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Beach towel and drinks by the pool

We know it’s hard giving up your annual family beach vacation, camping trips, climbing adventures, and weekends at the lake, but all hope is not lost! While not as distant as you might have hoped, staycations can be a great way to let yourself relax and spend time with those you love. Better yet, Victory Park has a diverse selection of restaurants, shops, and trails that you can get lost in.

Need some more inspiration? Here’s your complete guide to a weekend staycation in Victory Park.

Friday:

Check-in to your room at the W Dallas – Victory Hotel

  Photo Credit: W Hotel Dallas

We know you’ve been eager to tiptoe around a pool and escape your own home again. The W Dallas – Victory Hotel is a luxury hotel perfectly located within walking distance to anything you could want. Even better, pets are welcome!  (click here for weekend deal availability)

After checking-in, take some time to settle into your room and explore what the hotel has to offer. Soak in the beautiful city views and get lost exploring the fabulous art adorning the halls.

 

Eat until your heart’s content

Photo credit: Hero By HGSPLY

It’s fine, we all do it. We go on vacation, and we EAT! We eat like nobody is watching! No salads, no small portions. We go on vacation to relax and enjoy ourselves, and that means eating what we want to. Wonderful food creations can be found both inside and outside the hotel, including W Living Room if you want drinks and small plates and at Cook Hall, if you’re looking for a more filling meal. Venturing out of your home for the weekend will yield delicious and memorable experiences. Newly opened, Mot Hai Ba gives you a taste of Vietnam in an exciting modern interpretation of French-Vietnamese cuisine, no plane or passport needed!

If the weather is nice, we suggest going for an evening stroll to dinner or out for a drink. Exploring the city under the lights, can tie a bow on the perfect evening. Just walking two blocks down, you will pass over ten restaurants, including Billy Can Can, Mesero, Imoto, Dibs on Victory, Burgundy Swine Wine Bar, Jinya Ramen, and more! While you’re out, explore the neighborhood and have fun window shopping.

Saturday:

Go out for a light breakfast

Photo Credit: Cafe Victoria

Just a few steps away is the treasured neighborhood coffee shop, Cafe Victoria. Get a strong start to your day with your choice of a coffee beverage or the ever-popular matcha latte and a savory baked good. Before you leave, don’t forget to get your 4-legged friend a CapPOOCHino.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Read Between the Lines

What could be a better way to wrap up a vacation than some retail therapy? Victory Park has many shops for you to find something for yourself or a friend. From Read Between The Lines, V.O.D. Boutique, Simply Elegant Dallas, and The Hangar, you must hit them all. 

 

 

Rehydrate and restore 

Photo Credit: Freshii

After exploring new parts of Dallas and stretching your legs, it’s time to rehydrate and care for your body. Start by picking up a vitamin-packed snack at Feed Me Pronto or at Freshii. Then head back to the hotel for a shower and a power nap. However, you won’t want to nap too long, or else you might miss your appointment at Joanna Czech! Located right next to your hotel, you’ll enter into an afternoon of heaven with signature services like individualized facial treatments, exclusive LED skin therapies and aesthetic services by private appointment.

Escape reality

You’ve dined, explored, and relaxed. Now it’s time to turn your staycation into an adventure. Take your chances and see if you have what it takes to crack the codes, find hidden clues, and solve the puzzle in a 60-minute, adrenalin pumping Escapology game. You’re guaranteed an amazing experience and fun memories to enjoy with your family for years to come, but we can’t promise your escape.

Sunday:

Sleep in and take your time 

The last day of any vacation is always bittersweet. You likely don’t have far to travel, so why rush off? Go ahead and request a late check-out, sleep in, and take your time getting ready. After a nice long, hot shower, you can check out and pack up your car. Don’t get too sad, turning over the keys, though, because being out of the hotel doesn’t mean your vacation is over.

Hit the trails

Katy Trail Dallas

Photo Credit: Katy Trail

Spend Sunday basking in the outdoors, re-discover Dallas on one of the most popular trailheads in town, The Katy Trail. No matter your style of exercise, whether you’re a casual walker, a rollerblader, training for a 5K, or a hobby cyclist, anyone can enjoy the 3.5-mile path. Feel like you’ve been transported out of the city and into a nature oasis. 

 

 

 

Family Sundaes 

If you’re the type that typically brings souvenirs back from trips for loved ones, It’Sugar is the perfect place to find fun oversized candy and sweets sure to light up the face of the person who watered your plants. When you’re finished shopping, treat the family to a sundae from Aqua S before grabbing road snacks at 7-Eleven and heading home!

Staycations can be just as relaxing and fun as any vacation. But staycations have an added bonus, you don’t have to worry about your vacation finds not fitting in your suitcase to go back home or the travel time to get back to your front door. What will you do for your staycation? 

Dang it. You are awesome. With camera.

Right now, just about everyone is experiencing an increase in free time both those working from home and those just working on keeping their sanity while at home. As we undergo yet another week of quarantine and social distancing, many are starting to grow anxious and are having trouble finding activities to occupy their time. Some people have found that this season has been the perfect time to focus on introspection, perfect a hobby, or learn something new, and no we’re not talking about learning another TikTok dance.

One activity that you could pick up, or maybe re-spark, is perfecting your green thumb. After all, Spring is the season of new life so why not try cultivating some in your own home. Plants can brighten your day just by looking at them. Maybe you can start an herb garden in a backyard or patio and be able to save some green down the road. Pick up a copy of How To Raise A Plant And Make It Love You Back today and get growing.

You could also pass the time by planning your post-quarantine celebration. Will you get dressed up and go out to a club? Make a reservation for you and all of your friends at a popular restaurant? Maybe you’ll finally be able to take that vacation that had to be rescheduled/canceled. Has COVID-19 ignited a fire in you to see the world with your own eyes? If so, maybe your celebration will be a trip overseas. If that’s the case, take the time now to do some planning and reading on where to go/how to spend your time there.

Our dream vacation? We’re heading to Paris and stocking up on all the tips and tricks. Sundays in Paris is an excellent source that offers a comprehensive city guide featuring the best places to eat, drink, and explore in the City of Lights for any day of the week.

Another healthy way of spending your time is to focus on introspection and mental health. From a candlelight ritual for renewal to a soothing ritual for unwinding to a tea ceremony for fostering connection and gratitude, the world is filled with empowering spiritual practices that help cultivate well-being. The Rituals, a book by Natalie MacNeil, is filled with details on the history and meaning behind a wide range of sacred rituals for love, awareness, joy, along with so much more. The enriching, powerful practices found in this book have the power to transform your quarantine experience and extend into your normal routines.

Lastly, another great practice to fill your time with is the art of the written word. With so many outlets and ways to practice, anyone is sure to find some way to express yourself. Hand lettering is a beautiful art form that has the potential to grow into a side hustle. Journaling is one of the most cost-effective forms of therapy. Creating a physical list of daily gratitudes can dramatically increase your mood, leading to better relationships. Dream journals can reveal shocking details about your life and lead to epiphanies. While prayer/blessing journals are another way to stay positive and focus on your meditation. The point is, journaling is a creative outlet that can improve your mental state. To get started, find a journal that you want to write in and the rest will come naturally.

Share with us how you’re filling your time.

Each of the featured products in this post (and many more) are available online at readbetweenthelines.com (free shipping on U.S. orders $35+), via curbside pickup at their Victory Park location at 2412 Victory Park Lane (simply place your order online and specify in-store pickup), as well as home and office delivery in the Victory Park area!