I love taking staycations with my kids. I always book a hotel with a pool, and typical rules go out the window.

The author doesn't wait for her whole family to be free to take staycations with her kids.Courtesy of Jamie Davis SmithI take my kids on staycations a couple of times a year as a surprise. I book hotels within two hours of home, and we only stay one or two nights.

We all have fun, and I often return home more refreshed than when we go on longer vacations. I am fortunate to be able to travel with my children often. However, sometimes the travel bug bites, but I don't have the time, energy, or budget for a true vacation.

When that happens, I plan a staycation close to our home in Washington, DC. Although staycations admittedly don't have the same thrill as a full-fledged international trip, they can still be a lot of fun.Discovering new things together, away from the demands and routine of daily life, is how my family and I have made some of our best memories.

I discovered that booking a hotel a few blocks away from home can be almost as memorable as a trip halfway around the world — if I plan correctly.The only downside of staycations is that my children now want to take them all the time. Though it's not feasible to take one every month, I usually plan a staycation a couple of times a year as a surprise.

I keep the logistics simple and switch to vacation modeThere are no hard-and-fast rules for staycations, but I try to stick to hotels within two hours of home. We usually go away for one or two nights, although I often wish I had planned to stay longer. Sometimes, I plan in advance, and other times I scroll to see if I can find a good last-minute deal if we happen to have a rare weekend without any obligations.

To make the most of our staycations, I always ask for early check-in and late check-out. Even if that's not possible, the hotel will usually store my luggage and give us access to hotel amenities like the pool for the entire day we check in or out, which can make our time away feel much longer.I also don't wait for a time that works for my entire family.

While I