Can you believe we’re already part way through the second month in 2023?! We can’t either. We’re in the thick of planning adventures for this year and are really excited.
Like most of you, we have day jobs. We aren’t constantly on the road traveling and exploring day in and day out. Not yet anyway. Like you, we explore on weekends or after work during the week. You’ve heard us say that adventures don’t require you to quit your job and buy an RV or start living van life. I mean – if you want to, do it! In the meantime, don’t overlook the things you can enjoy and discover closer to home.
But where to start? Finding tools to help you plan is important.
Tools for planning adventures
Grab your phone or laptop.
- Open up good old Google and start typing in, “things to do in [insert the name of your town or state].” You might just be surprised at what you can discover!
- Social media can be another useful tool. You might follow people exploring areas close to you or a spot you can get to in a weekend to visit. Save the posts that inspire you. Did you know you can create collections in Instagram you can go back to later? We’ve used this and it helps us figure out what hikes we might want to go on, what little town to stop in, etc.
- Check out your map app. Do you know you want to visit Bryce Canyon or the Grand Canyon, or any number of beautiful state parks? Great! Now look at the route you’ll take to get there. Chances are you will find spots along the way you can stop and explore. You’ll discover some pretty cool places that likely won’t be so crowded, will be more unique, and help you create amazing memories. Hands down – this is one of our favorite tools to use when planning adventures.
- Search destination websites (i.e. specific national park websites, state tourism sites) can help you discover other things you might need to know. How crowded will it be during the time of year you are planning around? If you are planning a hike, will you need a permit? Some national parks require timed entry – does this apply to the one you want to visit? These websites are helpful ways to be more prepared.
- Go to Google play store (or whatever app store applies to you) or the web and search for apps like FreeRoam (https://freeroam.app/) to help you find camping spots or AllTrails (https://www.alltrails.com/) to discover information on hiking trails and more.
Things to consider
- Time. How much time are you working with? Planning adventures that last a week or even two can be much different than planning for a weekend getaway.
- Stress vs. joy. Don’t feel that you have to see and do all the things there may be to see and do on your adventure. That’s what makes returning multiple times so much fun…you get to discover and do new things! Stressing out about fitting everything in on one trip means you miss the joy that you should be experiencing. We learned this the hard way during one of our trips last year. You can read about it here: The Pressure to See It All – Lessons Learned
- How will you get there? If you fly, will you need to rent a car to explore all the places you hope to see? Are you budgeting for ride shares if a rental doesn’t make sense? For road trips, are you considering the amount of time you want to actually be driving each day? What about the number of times you need to stop? Keep these things in mind as you are planning adventures you plan to take.
- Food. Is there anything in particular you want to be sure you eat on your trip? This is always at the top of our list! We love trying new cuisine that particular areas are known for. Or, as is the case when we are on either of the coasts, planning activities that allow us to eat some fresh seafood. It’s a lot of fun fishing for your meal!
What tips have you found helpful? Is there anything you would add? If so, please share it with us in the comments!
Wherever your adventures take you, remember to respect the areas you visit and leave no trace.
See you out there!
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