Seek Out Enjoyable Travel Destinations By Car


by Troy Haylem


Vacationing by automobile may not hold the long-distance allure it once did, but travel destinations by car can still make for a wonderful holiday with some good advance planning.

Thanks to the Internet, it's possible to obtain a wealth of data about any locale, whether it's the attractions in one's hometown or those of nearby communities. It's also possible to find forms and worksheets online to plan a stay-at-home vacation that's as much fun as a long-distance trip.

Begin by gathering information on local attractions, such as heritage and art museums, zoos, parks, concert halls, community theaters and more. Don't restrict the destinations solely to those in-town. Plan to visit those suburbs that are often in the local news for their excellent entertainment and cultural offerings. A "staycation" is the perfect opportunity to get to know the nearby towns beyond the city limits.

History buffs can find tremendous resources about fascinating local heritage through libraries, societies and the like. "Culture vultures" also can locate plenty of little theaters, town band concerts, student recitals and more through community arts councils. Municipal and county parks departments also are excellent places to find out about nature preserves, camping sites and more.

One of the great gifts of a local vacation is that of time. Since the distances to these nearby attractions are short, there's more time to explore see the sights. The result is more relaxation and less travel hassle, to say nothing of saving money on tips to baggage handlers, hotel doormen, chambermaids and so on.

Naturally, no vacation plan would be complete without a budget. Once again, a trip to local destinations means much less travel expense, even with higher gasoline prices. Even the cost of going by automobile can be managed by setting a limit to driving distance. With good advance planning, seeing local sights and enjoying nearby community happenings by car can produce an interesting and relaxing holiday.




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