[ By Kristin Antonino ]
If one of your goals this year is to shift your “work-life balance” – so life gets more attention, here are some suggestions for ways to spend more time
with your family and friends. Treat the crew to a picnic, find respite at the Robinson Nature Center, plan a “staycation” in Howard County – or just hunker down on a winter afternoon and read a book together. Look no further than Howard County’s big back yard. Howard County Recreation & Parks offers opportunities for hiking and biking on miles of trails and plenty of family-friendly activities. Treat the dog to social time at dog-friendly Worthington Park. Reserve a pavilion for a family party. Tour some of Howard County’s intriguing historic sites, including the Thomas Isaac Log Cabin or the Patapsco Female Institute. Attend a concert or learn to fish. howardcountymd.gov Look up and stargaze, or search the sky for migrating birds. Look down and examine – or join – an archeology dig. Hike the nature trails, get lost in the interactive displays. The Robinson Nature Center has a state-of-the-art, eco-friendly facility with a discovery room and exhibitions for the whole family. You can even celebrate your child’s birthday party at the center, located on 18 acres adjacent to the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area – offering more than 1,000 acres of forest, meadows and river valley to explore. howardcountymd.gov/ robinsonnaturecenter.htm Take a look 
around the newly renovated Howard County Library (Miller Branch), and you’ll find much more than books. Rent a movie for the night, join a book club with your friends or bring the family to a game night. You can even bundle the little ones into their p.j.s for a pajama party. If it’s books you want, use the new automated system for checking out and returning books. hclibrary.org Have a “staycation.” The recent trend of staying close to home is a great way to save money on travel and enjoy what the region has to offer (while supporting local businesses). Pitch a tent in the back yard or fluff up the pillows and pretend your bedroom is a luxury hotel. Blend a margarita and lounge under a colorful umbrella while the kids play games outdoors. Later, roast marshmallows over a fire pit. Or, depending on the season, curl up in a cozy spot indoors. Find a tent at REI (rei.com), a blender at Williams Sonoma (williams-sonoma. com), fire pit at Restoration Hardware (restorationhardware.com) and an umbrella at the River Hill Garden Center (riverhillgardencenter.com) Find glow-inthe- dark games at squidoo.com. And turn your bedroom into a luxurious getaway at Urban Threads (urbanthreadshome.com). Find out details about local events, places to eat, things to do, concerts to see and much, much more at the Howard County Tourism site. Bookmark the site to keep tabs on local happenings. Start your exploration at the new welcome center in Ellicott City. Whether you call it a “staycation” or just finding fun right outside your door, the Howard County Tourism Council can help. visithowardcounty.com
