Backyard Staycation Ideas: 10 Features for a Resort at Home

You priced the family vacation. Flights, hotel, rental car, eating out, the whole thing. Then you looked at the backyard and realized you already paid for the resort. It just needs the features that make a resort feel like one. Below are 10 staycation upgrades that handle shade, dining, warmth, and fun, so the backyard finally earns its keep.

Shade Features

1. Poolside Cabana

A cabana is a roofed lounge with one open side facing the pool. Three sides are closed in fabric, wood, or stone. Most are prefabricated. Higher-end versions are custom-built with pull curtains for privacy.

• Best for: Lounge zones, daytime shade, sun-sensitive guests, daybed reading
• Furnish with: Daybed, lounge chairs, side table, outdoor rug
• Watch out for: Highest cost in the shade category, especially with permanent flooring or plumbing

2. Gazebo

A gazebo is a free-standing roofed structure, usually round or octagonal, that creates a defined outdoor sitting or dining room. Solid roof and floor make it usable in light rain.

• Best for: Outdoor dining, intimate gatherings, garden focal point
• Materials: Wood, aluminum, or polymer
• Watch out for: Permits required in most municipalities for structures over a certain footprint

3. Pergola

A pergola is a column-and-rafter structure with an open lattice top. It frames an outdoor space without fully enclosing it. Common over patios, dining areas, and inground spas.

• Best for: Partial shade, architectural style, vine-covered ceilings
• Configurations: Free-standing, attached to the house, or spanning two walls
• Watch out for: Partial shade only, unless you add a canopy, planting, or louvered roof

4. Pool House

A pool house is a permanent structure with a bathroom, changing area, and storage. Larger versions add a kitchenette, spare bedroom, or function as a full second residence.

• Best for: Families with kids, frequent entertainers, properties where the main house is far from the pool
• Required: Plumbing, power, and full permits (treat it like a small detached home)
• Pro tip: Build the pool house at the same time as the pool to save on excavation, permits, and design coordination

Outdoor Dining Features

5. Island BBQ Grill

A built-in island grill turns the patio into a real cooking station. Hood, side burners, storage cabinets, and counter space set into a permanent surround.

• Best for: Frequent grillers, hosts who want everything outside
• Standard size: 450 to 500 square inches of cook space; 550 to 650 for large parties
• Fuel: Charcoal, natural gas, or propane (gas requires plumbing during install)
• Pro tip: Coordinate the island stone or tile with your pool coping and waterline tile during build

6. Outdoor Kitchen

The full upgrade from a grill. Sink, beverage chiller, mini fridge, stove top, optional pizza oven. Outdoor-rated appliances only.

• Best for: Daily-use families, large-format entertaining, pool-centric living
• Layouts: Linear, L-shape, U-shape, or island
• Watch out for: Cross-ventilation. Never enclose the cooking area without a vent hood. Smoke buildup is a real problem.

Outdoor Warmth Features

7. Outdoor Fireplace

A built-in fireplace with firebox and chimney. Wood-burning or gas. Brick, stone, or concrete construction.

• Best for: Cooler nights, design focal point, intimate seating areas
• Fuel: Gas gives instant fires; wood gives the campfire experience
• Watch out for: Local burn bans and required clearance from the house structure

8. Fire Pit

More affordable than a fireplace, easier to place, more social. Round shape works best for group conversation.

• Diameter: 3 feet (intimate) up to 6 feet (large groups)
• Height: 12 to 24 inches (18 inches is the sweet spot for putting feet up)
• Fuel: Wood, natural gas, or propane
• Modern touch: Decorative fire glass for a contemporary look in gas pits

Outdoor Fun Features

9. Splash Pad

A textured concrete pad with arcing water jets. No swim skills required. Perfect for toddlers and young kids.

• Best for: Families with pre-swimmers, water park feel without the depth
• Customize: Decorative coatings, themed murals, programmable jet heights and speeds
• Bonus use: Set up tables and chairs on it during winter for extra patio space

10. Putting Green

Practice turf for golfers. Custom shape, professional install or DIY kit.

• Cost: 15 to 25 dollars per square foot installed
• Space-saver option: A floating green in the pool with chip shots from the deck
• Watch out for: Sun exposure. South-facing locations heat the turf and shorten its lifespan.

How to Choose Your Staycation Features

Pick by the gap your backyard has, not by what looks coolest in a photo.

• Backyard sits empty after 1 p.m.? Start with shade (cabana, pergola, or gazebo).
• Always cooking and eating inside? Outdoor kitchen or island grill.
• Family disperses at sunset? Fire pit or fireplace extends the night.
• Kids too young to swim? Splash pad pulls double duty.
• Pool feels like a one-trick pony? Add two features from different categories above.

The pools that get used the most are the ones with at least one feature from shade, one from dining, and one from warmth. Three is the magic number.

Backyard Staycation FAQ

How much does it cost to build a pool house?

A simple pool house with a bathroom and changing area starts around 30,000 dollars. A finished pool house with kitchenette, lounge area, and full utilities runs 75,000 to 200,000 dollars or more, depending on size, materials, and finish level.

What is the difference between a gazebo, pergola, and cabana?

A gazebo is a free-standing roofed structure with a solid roof and floor, usually round or octagonal. A pergola has an open lattice top and gives only partial shade. A cabana has one open side facing the pool and three closed sides, designed as a lounge area with daybeds or chairs.

Can I add a fire pit or outdoor kitchen to an existing patio?

Yes. Fire pits and outdoor kitchens can be retrofit onto existing patios, though gas-fueled features will require plumbing work and a permit in most jurisdictions. Coordinate with a licensed contractor before purchase.

Which backyard staycation features add the most resale value?

Outdoor kitchens, pool houses, and built-in fireplaces show the strongest return on appraisal. Splash pads and putting greens are highly personal and typically do not increase appraised value, even though they may help a buyer fall in love with the home.

Plan Your Backyard Staycation with Blue Haven

The reason most backyard upgrades feel like a hodgepodge is that they got added one at a time. We design and build pools, shade, dining, and warmth features as one cohesive backyard, so the finished space looks like a resort, not a project list.