Posted on 30th July, 2022.

Don’t overlook the local day trip in your travel planning.

Like many travel enthusiasts, I’m eager to get back to pre-pandemic travel patterns. We have a big trip to Alaska planned this summer, and I can’t wait to experience a long trip to somewhere new.

BUT, last weekend we took a day trip to an area beach, and I am still vibing off all the fun we had. We played three rounds of mini-golf, rode some boardwalk rides, and ate some beachy junk food.

Summer is the perfect time for day trips. Days are longer, there’s less need for coats and layers, and the warmer weather opens up more activities.

If you’ve got kids, there are fewer activities during the summer so your weekends free up. I plan a few family day trips every summer. We’ve taken many day trips over the years, and they are always worth the time and effort.

This year, I included our beach trip on my summer fun list.

Have You Made Your Summer Fun List?

Don’t miss out on making time for fun

medium.com

Now, I’m hoping we can make this festival of mini-golf a summer tradition, at least for the remaining years we have both kids at home.

The psychic benefits of a day trip

Research has found that people feel happier when they have more variety in their routines. Going to new places and having new experiences benefit your well-being. With more of us working from home, the need to get out of our routines becomes stronger.

I love the beach, so taking a trip there and enjoying time with my family left me feeling energized. And the contrast between the crowded, busy boardwalk and my peaceful, quiet house, made me more grateful for our home upon our return.

Getting out of the house for a full day had another psychic benefit: a break from my “silent to-do list.” As a remote employee, I’m constantly surrounded by reminders of all the things I need to get done. That stack of paperwork, the dusty baseboard, the pile of dishes.

Your “Silent To-Do List” is Stealing Your Time and Focus

Here’s how to destroy the damn thing.

medium.com

These obligations are intruding on my psyche, although I didn’t quite realize it until reading

Charlie Brown

’s article above. Taking a day trip was a fun way to get a break from these never-ending obligations.

Tips for planning a day trip

Sometimes figuring out where to go for a day trip is the hardest part. Luckily, the internet has tons of ideas just a google search away.

If you live in or near a city, you can make a day trip out of exploring the city. The key is to think like a tourist — plan a full day itinerary, including meals (or picnic locations if you are packing food).

Check out a state or national park you haven’t been to before. We are not outdoorsy types by any stretch, but that makes our day trips to parks more refreshing because they are outside our norm.

If you’ve got kids, think of ways to make the trip fun for them too. My kids are not huge fans of nature-based day trips, like hikes, but they will go along with such a trip if there are promises of good food included.

Don’t be afraid of a long drive, especially in the summer. Our trip to the beach involved six hours on the road and six hours at the beach. If your kids tolerate the car well enough, don’t limit yourself to places that are within an hour — see if you can get farther.

Our trip to the beach was so good, I’m thinking about other ones we can take this summer. There’s one more on my summer list, so we’ll see how that compares to the beach trip.

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