Summer will soon be drawing to a close. Still wondering whether or not you can afford a holiday?
Have your hopes of saving enough to take a trip been dashed with a reality check?
Maybe you just need to consider things from a different angle.
If you think about it, there's no reason you have to travel long distances, spending a fortune on gas or tickets to get to a far-off destination.
You don't have to head for a location where people speak a different language -- or even a different dialect of the same language.
Do you have to leave the continent, or even the country? No way. Do you have to cross statelines or even city limits ? No sirree.
A vacation can be had by staying local. A break in your day-to-day grind can be achieved by slipping down the road or taking a two-hour car ride.
Where you live will be a factor in where you choose to go. For instance, if you live in a small town which holds nothing that you haven't already explored, and with nothing nearby that isn't completely familiar and devoid of interest, you'll be looking further afield.
If on the other hand you live in or near a city like a state or the nation's capitol, you're golden. If your area holds museums, amusement parks, or other tourist attractions, travel time could be refreshingly short.
You could book a hotel room, and only have to drive for an hour to reach your haven in your brave new world. You could even have your vacation at home, going out for meals, and maybe paying someone to come in and clean up after you for your holiday.
With the money you'd save on travel and accommodations, you'll free up some serious money to pamper yourself with.
So once you've decided to save yourself the hassles of planning routes and modes of transportation, traffic jams and getting lost in the middle of nowhere, missing flights and sleeping in airports, you can turn your thoughts to a simpler, more affordable and restful scenario.
Where in your area would you like to use your leisure time? Would you like an educational field trip to a library or museum of local historical landmarks?
If you're near a university, that can be like a different world. A Universe City. Universities may have museums, libraries and their own sports teams as well as classes you might want to take.
Maybe there is a timely aspect to your non-travel plans. Is there a festival or carnival scheduled to come through town during your vacation break? Maybe there's a sports event that will be happening during your holiday.
Or maybe something a little more lighthearted for the grandchildren might be in order. Zoos are fascinating, hayrides at an apple orchard, craft fairs and field days will be memories of fun for the grandchildren for the rest of their lives.
Miles to go before you rest? Doesn't have to be. Adventure could be around the nearest corner.
Sources:
Tips for Preparing for a Local Vacation. Yahoo.com. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
http://voices.yahoo.com/tips-preparing-local-vacation-1584939.html?cat=46
7 Local Vacation (Staycation) Destinations. Discovery.com. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/travel-outdoors/local-vacation-staycati...
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