A few years ago, staycations became a popular way of getting some relaxation while saving money. Though the fad seems to have faded, the idea of playing tourist in your hometown is not a bad idea.It's all to easy to take familiar sites for granted.

All too often, visitors seem to appreciate the sights of our hometowns more than we do. I'm lucky. I live in a great tourist town, Washington, DC. There's always something to do here. But when you live in a tourist Mecca, it's easy to put off visiting the sights. After all, they'll be here next week or next month and so will you. But it's all too easy for next week to become never.

No matter where you live, there is likely some site (a museum, a historical site, etc.) in town or nearby that you haven't visited or that you haven't visited in years. Make a list of places you'd like to visit. You don't need to visit them all in a week, but make it a point to visit them periodically. It will help you view your surroundings with new eyes.