We often make grand plans for summer vacations but I'm here to advocate the impromptu, pick-up and go kind of getaway. My husband and I would talk about how we used to take off for the weekend all the time before we became parents. Then we realized it's still possible.
This summer we've been better about taking day trips, or what we call micro-trips. Sometimes we decide on Friday night that we're leaving the next morning. We pack our car with the necessities, set the alarm early and feel a little bit giddy that we're going somewhere the next day. This weekend, we went with our friends and their kids to nearby Sandy River to let the kids run around in the water. They had a blast.
We've driven to the beach and been among the first to set up our blanket and chairs. It's also fun to stop somewhere interesting on the road, like a store that sells everything from popsicles to snow globes. Best of all, when you come home at the end of the day exhausted but in a good way, you can all sleep in your own beds.
Day trips make it easy to explore where you live. We've made lists of spots where we can easily spend a few hours. If you look up state parks that are easily reachable in an hour or two, you might find a new favorite spot. We're fortunate to live close to the ocean, rivers and the mountains but you can plan day trips no matter where you live, no matter what the landscape.
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