This year, more of us than ever will be swapping vacations abroad for shorter trips without leaving the country. Whether you don’t yet feel comfortable traveling abroad yet or just want to be a bit more careful with your money this year, here are some of the best tips for having a memorable vacation without leaving the country.
Play Tourist In Your Local Area
Most of us don’t spend time exploring our own towns, but there’s probably plenty to see, from great restaurants to try to beautiful local buildings to explore. Visit your local tourist information centre for some ideas, and see what the most popular things are for tourists to do where you live.
One of the advantages of doing this is that you won’t need to take as much time off, as you can use your weekends to explore. As you do, you might even end find a new appreciation of your home town.
Plan Weekends Away
One of the advantages of traveling close to home is that you don’t need to allow for much travel time. You can still book a longer vacation, but you can also fit in a few weekends or long weekends away, without having to use up very much of your allocated annual leave at work.
There are lots of options for weekends away, whether you want a city break, a trip to the seaside, or a weekend in the country. Remind yourself how to go camping, plan a staycation at home, or book a long weekend away with friends.
Weekends away can be a great way to explore some new places and break up the year with lots of smaller adventures.
Swap With Friends
Do you have friends or family who live in a different town who also want to stay in the country this year? Why not offer to swap homes for a few days? You won’t have to pay for a hotel and know that someone is looking after your house while you’re away.
You can leave each other a list of recommendations of things to see and do in the area and experience a new place for a few days with some expert suggestions from a local.
Get Outdoors
Being outside releases dopamine, the chemical that promotes happiness and relaxation. If you’re outside, it’s also easier to maintain social distancing and safely meet other households (in areas where this is allowed), so you can see some friends and family while you’re out and about.
Take a look and see what green spaces there are near you and plan some trips. Go for a long walk as a family, take a picnic, or just pack a thermos of coffee and set off by yourself.
Remember that lots of people have the same idea at the moment, so popular beauty spots can be very busy. Check before you travel what to expect and be prepared to try somewhere else if you arrive and find somewhere too busy to visit safely.
