What is a staycation? A staycation, while being arguably one of the greatest ways to learn about the city in which you live, is exactly as it sounds – it’s a vacation without really going anywhere.

Essentially, staycations (or ‘daycations’ as some like to refer to them) are an exciting, inexpensive way to spend a weekend, weekday or even a couple of hours.

Working your fingers to the bone and your mind to the breaking point for forty hours a week feel good for only a marginal period of time. And I know what you’re thinking, “I put in the hours and, darn it, I deserve a break.”

So, before you are caught up in the agriculture buzz of rural Pullman or the daily grind of the city, stop, sit back and really observe the beauty of the amber waves of grain that unite the Palouse, and staycate like never before.

Whitman County sits on about 2,000 square miles of land including Palouse Falls State Park, Kamiak Butte County Park, Steptoe Butte State Park, Boyer Park and more rolling hills than then there are crests and troughs in the Pacific ocean.

Outdoor hiking, daring biking excursions and crisp, refreshing swimming are just a few of the many facets of the nature in the surrounding region, which makes for not only a beautiful sunny afternoon, but also an enjoyable open-air workout.

Take advantage of the superb Palouse weather and, more importantly, get out of the house and explore – no one likes a shut in.

Illiteracy is a growing epidemic in this county with about 36 million people in the U.S. in need of help to read or right, according to ProLiteracy, an organization geared toward the edification of adults and children alike.

Visit the Library on your staycation, and check out your favorite book. Go to a museum. Enjoy the beauty of diving into the wide-world of fiction.

The median household income in Pullman is about $23,000 according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the greater the savings, the better.

So, if a brush-cutting venture or a day of extravagant spending is not your forte, then indulge your senses in the wonderful sights and smells of an inexpensive trek to downtown Pullman.

Break from your day-to-day mold and see a movie, or taste some fancy fresh brews. Still not enough? Then strap on a glove and go for a whole in one at the golfing ridge, or fill your tummies to the brim on a wide variety of local cuisine.

The beauty of a staycation, alongside saving on gas and contributing to the 828 local privately owned businesses in Whitman County, is that you can make of it what you will; The local market is your oyster, crack it open and enjoy to your heart’s desire.