Best Mini Vacations

When one thinks of holidays, most of us look at traveling to a far off destination. There is no doubt that traveling to a far off destination is a lot of fun. However, mini vacations also have their own share of fun attached to them.

They are like stress busters and can also be taken after a grueling week. More often than not, an extended vacation causes more stress instead of relieving it as it requires elaborate planning. The best short trips, according to me, are the ones where you reap all the benefits without stressing out!

There is an advantage of taking brief vacations, namely, saving a lot of money. You need not have to shell out a lot of money so that you can relax and take a time off your mundane schedule. There are a number of ideas which you can utilize for such occasions on a budget.

One of the best ideas for families is to be a tourist in your own area. It is not always that we go exploring the city we stay in or the neighboring town as a tourist. If you are a history lover then you can explore places of historical importance in your area and visit all of them.

If you are the kind who likes amusement parks, then you can spend a day at an amusement park in your area. Going to the zoo in the city and spending a day there is also a great idea. On such outings, you will be able to save a lot of money as well.

If you want to have a weekend getaway, then you will have to look for a place for a conventional holiday. You may want to opt for a place which is less than a couple of hours drive from your home. The spots are lakes, camping areas, the beach, a national park or the mountains.

Each family member may have his/her own idea about the trip. Hence, you will have to come to a consensus and decide on the spot. You can also plan to combine two or more of these attractions.

If there is a camping area close to a mountain, then you may want to go there the previous evening and spend the night camping and go trekking in the mountains the next day.

If it's a full moon summer night, then you will be able to enjoy such a outing much better. Beaches are always a lot of fun where both adults and children enjoy themselves. You can just stay on the beach the whole day and relax. Going on hiking trails is also a great weekend getaway idea.

Some other fun spots are water parks, amusement parks, zoos, state parks, etc. Disney vacations are fast catching up as mini getaways. They are great destinations not only for kids but for adults as well. In the summers, a great idea is to plan a barbecue day with your friends in a convenient area.

You will not only enjoy a nice break, but you will also be able to catch up with your friends. One of the best mini vacations for families are cruises. You may want to give a one-day or two-day cruise a try. There are plenty of things which can be done on a cruise.

There are the annual arts and crafts festivals which may be of interest to you. They are great for people who stay in urban areas. You will come across a lot of small towns and communities that have annual festivals, more so in the fall. You will realize, that spending a weekend or a day and enjoying the beautiful and unique art work might give you one of the best experiences.

The best short vacations are ones where you may not have to do elaborate planning; neither will you need to spend a fortune on them. It is advised to keep the plan simple and focused so that you are able to enjoy the trip much more. At the same time, you may not want to stuff in too much in the itinerary as it will leave you exhausted.