Some staycationers who base themselves at home like to follow a set of rules, such as setting a start and end date, planning their activities ahead of time and avoiding routine. You don’t have to do these things, but it helps to create the feel of a traditional vacation. Others, aware that a visit to the local zoo may not match the thrill of foreign travel, take it a step further. Take, for example, Karen Ash, whose story appeared in the Wall street journal.