When the economy takes a bite out of your travel budget, why not consider a staycation when vacationing with grandkids? A staycation continues to be a growing trend for travelers of all ages, from singles to families to baby boomers – and yes, when traveling with your grandchildren. A staycation is vacation spent at home or nearby and is a great way to explore your own backyard with your grandchildren.

In order to make your staycation (or daycation) a real vacation, consider the following tips to make the most of your time with your grandchildren:

Plan as though you actually are taking a vacation.

According to Expedia.com’s 2009 Vacation Deprivation survey, 34 percent of employed U.S. adults reported feeling better after their vacation. Take time off work, buy a new outfit, pick out a great book to read, and pack your suitcase – and don’t forget your bathing suit. Take the grandchildren shopping for something new with Grandmom. Build the excitement of the trip just as if you were flying to the other side of the world.  

Research your destination.

Just because you are staying “home,” doesn’t make your vacation with your grandchildren less valuable. Make good use of your time by doing your research. Get local insight and tips – even if you are a local -- on what to do and where to stay from local TravelMom.com bloggers. Read about vacation destinations from expert family travelers at TravelingMom.com 

Think about the places you’ve always wanted to go, but just never have the time, and try to discover something new to do. Order an official guide to your city or state and have it mailed to you. A good place to start is the local tourism authority – mine is VISIT DENVER .   VISIT DENVER's web site even offers suggested itineraries in and outside of Denver to jumpstart your staycation planning.

Book a hotel.

A staycation really feels like a getaway when you add a night or two at a nearby hotel. From historic hotels to funky downtown hotels to drivable luxury resorts or mountain getaways,

I search for killer deals by surfing the net., i.e., local and state tourism or specific hotels websites, such as The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. that always lists special deals.

For a different adventure this summer, I recently packed my grandchildren in the truck and headed south to Colorado Springs for a 2-night stay at The Broadmoor, a 5-star historic resort as our first overnight getaway together, taking advantage of the summer deals this luxury resort offered. We added a visit to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, a perfect stop for kids of all ages. This short getaway was a vacation learning experience for me and a reminder of how really busy 3- and 5-year-olds are.