Travel – The Power of a Day Trip

I recently left my home of 27 years in Colorado and moved to Arizona. As it got down to the wire, I found myself scrambling to go all the places and see all the things that I hadn’t gotten around to in 27 years. What the what? When I got to my new home I decided it wasn’t going to be that way, and I was going to start going all the places and seeing all the things right away. A few months later I got the opportunity to travel to California for a few months. A few months means limited time to go to the places and see the things. The importance of the day trip came into play in a big way.

The beauty of the day trip is it’s not a huge commitment, nor a huge expense. But it will have a huge effect on your soul and well-being. I’m currently doing two day trips a week and I find myself much more relaxed and excited to get into my work when I know I have the next day trip coming up. Now, I know not everyone can do this twice a week. Doesn’t matter. Doing it once a week, every other week, or even just once a month will have the same effect. We all need something to look forward to.

Here’s the lowdown on the day trip. You want to go someplace that you’ve really been wanting to go. It’s best if it’s within a two-hour drive from your home so that it can all be done in a day. It could even be as simple as spending the day downtown in the city you live – shopping, having lunch, going to the spa, whatever – just something that you wouldn’t normally do.

Once you’ve chosen your place, decide what you’re going to do there. One of my recent trips involved whale watching, followed by lunch, then hitting the local shops, and ending the day with a couple of wine tastings. I left the house around 7:30am and was back by 5:00pm. The key is to do something out of the ordinary. Even if you can’t do something as exciting as whale watching, find a highly-rated restaurant and order something you wouldn’t normally get. Stop into the candy shop and get yourself a treat. Do something a little wacky like getting a palm reading or a henna tattoo.

Now, make a plan. Decide what time you’ll need to leave in the morning in order to get to everything. Decide what you’ll need to take – your purse, your phone, a jacket, water – and get it all set aside. Let someone know where you’re going and check in with them when you get back. And don’t forget to be flexible. If you see something that takes you away from your plan, that’s okay, the best adventures can start this way. Make sure the phone is charged and the car is gassed up and you’re on your way!