adults). 

Go nautical, snack on Goldfish crackers, Life Savers, and Swedish Fish while you show a summer classic like Jaws, The Little Mermaid, or Finding Nemo. Run through the sprinkler and watch Perfect Storm, Master, and Commander, or Water World. Level up that nautical theme and throw a pirate party – Who’s up for a Pirates of the Caribbean marathon? Aye, matey! 

Make it a costume party — invite the neighborhood royalty to watch Cinderella in their best prince and princess costumes. For more adult themes: put on your grooviest outfit and watch Austin Powers or classic James Bond. Relive your misspent youth with a toga party and viewing of Animal House, Neighbors, or Old School. 

Set up citronella candles and torches early in the evening to send those bugs packing. Use blankets and lounge on the grass or grab beach chairs, camp chairs, inflatable bean bag chairs are awesome to relaxing under the stars.