This summer, many Americans/ are feeling the effects of increased prices/ for many things, including gasoline and airline tickets. The exchange rate/ of the dollar/ has also made international travel/ much more costly/ for Americans.

One smart way/ Americans/ are avoiding such high costs/ is by taking vacations/ at home/ instead of driving or flying/ to faraway places. Staycations/ make hotels, long drives and airline flights/ unnecessary. And, they provide a chance/ for people/ to enjoy activities/ in their hometown.

Many Americans/ consider their time/ at home/ like a real vacation. They pay their bills/ and take care of housework/ ahead of time/ so they will be able to have more fun. And they use local travel guides/ to find good information/ about nearby places/ to visit.

Several cities/ in the United States/ have launched creative marketing campaigns/ to get their citizens/ to have fun/ staying in town.

For example, if you lived in Boston, Massachusetts, you might see three and a half meter tall red pins/ placed near important cultural and historical places/ in the city. These large structures/ can be found/ in places/ such as the Boston Common/ and the New England Aquarium. The pins/ show Bostonians and visitors/ all the interesting places/ to see/ in the city.

San Diego, California, has a staycation campaign/ aimed at people/ who live/ within a day's drive/ of the city. The San Diego visitors center/ has a Web site/ that makes finding restaurants and events/ in the city/ easy. The Web site/ states that nothing/ should stand in the way of a good vacation -- not even a slow economy.

New York City/ has a "Go Local" Web site/ that gives a list of free or low cost activities/ around the city. For example, activities/ last weekend/ included an International Yo-Yo convention/ and a food tour/ of the Harlem neighborhood.

Of course, not all Americans/ live in big cities. Staycations/ also offer a chance/ to read, enjoy nature, go to the local swimming pool, spend time with family and just rest. And that/ sounds like a nice vacation/ to us!