←→5 Tips for Day Trips

Posted Monday, February 19th, 2007 · Permalink

It usually takes about a month or two. You need to recover from certain tiredness, see old friends, do some errand-type things, et cetera. But long before your feet recover, the itch starts to bother you once again. The itch for whatever is yet undiscovered. But you have a job or study. Obligations. Summer is still almost a year away.

The answer to your problem is to take day trips. Or two-day trips, if you must.

Experience traveling is not all about leaving for far-away destinations to learn about foreign cultures. You don’t need culture shock to have experienced the globe. When you can’t afford the time to travel such distances, consider traveling locally. This can be enlightening and, albeit temporarily, heal that itch.

Here are five tips for taking day trips.

1. See local museums. I live in Amsterdam and often only visit museums when I have friends over from other countries. We visit the obvious ones: van Gogh, Rijks, Anne Frank… but Amsterdam has so much more to offer. With a little bit of research you might find yourself some fantastic museums that make for a nice day out in your area. You learn about things that you can often relate to in some way because the common history. Go to one or two and come back a refreshed and educated.
2. Visit neighboring cities/towns. Going out-of-town for a day to visit neighboring communities is often an excellent choice for a trip of a day or two. Whether you live in Paris and visit the vineyard towns to the south, live in Los Angeles and visit Los Vegas for some new experiences, or live in Bloomington, Indiana and visit St. Louis, these trips will always be refreshing and exciting. It all depends on what you make of it!
3. Book a budget flight. This tip is easier for some than for others, but when you can and you really want to get away from your area, flying somewhere is not out of the question. Tickets for flights between all major European cities go between 40 - 80 euros these days. In the US, domestic flights are also available at great prices. I recommend visiting a foreign city for a weekend. It’s simply is a lot of fun.
4. Leave work behind. The first three tips where about what you can do for a day trip. Now that you’re going, consider leaving all work-related matters behind. It’s not always possible, but it does make a trip far more enjoyable. It relieves you from stress and gives you more time to make the most of your trip.
5. Don’t over-plan. This one is important. It’s a (two-)day trip. Relax. Don’t over-plan it with the idea that you’re going to be able to see and do more. This will only wind you up so that you return less rested than you left.

I have one tip left regarding day trips: do them often. They’re really worth the time and, when done right, the effort/reward ratio is fantastic.

Filed under Travel Tips.