Lately, we have been trying to dip into vacation mode with a little more regularity. However, this has been met with no small amount of difficulty. With plane ticket prices so high, gas prices through the roof, and everything more expensive than it used to be, we have instead tried to find staycation opportunities closer to home.
There is something restorative about arriving with nowhere to be and nothing to accomplish.
That doesn’t mean we have been going without luxury, however. Recently, I discovered an app that allows you to buy day passes for local hotel pools and spas. For $20 to $50 apiece, we spend the day poolside, drinks delivered to lounge chairs, food served on a tray as though we are emperors in our own resort kingdom.
Although it may sound silly, I really think a break, a vacation, a holiday is a necessity. What else do we have to look forward to, especially when prices are high and temperatures are climbing? The workdays feel monotonous. Responsibilities, chores, and errands stack up like dominoes waiting to be knocked down, only to be lined up again the next day.
And what if there really isn’t a vacation just around the corner? What if the planned trip is simply too far away?
This is where I found myself one afternoon when I typed “pools near me” into a search engine. We have friends with pools and vacation homes, but without an invitation, you can’t exactly show up ready for a swim. Sometimes that pool day needs to be completely sans socializing—just the sun, water, a good book, and a cold drink.
The search results showed a few public pools with middling reviews. As a teacher, the only children I want to see on the weekends are my own, and I certainly do not find the squeals of other people’s children relaxing. I needed something better. Something more luxurious. Something that at least resembled a real vacation.
That’s when I stumbled upon the app offering hotel pools nearby. The hotels I focused on are places where I could not comfortably afford a night’s stay—nor would I necessarily want to. These are upscale resorts with flashy clientele across the Houston area. But their pool passes are surprisingly affordable and easy to reserve.
The pools are often barely utilized. More than once, my family has been the only one there. There is usually an outdoor menu, attentive waitstaff, towels, cabanas, loungers, and everything needed for a day in the sun.
It feels indulgent in the best way. There is something restorative about arriving with nowhere to be and nothing to accomplish. No grocery lists. No laundry. No emails. No obligations beyond deciding whether to order another drink or turn another page in a book.
A vacation is not always about distance. Sometimes it is about permission—to rest, to stop being productive, to spend an afternoon doing nothing and feel good about it.
And so, until our big trips roll around, this is where you will find us on many weekends: coconut-scented sunscreen, lemonade for the child, and something cold for the adults. A worthy pseudo-vacation for the rest-deprived.
A break from the everyday. The monotony cast aside, even if only for an afternoon.
When a holiday feels out of reach, sometimes a small escape closer to home can serve as the bridge between reality and the dream of adventure waiting beyond the horizon.
Alexandria Nolan-Miller is a misplaced Michigander navigating the vibrant chaos of Houston’s urban jungle. She travels with her husband and young son, contributing her insights and experiences to various print and digital publications. As the author of historical books rooted in Michigan, Alexandria brings the past to life through her writing. When not on the road, she can be found immersed in books, teaching, sharing stories, and chasing new adventures to inspire her next piece.
