RVing is a great way to travel the country. You can see a variety of different areas, meet new people, try new foods, and learn about the culture and history of many different places! However, there are lots of times you may want to plan a local trip that’s closer to home.
Local Impacts of Travel
Traveling locally means you can impact the communities you visit in a positive way. Each time you stay somewhere, your money is going into the local economy and helping the businesses and agencies where you go.
How Travel Helps Local Economies
The money you spend when you travel local helps to create jobs and sustain livelihoods for others. When you shop local, you’re supporting community businesses. It’s also good for the environment when you buy goods made locally, rather than those that were shipped to you on a truck or by plane.
You can also help local governments when you travel! Many communities rely on tourism, and money you pay to the local governments for state parks and other expenses goes into the local infrastructure. You’re helping support police, fire, emergency services, and more!
You’re also helping to preserve the historic and natural sites you visit. When you pay entrance fees and other charges, you’re giving money to help maintain those sites for future generations.
More Benefits of Traveling Locally
You’ll also see benefits yourself when you travel locally. You’ll save money if you’re not headed on extravagant trips to faraway places. You can also make sure to visit free parks or inexpensive attractions and sites. Pack your own food and bring other necessities from home to save even more.
A local trip is also more environmentally friendly than a trip requiring lots of driving or getting on an airplane. Also, taking shorter trips that are more local might mean you can get out more often. A weekend excursion doesn’t require time off of work or as much money as a further destination.
Local trips are also easy for families! If you have little ones, they won’t need to spend as much time in the car to get to the destination. You also won’t be as far from home if there’s an emergency or everyone is simply not enjoying themselves.
Where To Travel
If you’re looking to take a local trip, there are lots of options! Begin by narrowing down your interests, or picking an area that you’ve always wanted to visit. If you’re interested in history, you may want to head to Boston to walk the Freedom Trail and visit Boston Common Park which has been around since 1634. Of course, you can also take in some pop culture and see the bar where “Cheers” was filmed or stop in at the Legoland Discovery Center.
If you enjoy nightlife, you may want to visit Las Vegas! Vegas is full of premiere restaurants and bars, and of course you can spend plenty of time gambling as well. There are other fun and entertaining things to do in Vegas, too – visit the Fremont Street Experience to see the street lit up at night and hear live bands and fun entertainment. During the day, you can hike at one of the nearby state parks, or wander through the different theme hotels for an immersive experience.
You may also want to travel to Brooklyn, New York for nightlife (and plenty to do during the day as well!) The city has tons of great restaurants, and you can walk the nearby High Line or visit the Brooklyn Marine Park. Forest Park Loop is another trail through the surprising wilderness of Brooklyn.
If you’re in the southern states, plan a trip to Atlanta and visit the city’s botanical garden and the Georgia Aquarium. Grab a bite to eat at Krog Street Market or visit Centennial Olympic Park for a stroll.
If you’re looking for surf and sun on the West Coast, try a visit to Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, or San Diego. Of course, while the beaches in each of these cities are well worth visiting, they all have more to offer as well. Stop at the historic Santa Cruz Boardwalk for a day of games and rollercoasters, check out the beautiful Santa Barbara Mission and State Street for shopping, and visit the world-renowned San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
Tips for Traveling Locally
Planning for local travel is different than planning for a cross-country vacation! Since your trip will likely be shorter, in many ways it’s a lot easier to plan. Here are some tips for planning your local trip.
1.) Be a tourist in your own town
We’ve all heard stories of people who lived their whole lives in New York City and never visited the Statue of Liberty, or who grew up in the Bay Area and never walked on the Golden Gate Bridge. Consider the parks, monuments, and other attractions in your city or a nearby area that you’ve never taken the time to explore. You might even be able to plan an entire trip around these destinations!
2.) Research what time of year is cheapest
Since local trips don’t require as much time, you may have more flexibility in what time of year you go. You won’t have to wait for school spring break or summer vacation to bring the kids along on a fun trip. This means you can save some money by visiting during the off-season. You may find that entrance fees go down, restaurants offer special dining deals, or campgrounds and hotels are offering discounts during that season.
Another advantage to traveling during the off-season is that you likely won’t find as many crowds at your destination. Theme park wait times will be shorter, and national parks will have a little more room to allow you to enjoy the solitude of nature.
One thing to keep in mind during the off-season, however, is that some businesses and campgrounds may actually take that time to close for inventory, bad weather, or so the owners can take their own vacations. Be sure to make campground or hotel reservations, and check the activities you want to do and restaurants where you want to eat to make sure they’re open.
3.) Travel for an event
Combining a trip with an event can be a fun way to explore a nearby city! Pick a town within a few hours’ range that has a show you’d like to see, or a concert, sporting event, or festival you’d enjoy. Attend that event, but spend the rest of your time checking out the rest of the town as well.
4.) Just pick a place at random
If you’re not sure where you’d like to go, just pick a town or city and head there! RVshare’s list of local guides to cities around the country is a great place to start if you need ideas. You may find a hidden gem of a town, or a new favorite park or restaurant. Simply trying new things is part of the fun of a vacation!
5.) Get supplies ready
If you’re planning an RV trip, RVshare can help! You can rent anything from a luxury Class A motorhome with a shower, separate bedrooms, an entertainment area, and sometimes even fireplaces and laundry machines to a Class B camper that sleeps two and makes efficient use of every inch. Families may prefer Class C campers, which are a mix of the two – not as big as Class As but with more room than campervans and even a spot to sleep over the cab. There are also trailers that range from tiny teardrop trailers to large 5th wheel trailers with tons of room.
If you’re planning a camping trip, consider what you can bring from home to save money. Packing your own food and drinks can help if you’re on a budget. You may also want to bring items like strollers, and some RVs even have room for kayaks and paddleboards so you can save on rental fees. Also, consider the weather. Do you need rain or snow gear? If it will be hot, you may want to bring along a shelter to shade from the sun.
Finally, you may want to bring some games, books, or other entertainment for while you’re hanging out at your campsite. Consider both outdoor games like horseshoes or badminton and indoor games like Sorry!, Scrabble, and other board games.
With a little planning and imagination, you’ll find that local trips can be just as much fun as longer, planned vacations. Happy traveling!
