18 Little Ways To Feel Like You're On Vacation 24/7

Flight-free holiday vibes.

1. Upgrade your summer scent.

Instagram: @wilsonstreetgifts

There's nothing like a spray of holiday perfume to make you feel like you're on a beach somewhere. Tom Ford's Soleil Blanc, Bobbi Brown's Beach, Estee Lauder's Bronze Goddess and Jo Loves' Mango Thai Lime are all excellent picks.

2. Plan a day trip.

Flickr: loic80l

This looks like some far-flung magical place right? Wrong. That's a picture of the Fairy Pools in Scotland, a mere train ride (and maybe a boat trip, but that's neither here nor there) away from my English hometown. And I have no doubt there are some equally as stunning places near where you live – you just have to look.

A day trip to a local beach or lake or even a weekend stay will make you feel like you've had a holiday, without breaking the bank. If you're based in the UK, check out this list for inspiration.

3. Make some ice lollies.

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Sometimes all it takes is something simple. And what's simpler than a delicious homemade ice lolly eaten outside in the sunshine? Follow this recipe for properly tasty holiday vibes.

4. Visit a rooftop bar.

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Even better if you can find a rooftop garden that serves drinks. For a list of amazing rooftop bars in London go here.

5. Browse a little #TravelPorn.

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No harm in looking right? And you can use the beautiful pics as motivation to start saving for your own holiday. I'd check out either the general #travelporn hashtag, or @earthpeek or @stasch_travel.

6. Shop for some summer merch.

etsy.com

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Maybe flights are a little out your price range, but there's a ton of lovely little things out there that will put you in a holiday mood without breaking the bank. I love these cactus-shaped tea bags by Tea Heritage, £6.27, and this sparkly aloha water bottle by Sip So Sweet, £14.89.

7. Drink some rum (punch).

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The Duppy Share, Wray & Nephew and Four Square are all great rums if you want a little taste of the Caribbean.

You can mix your rum with cola or sip it neat, but my favourite way to drink rum is in rum punch. The recipe is one of sour (lemon juice), two of sweet (sugar syrup), three of strong (RUM), four of weak (water). Mix those four ingredients to that ratio and you'll have a banging rum punch.

8. Get your glow on.

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Maybe you can't go on holiday but you can ~look~ like you've been on one. Fake tan is the easiest way to fake a holiday glow, but for me nothing gives more of a holiday feeling than covering yourself in a scented shimmer spray – both Nuxe and Tom Ford do fantastic ones (I can't afford to BUY Tom Ford but I douse myself with the stuff whenever I pass a Tom Ford counter and lemme tell you it is great).

9. Party at your local carnival.

S Pakhrin / Via Flickr: kathmandu

Nothing embodies summer party spirit than a good ole fashioned carnival. If you're lucky there'll be one nearby you – Notting Hill Carnival is the closest to me.

10. Mix up a batch of Singapore Slings.

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The ultimate summer gin cocktail (IMO). My favourite recipe is as follows:

50mls of Sipsmith Raffles 1915 gin (they made this specifically to use in Singapore Slings), 15mls of cherry brandy, 15mls Benedictine liqueur and 15mls freshly squeezed lemon juice mixed together and topped with soda.

11. Organise a picnic.

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Nothing like a little jaunt outside with a basket full of food and a good book to put you in a holiday-esque mood.

12. Buy a paddling pool.

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No plans to fly off to a resort with a pool? If you have a garden, get a paddling pool set up in there stat. Yeah, ok maybe it's not the same as a ~real~ pool. But these things are not just for kids. You can get some amazing paddling pools! You can get an 8ft-er for £40, a 10ft-er for £60 or this monster for £100.

13. Create a summer playlist.

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Putting your favourite summer tunes on loop will have you feeling like the beach is only a few steps away.

My summer playlist currently features Waves by Mr Probz, Touch My Body by Sistar, I'm Gonna Be Alright by Jennifer Lopez, View by Shinee and the above tune by Baby Bash.

14. Invest in a bit of summer bling.

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Summer sparkle comes in many forms. Sometimes it comes in the form of a trip to the beach. Other times it comes with a bit of summer-themed bling. I'm in love with the above piece by Beans and Pepper.

15. Watch a summery film.

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Dirty Dancing, Wet Hot American Summer, Divine Secrets Of The Ya Ya Sisterhood... whatever your preferred genre there'll be a film out there that'll put you in a summery, feel good mood.

If you can, I'd definitely see if you can book a screening at a rooftop cinema showing – it's a double whammy of summer viewing and summer setting.

16. Light a summery candle.

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Make your home smell like summer holiday. Either Summer Scoop by Yankee Candle or Mimosa Cardamom by Jo Malone should do the trick.

17. Try some foreign flavours.

Instagram: @boomburger

Caribbean, Thai, Vietnamese, European... maybe you can't fly to the countries but you can sure as hell put some of their food in your mouth. A quick fix for no-holiday blues is a little holiday food. I'd 100% recommend Boom Burger (Jamaican food-inspired burgers) or Keu in London.

18. Take a technology break.

Instagram: @alma.wanda

You don't need to go abroad to take a vacation. Giving yourself a break from all forms of tech for a weekend or even just a day will give you a new lease on life.