Everyone should go on at least one big adventure every year. Whether that’s taking an international flight and exploring a new country, or road-tripping across the US, taking an annual trip is good for your mental and physical health.

But you shouldn’t limit your time away to big, costly adventures. There’s plenty for you to experience in a shorter time frame, close to home.

Planning the best weekend getaway usually means getting creative. You likely aren’t going to travel very far. Most people don’t need to go far in order to find a brand new place to explore.

Taking a local weekend trip won’t require huge travel expenses, making it possible for you to travel monthly, or even weekly if you want to.

So how can you plan a weekend getaway to remember? Read on below for tips to make it worthwhile and fun. 

Choose a Destination

If you have to travel for more than two or three hours to get to your weekend destination, then your trip is going to feel more like a burden than a vacation. Instead, stay local. Try finding destinations you can reach in under two hours, in order to maximize time spent at a destination.

Pull up Google Maps, or a good old paper map of your state, and look around your city for other places of interest. It can help to make a list of anything that sounds interesting, broken into different categories. 

This can include other big cities in your area. But make sure to include the smaller towns, as well. While they might not have the nightlife or innovative food scenes, they have plenty of charm and local treasures to discover.

Also, make note of any national parks, state parks, wilderness areas, lakes, rivers, or any other areas where it might be fun to spend some time.

You can use this list as your guide when planning other weekend getaways in the future. For now, figure out which place on your list is one you’ve been meaning to explore, and plan to finally head there.

Choose Unique Accommodations

When planning a weekend getaway, every detail is important. Where you sleep will impact your short trip just as much as what you do during the day. 

You don’t have to stay in luxury. However, try finding something unique. Maybe that’s looking for interesting properties on Airbnb, like a treehouse, a tiny home, or a yurt.

Or maybe you can’t resist the hotel that overlooks the beach. Or maybe you find a log cabin up in the mountains where you can get away from it all for a few days. 

The only problem with staying in a cabin is that you’re going to fall in love with it. They are so functional, and so comfortable, that you may be wondering how you can afford your own little cabin in the mountains.

Well actually, they don’t have to be that expensive. The Elkhorn Reserve, for example, is a two-bed, two-bath cabin that you can get from Overlook for less than $100K. So you can ensure you have many more weekend getaways in the future. 

Eat Something Different

For a complete cultural experience, even if you are only one town over from where you currently live, try to avoid everything that is familiar. Avoid chain restaurants, and skip fast food.

Rather, look for the unique places in your destination. Or ask locals where you should go for something tasty and different.

Not sure where to start? First, head to the local coffee shop. Baristas tend to be trendy, knowing the cool local spots to grab a bite to eat. 

Find Local Adventures

And of course, you need things to do on your trip to make it fun. But rather than doing the things you normally like to do, get out of your comfort zone and try something new.

If you are in the mountains, then maybe there is a zip line park you can visit. Or maybe there are via Ferrata climbing zones, where you can scale cliffs while strapped to the wall with a harness.

Or if you’re near the ocean, you can try spearfishing to catch your dinner, or charter a boat for some deep-sea fishing. Or if you don’t like fishing, then enjoy a sunset cruise along the water.

Figure out what you can do in your destination that you can’t do back at home, and prioritize those activities. 

Have a Theme

Sometimes, it can be fun to add a theme to your weekend getaway. A theme helps provide direction and gives your trip a little bit more purpose. That way, it feels like much more than a simple weekend away.

One theme that you should try soon is the zero-cost weekend getaway. Trying to spend a full weekend somewhere, exploring a new place, without spending any money.

Of course, there might be costs like gas and buying healthy snacks ahead of time to take with you. So try limiting your trip budget to $100 or less.

This adventure is likely going to be a camping adventure, and it will need to be nearby since you don’t want to spend a ton of money on gas. You’ll want to bring all your food with you, and choose activities you can do for free.

This might include hiking, fishing, swimming, or simply reading books in a hammock, overlooking a valley or lake. Just because you want to get away doesn’t mean you have to spend a ton of money.

Or you can try taking the eco-friendly weekend away. Try to make every aspect of your trip environmentally friendly. Rather than driving your own car, take a bus or train to your destination. Choose an accommodation that prioritizes sustainability through energy conservation and waste management. 

Eat at places that serve locally sourced foods. Bring along trash bags when you go for a walk, hike, or bike ride to collect trash along the way.

Planning the Best Weekend Getaway

Some people do well by planning a weekend trip well in advance. They figure out where to sleep and eat, and what to do ahead of time. Others are a little more spontaneous. They might book a place to stay but otherwise figure the rest out once they arrive.

The best weekend getaway is the one that you will enjoy the most. So plan a trip according to your preferred style. However, do your best to stay close to home and try something new, in order to make the trip truly memorable.

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