Feeling like you need to getaway from it all?
Is your life currently on auto-pilot with no time for yourself and one busy week blends into another? When was the last time you did something for you?
A short getaway to recharge your batteries might be just what you need. A change of scenery can do wonders and getting out of town is easier than you think.
We’ve been embracing weekend getaways over the past 6 months, and it’s been so nice to drive for only one or two hours, pack light, and have a beginning and an end to our trip in contrast to our recent never ending 18-month road trip around Australia.
If you have limited money or time, a quick getaway is a fantastic option.
Escaping nearby for a few days or taking a short flight to somewhere warm and exotic has many benefits.
You don’t have to take time off work, or quit your job and go on a 12-month around-the-world trip to bring more travel and adventure into your life. A simple two-day trip close to home can do wonders for you mentally and physically.
I know what it’s like to get to the end of a working week feeling exhausted. In my past life, I worked a physical 50 hour week in a construction job, and Caz worked full-time as a school teacher which drained her mentally. When the weekend came around it was tempting to just want to sit on the couch, have a glass of wine and a foot rub.
But before you know it, Monday arrives and your weekend hasn’t really brought any meaning to your life.
Taking short breaks away from your hometown can help you to reclaim your life back, to bring more meaning to your work week, and make your time off fun again.
You’ll feel refreshed, and when you know you’ve got something exciting to look forward to on the weekend, it helps you get through the week.
Instead of spending every weekend at home dreading Monday morning, why not chose to go someplace new for a change of scenery, to recharge and refocus!
You’ll be accumulating memories, not just possessions, and memories are priceless!
Pick one activity
One tip we’ve found when going on a short break is to focus on one thing you need and make your getaway all about that.
Do you want to just go and relax on a beach? Do you want to get away and eat great food all weekend? Or maybe you want to go shopping for a few days?
Or, maybe it’s winter in your destination and you want to jump on a plane and head to someplace warm?
Travel in your own backyard
If you’re new to this travel thing, just go an hour away from your home. Somewhere it’s easy to plan for, easy to get to, and you don’t have to pack much. Just try that out and have lots of fun.
Then next time you can stretch your comfort zone and go someplace further away for a long weekend.
Don’t underestimate the benefits of staying local and traveling in your own backyard – your wallet will thank you! This strategy is one of the most overlooked and cheapest ways of having more travel in your life.
Benefits of a local getaway:
- Less planning
- Less packing
- Les travel time
- No jet lag
- Usually cheaper
Keep it simple
A big mistake travelers make is trying to cram too much in. Trying to do everything on a quick getaway just leaves you exhausted, especially if you travel with kids like us.
But if you spend your time unwinding and being present, you’ll appreciate the effort you took to get off the comfy couch and go!
Trip ideas:
- Beach break
- Hiking in the mountains
- City escape
- Road trip in the countryside
- Out of town festival
- Shopping trip
- Sit by the pool at a resort
And if you’re a nature lover like us, consider a trip to a National Park.
Still worried about money?
Instead of choosing a destination and trying to find a flight deal, considering flying to where the flight deals already are!
Don’t just fly anywhere for the sake of it, but see where the deals are and then choose a destination you’ll enjoy.
To do this, use a flight search engine like Skyscanner that lets you type in your departure city and search for a list of cheap flights to anywhere. Simply type in the word Everywhere in the “To” box. This helps you to select the cheapest destination from your point of origin.
And the Kayak Explore tool can help too. Simply plug in your departure city and choose the season or month and a list of available deals will appear on a map with all the destinations listed.
These are both fun tools you can play around with for finding cheap flights.
For accommodation, if you need some inspiration on the type of property you want to stay in, a great feature about the Booking.com website is that you can search for properties broken down into themes such as:
- Beach hotels
- Spa hotels
- Romantic hotels
- Family hotels
- Golf & sports hotels
- Luxury Hotels
- B&Bs
So when you really think about it, a weekend getaway is easier than you think. You just have to make it a priority, and not let life push you around.
Consider all the different places you can travel to within a four hour drive, or a two hour flight, and do this every couple of months.
These getaways will be great for your soul and easy on your bank balance.
Have you got a weekend getaway planned soon?
Related posts:
- 21 Ways to Find Cheap Flights
- 18 Ways to Save Money on Accommodation
- 19 Ways to Save Money on Rental Cars
