Lacey Pfalz | (TNS) TravelPulse

As the days get longer and the sun gets hotter, we’re often encouraged to leave our local areas for places farther afield, or we sit tight and wait and plan for travel during the changing seasons ahead.

Yet what about that charming town just an hour’s north, or that gorgeous nature preserve even closer to home, which you haven’t yet visited even though you’ve heard amazing things about it?

This summer, let’s rediscover the joy of visiting new places closer to home. Let’s look at the familiar world around us through the enthusiastic eyes of a traveler. Who knows? Perhaps you’ll find more to appreciate than you expected.

Day trips are short, often day-long or half-day-long trips that a traveler can complete in a single day. They might take a few hours’ drive or only a half hour, but either way, they encourage locals to experience places, parks, towns and attractions that are new to the traveler.

Since coming back from my first trip to Europe, I began viewing my local world with new eyes. I’ve become more curious about visiting places near me that I’ve never visited before, such as Port Washington, a small Wisconsin port town off Lake Michigan that is home to the first artificial harbor in the Great Lakes and is absolutely charming in the summer.

After spending an afternoon wandering around the waterfront area, visiting historic landmarks, practicing my photography and drinking coffee in the town’s adorable cafes, I asked myself only one question: Why hadn’t I visited this place sooner?

It’s something like traveler’s blindness. We become so focused as travelers on heading farther and farther away from our homes, convinced that the further we travel, the more miles we roam, the more we will learn, the more we will enjoy it, and the more we will return refreshed, renewed, and yes, even more respected by our traveling peers.

Surely you understand me. How many of you have heard someone humbly bragging about their trip to an exotic locale, as if it makes them a better human being for having traveled all the way to Vietnam or Greece or Argentina?

The sad truth of the matter is that this desire to visit the places that are most different to our own hometowns blinds us to the joy of discovery while we’re here, at home.

Yet I’m convinced that we can look at the world around us through the same eyes as the ones we use when we explore some of the world’s most beloved destinations.

A few weeks ago, Orange Cone Season (the Wisconsin slang term for summer) forced me to take an unexpected detour on my way to a nearby town that I’ve begun visiting to work remotely for a few hours. For a long while, I had no idea where I was headed, but without that detour, I never would’ve discovered the last covered bridge that still stands in Wisconsin, tucked away in a charming rural park.

When was the last time you got in your car and hopped onto your local freeway, but took it east instead of west, purely out of curiosity to discover where it might lead you? When was the last time you left your county for the promise of a nearby summer festival you’ve always heard about, but never thought to attend? When was the last time you chose to go somewhere wholly new — without ever leaving your home state or spending a night in a hotel?

This summer, make it a goal to take at least one day trip, either spontaneously or planned. I guarantee you will not regret the experience.

Reasons why you should take a day trip

It’s good for you. While I don’t have the psychological stats to back it up, I do know that when we visit new places, no matter how near or far, it boosts our curiosity and makes us happier, more fulfilled human beings. It also creates memories, especially when we do it with other people. So what are you waiting for? If you have a car, then there’s no stopping you!

It’s good for your local economy. If you live in a place that isn’t well-known for its tourism economy, then chances are, domestic (in-state) tourism is the main tourism driver for many of the places you’ll visit. Even when you take a day trip, you’re supporting your local parks, business owners and restaurateurs with every purchase, meal and experience you have, and that contributes to the overall health of the communities you visit, which is pretty great.

It’s short — on time. Even if you don’t have a flexible work schedule, it’s still possible to enjoy day trips in your free time. With summer’s longer daytime hours, you can get off work in the afternoon and enjoy several hours of daylight in a nearby locale before heading back home, and why not enjoy a nice meal in that new place while you’re at it? Or, if you want to save money, you can plan a visit to a free park and pack your own lunch or dinner to have while exploring.

You might just end up liking your corner of the globe. I know, I know, we all love to disparage where we live. Yet there’s so much to discover and appreciate! Local farmers selling the freshest produce, neat historical landmarks, charming towns and villages, native wildlife, fascinating cities and stunning parks. No matter where you live, there’s sure to be something that’ll open your perspective, widen your worldview and maybe, just maybe, give you a newfound appreciation for your little corner of the globe.

So, what do you say? Do you want to take a day trip?

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