BOB KRONBAUER
Bob Kronbauer is the host of the Leo Award nominated ‘BC Was Awesome’ history TV show and the Editor-In-Chief of ‘Vancouver Is Awesome’, a media company dedicated to shining a positive light on his city. A former professional photographer, he spends most of his time with his family, shooting and sharing their outdoor adventures in beautiful British Columbia.
Meet staycation expert Bob Kronbauer, our “Get Outside Master” from Vancouver, British Columbia
Fishing Staycation
I’ve been enjoying the Canadian outdoors with my family my entire life, and for the past decade I’ve been publishing tips that help others do the same. I’m thrilled to be able to share some of my best Staycation ideas with you here, starting with two that are closest to my heart: fishing and eating together!
Where I live (in Vancouver), there are a number of urban lakes within a half an hour of downtown where we can fish, as well as countless bodies of water just a couple hours out of the city…
Fly a Kite
Over the past few years I’ve noticed that getting ‘off the grid’ has become more and more popular among my friends and their families who live in the city. There’s a draw to going so far out into the wilderness that there’s no longer LTE reception – and certainly no Wi-Fi hotspots – so we’re forced to pay attention to the task at hand and enjoy each other’s company. Bringing this feeling of being off the grid – while still being close to or in the city – is something I’ve been trying to excel at, and one activity I’ve found that brings me there is flying kites!
Get Out and Enjoy Canada's Provincial and National Parks
One of the things I love the most about Canada is the intricate systems of parks we have at our disposal, managed by all different levels of government. From urban parks managed by our cities to recreation sites down logging roads to Provincial Parks and the federal Parks Canada service’s National Parks, there’s no shortage of options of places to explore outside.
Explore Local Trails and Picnicking
Sometimes we aren’t able to escape far away for a vacation due to a busy schedule or lack of funds. But that doesn’t mean you can’t vacation.
Enter the staycation.
There are so many things you can do close to home, depending on where you live, to relax and unwind. First off, make sure you schedule yourself time for your staycation along with leaving emails and work behind just like you would if you were going away. If you don’t, you may end up cleaning the house, running errands, watching television, or doing nothing at all.
Out on the Water
Heading back to university at the beginning of September has made it more difficult for me to get out of town on a regular basis – but I will still be making time for the mountains, vacations and other bigger plans.
I’ve learned there’s a lot I can do without having to go too far, whether it’s for an hour, an entire evening or a full day. Many people would be shocked as to how much there is to do close to home, which sometimes it will just take a little more creativity and exploring to uncover.
10 Staycation Ideas
The point of a staycation is to make it feel as much like a getaway as possible, whether you’re adventuring with friends, family or by yourself – all without leaving the comfort of your own home, city, or surrounding area.
First, decide on a budget. Are you going to try and do something that costs less than a vacation would – or costs nothing at all? Or do you want to splurge on local activities that cost more?
GET THE GEAR
