Melissa Ruffner offers a fascinating walking tour of downtown Prescott.

Staycation. It’s the buzzword going around this year for people who don’t want to pay a fortune for a gas guzzling vacation. People are looking for stay-at-home-type get-aways. And what better place to do it than in beautiful Prescott?

The July 4th weekend was buzzing with local activity. The 4th of July Parade, the Kiddie Parade, the Rodeo, the Old Fashioned 4th at the Sharlot Hall Museum, fireworks in Prescott, fireworks in Chino Valley, fireworks in Prescott Vally and other things. But what to do once the holiday is over? Your guests have left, the tourists are thinning out. It's your turn to have some fun and relax.

You can book yourself into one of the historic hotels downtown and pretend you’ve driven hundreds of miles to get to Everybody’s Hometown. Wear a camera and act like a tourist. It’s not hard. (But men can forego the shorts, black socks and sandals combo that I’ve seen so prevalent around the square this summer. Please.)

The Hotel Vendome is adorable and affordable, and a quick walk to the square. It is also next to The Rose Restaurant, which is one of the finest in town. (Reservations are strongly suggested.) If you want to be right in the middle of the action, the Hotel St. Michael is reasonable, has a wonderful restaurant and is steps away from other places to eat and drink. The Hassayampa is a first class hotel with a top-notch restaurant.

After you choose your hotel you can plan out a tour of food. The Gurley Street Grill, The Palace, Murphy’s, The Office, Kendall’s, and a plethora of other eateries are available for every taste and every budget.

As for entertainment for the weekend, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus is coming to Prescott Valley, July 11th through the 13th. On Friday the 11th you can enjoy a dinner and a show package at the Hassayampa. The show is Tea with Zaza across the street at the Elks Opera House. Saturday July 12th gives you a busy day with the Annual Indian Art Market at Sharlot Hall Museum at 9 am, the Sharlot Hall Presents program on frontier medicine, (giving self-medicate a whole new meaning), a free movie at Watson Lake at 6:00, (Ice Age), and the Mile High Square Dancers on the square at 7:00 pm.

One thing many locals haven't done is take a historical tour with Prescott's own Melissa Ruffner. Ruffner operates Prescott Historical Tours. She wears Victorian clothing and gives tours about town telling all the bits and pieces of history some locals or newcomers simply may not know. In fact when my sister came to visit one time with a group they took Ruffner's tour. She came back bubbling with enthuasium about things I have never heard of. Ruffner can be reached at 445-4567.

A very special performance will take place as part of the Arizona Revue at the Elks Opera House on July 12th. The young women formerly known as The LaMarr Sisters will be back on stage. This is a real treat for those who remember their performances as young girls, and those who have never had the chance to listen to their wonderful singing.

On July 13th the Prescott Pops Symphony presents Russian Rhapsody at 3:00 pm. If you stay through July 14th, you can visit with Doc Holliday at the Palace Restaurant via their premier dinner theatre.

It’s all here. Every weekend this summer is full of events and activities for families, couples and singles. Historic, educational or just plain fun. Eat a lot or walk a lot. You can tailor-make your “Staycation” to your own taste and budget. And it’s still “getting away from it all.”