Four Great Reasons To Take A Day Trip
While we all love a holiday that lasts a week or two, offering the chance to laze by a pool or on a beach, or fall in love with a new place over a period of time, it’s not always practical. Sometimes you’ve only got a day or two and need to use the time particularly wisely. You can’t see everything you need to see in Paris across a single day, and you can’t let LA get under your skin fully in 48 hours. But if you want to have a trip to remember, and plan it well, then you can still make a day-trip count.
The trick is not to decide that you’re going to have a day trip in x place. You need to have an idea in mind about what you want to do, and then find a spot that matches up. So if you’ve been longing to do a specific thing, you then check out towns, cities or even countries – if they’re close by – that make sense for that purpose. Below, we’ll look into some of the best reasons to pick a day-trip, and what you need to think about in advance of setting off…
A day at the beach
There’s no more classic day trip than a jaunt to the beach – provided the weather suits, there’s the chance to dress down, take a dip in the waves and walk along the promenade. You won’t be short of options for places to eat and drink, and if you’re staying overnight you’ll have the chance to watch the sun set over the ocean. If you don’t know where the nearest beach is, a quick online search will tell you not only where to go, but what’s available once you get there – but if it’s in driving distance, just fill a cooler with drinks and snacks, pack some towels and clothes, and get ready for an uncomplicated fun day.
Take in a show
Sure, your home town probably has at least one theater, and yes, you should probably check it out once in a while, but it’s definitely worth a longer trip to see something special. Rather than wait for Hamilton to come to their own town, thousands of people headed for Broadway to see a standout show. The likes of Shen Yun do tour a lot more, but they’ll stick to the cities, so it’s worth traveling to take in a performance – not least because they always have more resonance in a large theater. Check the bill at your nearest big concert venue, pick a matinee if you’re going to have the kids with you, and enjoy a show and a meal afterwards.
Watch a sporting event
It’s fun to sit and watch some football, basketball, tennis or any other sport on the TV, with some snacks and drinks and all the home comforts. But there is no experience to beat being there in the flesh when your favorite professionals are showing why they’re the best. Once the schedules are out for a season, it’s worth looking at where you may have a chance to see a game between top pros. If your favorite team is located in the same city as you, then maybe taking the chance to get to a road game would offer something new – especially if it’s a game against local or regional rivals. When the schedule is set, call the ticket office to see about prices, plan your trip and start saving up some spending money!
A special annual (or rarer) occasion
Whether it’s being in Times Square for New Years’ Eve, LA for the Oscars or even Washington for a presidential inauguration, combining your trip with the chance to see a unique event can be the best use of your holiday time. Sometimes the trip you take will be impromptu – an announcement on the radio might tell you that a VIP is in town – and other times, it will be easy to plan (perhaps the Super Bowl is scheduled to happen nearby). A day trip like this can be your opportunity to be a part of history – and what better reason could there be to pack a bag and hop in the car?
Making a special day trip can be every bit as enthralling as boarding a plane for two weeks in Cancun. If you plan it right – or have the chance to go with the flow – then your 24-hour holiday can be one you remember for the rest of your life.