This summer, whether you’re trying to plan a family vacation around a busy schedule or you’re working with a limited budget, explore staycation options around Craig Ranch.

With its prime location in the heart of the North Dallas Metroplex, the Craig Ranch community provides residents with a variety of locational elements and a multitude of opportunities for endless summer fun.

Tips for planning a staycation:

1. Choose a location

First things first- choose where you want to stay! Any hotel would be a nice getaway but two excellent options are the Gaylord Texan and Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas.

Gaylord Texan: The Gaylord Texan offers a perfect mix of luxury hotel and outdoor oasis with their Paradise Springs outdoor pool and five-star rooms and suites. They are also offering a full calendar of summer events all season long including the ever popular DreamWorks Experience: Summer Fun with Shrek & Friends. Before planning a staycation at the Gaylord Texan, be sure to inquire about their specials and packages, too!

Great Wolf Lodge: The water park experience at Great Wolf Lodge is truly unlike any other. Non-stop water rides and swimming at the perfect temperature all year long is almost too good to pass up. You can even take a virtual tour of the water park to see everything it has to offer! To add to the staycation experience at Great Wolf Lodge, there is also a variety of shopping and dining available to guests. Learn how you can save money on your stay at the Great Wolf Lodge this summer by reading about their June and July deals.

2. Research local attractions

No matter what location you choose for your staycation, you are guaranteed to find fun destinations nearby. To help you plan your activities, here is a list of the top 20 summer attractions near Craig Ranch. From water parks, to museums, to amusement parks, to event centers, there is something that every member of the family is bound to enjoy!

3. Create a budget

If you’re planning a staycation to save money, creating a budget may help keep you and the family on track. Allow yourself a set amount of spending money a day, or plan all of your outings and extra meals ahead of time, so you can allot the correct amount of money for each special event.

4. Plan a schedule or itinerary

Give your staycation the complete vacation feel by planning activities each day. Creating a loose itinerary will help ensure that you are able to fit in everything you want to do during your staycation.

5. Explore local specials

A lot of local attractions in the DFW Metroplex are offering summer savings options. By tapping into family packages or special deals, you may be able to spread your money further, allowing you and your family to do more activities during your staycation. Once you decide on the places you want to visit, check their website for ways to save.

We don’t know about you, but to us, having a fun vacation so close to home in the North Dallas Metroplex has never sounded so exciting! To learn more about the local events and attractions going on around the Craig Ranch community this summer, “like” us on Facebook and “follow” us on Twitter at @Craig_Ranch!

What’s on your family’s event calendar this summer?