If you are anything like your friends at Gildshire, the long days of COVID-19, and the stress of the General Election, have you ready to get out of town. Unfortunately, though the election may be behind us, the coronavirus is not. Who knows when we will be able to plan a two-week vacation filled with amusement parks and restaurant meals, but most assuredly, that time is not yet here. So, in Part One of a two-parter about a short trip plan for your area, allow us to browse the country on your behalf. These are our ideas for a regional 1-2 day trip in your area.
Where should I go for a short vacation?
With the pandemic being what it (still) is, we recommend taking a trip where you can be alone. The obvious best choices are state campgrounds. If you want to go a little more upscale, a rental unit from one of the 80 Thousand Trails preserves (that’s TT’s name for a campground with showers and swimming pools). You will want to avoid the outdoor pools because they are too cold, and the indoor pools for obvious COVID-19 reasons. But the clean air and views come free, and it will get you away from home.
Fun day trips near me.
Good choice! A day trip takes you out of town and returns you to your own bed that night. Now, how to find a day trip “near you.” For this, we broke it into sections of the country.
In the Northeast: Gildshire has many folks in the Maine area who follow our travel information. For them, we recommend a day trip to Bar Harbor, passing through the fascinating sights of Mt. Desert Island on the way. Exploring Bar Harbor (pictured above) is a favorite activity among lovers of the Great Northeast. Sometime during the day at BH, plan to return next spring for a boat trip to one of the Cranberry Islands. Daily ferries from Southwest Harbor (just 14 miles from Bar Harbor through some of Acadia National Park’s best scenery) to the ferry slip.
From the mid-Atlantic region: Some of our most devoted readers live in the area that encompasses Nashville, Tennessee, and through the Outer Banks of North Carolina. They can’t realistically be called a day trip between, so we will take them separately. One of the jewels of the East Tennessee area is Chatanooga. To make the most of one day, carve out some time to take a walk on Ross Landing and the Riverwalk. They include several Civil War sites. Also, make sure to walk over the Walnut Street Walking Bridge, which was constructed in 1890.
Is that enough walking?
We thought it might be, so drive over to Chattanooga Southside. It was once the financial hub, but now the abandoned old buildings are occupied by restaurants, galleries, and shops. The gourmet burger bar Urban Stack is inside the former Southern Railway Baggage Building. Finally, the Chatanooga Choo Choo Hotel (and the Choo Choo itself) is a sight to see that will close out our day trip.
A trip to and through the Outer Banks will offer scenic features the like of which you won’t see anywhere else in this country. Unfortunately, the Banks have seen recent devastation as climate change is driving hurricanes further and further north. But, the beaches are terrific and the quaint little beach towns, from Corolla in the north to Portsmouth in the south, offer cool things to see and do. Not to mention cool things to eat, like the frozen custard at Kill Devil’s Frozen Custard and Beach Fries Stand. Order a cone, then order another for us.
Ideas for a Regional 1-2 Day Trip in Your Area? Make this place a part of “your area.”
Best Places To Go For a Day Trip in the USA.
The USA is big, filled with wonderment and scenic glory. If there is a beach anywhere within 250 miles, visit it this winter. If you are lucky, a wild winter storm will find you when you are there. Find a snow-capped peak within 150 miles of where you read these words, go there. Wonder at what God wrought. Lakes, rivers, forests, fern-lined canyons, and streams.
Go to any and all of our ideas for a regional 1-2 day trip in your area. It will relieve your battered soul. We all need a break before we start anew. Go now, or tomorrow at the latest.
