6 STEPS TO PLAN THE PERFECT STAYCATION | GETAWAY AT THE DOVE INN
JANUARY 29, 2020
6 Steps to Plan the Perfect Staycation | Getaway at the Dove Inn
Ok, so you planned a little staycation right outside of town for you and your partner or even just for yourself to get away for a few days. You want to decompress and come back to your daily grind refreshed. Am I getting it right so far?
This was a lot easier and more wallet friendly than a week long vacation somewhere out of state. Trust me, I know, I recently got back from New York! But, just because you’re sticking around doesn’t mean you’re trying to sacrifice any fun. You want to feel like you’re getting away from your responsibilities, relaxing and recharging.
I nailed it, right?
Even if your trip is going to be quick and close to home, planning ahead is still going to make it better. There are some basics you want to cover:
FIND A GREAT SPOT TO STAY, EXPLORE AND HAVE SOME GREAT ACTIVITIES IN MIND, AND PACK THE ESSENTIALS!
For this breakdown we’re talking about six key staycation travel planning steps that helped me enjoy my time at the Dove Inn and should help you get ready for any weekend away.
FIND THE RIGHT PLACE TO STAY - YOUR WEEKEND OASIS
STEP 1: FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU’RE GOING
The point is to get away after all! Sometimes, just half an hour outside your city is enough to make this happen. The goal, at least for me, is to get far enough away from the hustle of your normal surroundings.
If you're in the burbs and you’re trying to get to the city, the same idea still applies. Don’t think I forgot about you all doing the daily in the suburbs!
Make it a spot that you haven’t explored much and will feel new to you.
STEP 2: CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLACE TO STAY!
This is where I say you spoil yourself a little bit. Do some research, make sure it’s close to where you want to spend most of your time, and check out its amenities!
Late last year I had the opportunity to stay at the Dove Inn in Golden, Colorado. It’s a charming boutique hotel that was remodeled from top to bottom to create a getaway spot 20ish minutes outside of Denver (depending on how fast you drive). It turned out to be my perfect place to stay.
The Dove Inn, Golden, CO
Some of the key features: each guest room and suite is an experience, they work on a total behind the scenes operation (so you basically get the space to yourself without seeing anyone but guests), and it’s literally steps to downtown Golden.
WHAT REALLY MADE THE DOVE INN MY WEEKEND OASIS?
Serenity Suite, Dove Inn
Staying in the Serenity Suite was like having a full spa weekend, which was completely new to me. From the large bathroom with a beautiful tub to the plush, comfortable bed, everything was just perfect. Spending the night here made me feel like I was way more than a stone’s throw away from home. That’s exactly what I needed.
Good makings of a perfect weekend getaway.
Personally, when I think staycation, I go right to a boutique, locally run hotel for the weekend. The Dove Inn packed that local and historic Golden charm. The exposed brick and vintage ceiling fans caught my eye immediately and blended so well with the modern conveniences of the coffee bar and kitchen space.
CHECK OUT MY DOVE INN GALLERY BELOW FOR THE WHOLE STAYCATION EXPERIENCE!
Bottom line to choosing the right space is finding a spot that is going to help you get your relax-game on. Just don’t forget to treat yourself a bit. Nothing kills a weekend getaway like being stressed out about where you’re staying (or like, if they cleaned the room before you got there). Make the spot worth your time!
STEP 3: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR AMENITIES
There’s a reason the spot you chose is the perfect one for your weekend getaway, right? I mean it had to have something that actually made you want to rest your head there for a night or two. Chances are it had some pretty sweet amenities that spoke to you.
So, don’t forget to actually use them when you’re there!
Big three for me at the Dove Inn were the tub (yes I mentioned it before, but clearly I was stoked), the comfy robes, and the self service coffee bar.
Look, I’m usually not a bath guy, but when they leave you a bath bomb with a tub that looks that good, you can’t say no. It was an awesome and incredibly reinvigorating experience. I debated on using it or not, but after doing it I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t take advantage of an amenity like this. It inspired this whole step!
There was one other thing that made it even better:
roaming around the Serenity Suite in a robe was the perfect way to start and end both days. I’ve never used hotel-provided robes before, but this time I couldn’t help but hear them calling my name.
RELAX YOUR DRESS CODE
Talk about the ultimate way to feel disconnected from your real life. Don’t wear real clothes! It definitely helped me get into the right mindset of escaping for the weekend and settling into my staycation. While you’re in your room, it’s totally ok to get a little lax on the dress code!
Peep that photo to your left. Full self-service coffee bar. I couldn’t ask for anything more on this weekend getaway.
I was able to get up and start the day on my terms with as much coffee as I needed. That’s a major win! Since they run by a BTS service model, like I mentioned before, I was able to take my time.
Double win.
Honestly, is there anything better than an un-rushed cup of coffee in the morning?
This all made the Dove Inn my oasis for the weekend in Golden, CO. They helped make it the perfect staycation.
The important part for finding the right place to stay for your weekend getaway is to focus on finding a spot that has everything you need, and maybe even a bit more. You earned that weekend away, so reward yourself with a comfortable place for the night. And if you’re in Golden, CO, put the Dove Inn on your list!
PLAN YOUR TIME - STAY FLEXIBLE
STEP 4 - PLAN YOUR STAY BUT DON’T BE TOO RIGID.
I grew up taking trips with my parents that had each day scheduled with excursions, tours, restaurants, etc. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to have a plan (and that my parents wanted to take me on vacation!), but I’ve become someone who likes to have at most a 65% plan on vacation. I need as few early wake up calls as possible.
If someone else does that planning, I’m even happier.
That makes a trip equally fun and relaxing to me. For example, choose a few places you want to eat or other things you want to do and allow for the pockets of free time to actually stay free.
KEEP A BALANCE BETWEEN THOSE ACTIVE TIMES AND DOWN TIMES.
It’s good to have both, especially if you’re looking to be more adventurous (including outdoorsy in Colorado). Sometimes those most memorable moments happen in the spontaneous, unplanned time.
The Buffalo Rose Huevos Motulenos
In Golden, I knew I wanted to check out some local food and drink as well as invite my friends up to join me for the day. As far as the exact times and locations, I left that up to our wandering interests.
We ended up at the Buffalo Rose for brunch, and then continued to hop around for some drinks and site-seeing. There was absolutely no pressure and no rush, which is my kind of perfect staycation!
Hitting a schedule can get stressful, and with the ton of deadlines we all deal with in our regular lives, it’s a great idea to let some of that go. That helped my quick weekend staycation feel like a real vacation
PACK THE ESSENTIALS
STEP 5 - PACK STYLISH ESSENTIALS
Maybe this belongs in the first steps of planning your best staycation, but I always start with where I am going and what I am doing before I figure out what I’m packing.
Plus, you expect me to pack well in advance of my trip? That’s a good one.
Since we’re talking just a short staycation, I know you’re not trying to bring a 50 lb suitcase filled with a bunch of stuff you don’t actually need. That being said, do I bring extra pairs of underwear? Yes, because YOU NEVER KNOW. I can’t break that habit!
On a more practical note, you should be packing garments and pieces that are going to work for the planned and unplanned times in your schedule.
KEY ESSENTIALS I BROUGHT TO GOLDEN FOR MY STAYCATION:
A slim pair of jeans. I wore this pair for exploring the town and for nighttime events. You don’t need more than that for the weekend.
A simple oxford or your preferred button up. It works for a lot of occasions. You’ll be covered and looking good throughout the trip.
Check the weather and bring an appropriate jacket. I brought a light rain jacket to avoid taking up too much space but to be ready for any unexpected weather.
Comfortable shoes. Take a pair of sneakers that you can dress up or down and are comfortable to walk around in. If you don’t have one pair that can do both, bring two pairs of shoes for casual adventuring and evenings out.
Lastly, fill in with your basics (toiletries, socks, undershirts, etc.) and with whatever your specific scheduled activities call for. If you’re hiking, attending formal events, going to colder climates, bring those necessary items and layers to build from your base above.
STEP 6 - DESTRESS AND DECOMPRESS!
In the end, if you forget something, there’s no reason to stress. In our modern “tech-ful” times, you can pick up almost anything quickly for the weekend. Don’t let a little unexpected forgetfulness throw off your entire perfect staycation experience!
ENJOY YOUR PERFECT STAYCATION
The best advice I can really give is to keep your plans simple so that you can focus on enjoying your weekend getaway.
These six planning steps will help get your ready for your next weekend getaway. Don’t forget to reference this guide to the perfect staycation whenever you’re scheduling your next one.
STEP 1 - FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU’RE GOING
STEP 2 - CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLACE TO STAY!
STEP 3: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR AMENITIES
STEP 4 - PLAN YOUR STAY BUT DON’T BE TOO RIGID.
STEP 5 - PACK STYLISH ESSENTIALS
STEP 6 - DESTRESS AND DECOMPRESS!
If you’re planning a trip to Golden, CO (which is also home to the Coors factory) make sure to check out the Dove Inn. You can also use code “THREAD” for 10% off your stay (valid for 1 week after this blog is published). I definitely enjoyed every minute of my time there.
UNTIL NEXT TIME!
As always, thank you for reading along. I hope this helps you with planning your next staycation or weekend getaway. Make sure to like and comment as well as subscribe to the blog to keep up with new blog posts and monthly newsletters.
Stay tuned for the next Style Breakdown!
Cheers,
David Komisarchik; Threadability (@threadability)
Tagged: staycation, travel, Menswear, Men's Fashion, men's style, weekend getaway, Golden, Dove Inn