Christy Walcott: Staycations aren’t just for summer
Each summer, many Gaylord residents look forward to spending one week doing exactly what they love in the community they love — that’s right, I’m talking about a staycation. While it’s a luxury to visit our favorite local trails and lakes at a more leisurely pace during the warmer months, most would never consider vetoing vacation to stay at home for an entire week during the winter unless it was to knock away at that honey-do list.
If you’ve never set aside time for a winter staycation, add it to the top of your list! Enjoying your time off from homebase is completely different than simply doing the activities you love on the weekend. This is your time to relax, unwind and treat yourself — just remember to bundle up!
To fully experience a winter staycation worth repeating, step out of your comfort zone and try some of those snowy activities you assume are just for visitors to the area. A terrific way to get started is by looking at the event calendars for Treetops and Otsego Resort. As locals, we often take these premiere resorts for granted, assuming their activities are reserved for guests, which is not at all the case.
As a newbie to loving winter, I tried out my first pair of snowshoes just a few years ago on an exceptionally icy day. Instead of walking through my backyard or finding a nice, flat pathway to attempt, I eagerly started straight down one of the rolling hills at Otsego Resort. I didn’t realize I preferred snowshoeing with poles at this point, so I held hands with my friend, Amanda, like a frightened child the entire time. Through this learning experience, I discovered several things — I needed to get poles, don’t overdress because it’s a workout, Otsego Resort is very hilly, and most importantly, I loved snowshoeing!
Fast forward a few years. I’ve now ventured out on my trusty snowshoes (with poles, of course) to walk along Michaywe’s scenic trails following the AuSable River and to sample wine and cheese plates during Otsego Resort’s winter wine walk. I’ve even snowshoed my way through a history lesson on the old potato railroad that formerly ran throughout the lovely grounds of Treetops Resort (complimented with delectable hot potato dishes along the way!). I topped that adventure off with a spontaneous ride in a dog sled, then called it a day.
It’s not just about resort activities either. An avid angler, I spend most summer evenings on the water, yet had never ice fished. Enter the winter staycation, where your week is all about trying new things! The next thing you know, I’m a pro with an auger, hauling in countless bluegill as the sun starts to slip down (I never said they were trophy bluegill).
My point is simple — you don’t have to leave home to have a wonderful vacation during any season when you live in Gaylord, Michigan. Staycations aren’t just for summer, and they might even introduce you to a flurry of winter activities you never saw yourself trying before. When you live in a community that already offers everything outstanding getaways are known for, the best way to end a vacation day is by getting into your own bed.
— Christy Walcott is the director of marketing and communications for the Gaylord Area Convention & Tourism Bureau.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Christy Walcott: Staycations aren’t just for summer
