Maybe you have old friends from high school or college coming to visit you. Or, perhaps your in-laws are coming to stay with you and your partner for a few days. In any case, hosting out-of-town guests can be stressful, especially if they expect you to show them around.

To take some stress off your plate, here are 5 ways to keep your guests entertained.

1) Get Some Fresh Air

If your out-of-town guests had to travel a long distance to visit you, they’re likely sick of staying in one place. Sitting on a car, train, or plane for a long period of time can take its toll on even the most enthusiastic traveler.

Give your visitors a chance to stretch their legs and breathe in some fresh outdoor air. Visit a nature park or local beach to embrace the outdoors and entertain everyone in your party.

You can keep it low-key and use the day to take a casual, low-impact hike. Be sure to take in the beautiful scenery around you and capture some photos your visitors can revisit long after they’ve returned home.

If you have some more adventurous individuals in your pack, plan out what to do beforehand. Rent some kayaks, jet skis, or other watercraft for a fun-filled day by the beach or lake.

2) Stick to the Familiar

While it’s a great idea to introduce your guests to new places, there is nothing wrong with taking a day to do something that’s familiar to them. Not everything you do with them has to be something they can’t do back home.

Find out what your guests’ interests are and use them to plan a day with their favorite activities. See a movie at your local drive-in, visit a nearby amusement park, or take a trip to an escape room.

3) Spend a Night In

Don’t be afraid to spend a night in. In the midst of a hectic week of traveling and making their way around your city, your guests will likely appreciate the chance to unwind and relax.

Prepare a thoughtful dinner with your guests’ favorite entrees and sides. If you don’t want to be tied down behind the grill, throw a steak in the oven so you can spend more time with your visitors.

Pull out some board games or your karaoke machine to have a fun-filled night. You could also keep things low-key and simply catch up over dinner.

4) Don’t Neglect Your City’s Smaller Suburbs

When guests come in from out of town, they often want to see all of the big attractions that your city is known for. While these sights are worth seeing, you should consider introducing them to the lesser-known parts of your area.

Take a day to explore your city’s smaller suburbs. Here, you can introduce your guests to mom-and-pop restaurants with regional cuisines and locally owned boutiques with one-of-a-kind items they can take home as souvenirs.

5)  Plan a “Free” Day

Even though you’re trying to be the best host you can be, you don’t have to fill every day with things to do. It is their vacation after all, so consider leaving a day open for your guests to do whatever they please.

Read More: How to Throw a Party That’ll Leave Your Guests Thrilled

Bottom Line

If your guests are just staying for a couple of days, don’t feel guilty about keeping the trip simple. If they’ll be in town for a week or longer, you’ll have plenty of time to deviate from the plan, don’t stress yourself out with making arrangements for them. They came to see you, so they’ll likely be content with whatever you have in store!