How to Plan a Local Trip

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Sometimes your eyes are bigger than your budget, or maybe you just need a quick getaway to somewhere nearby. Well, luckily local travel is a great way to scratch that travel itch without spending too much. By exploring your own backyard, you often discover destinations in a whole new light.

Another perk is that it might actually be a bit easier to plan a local trip, especially the closer to home you stay because you know the language and area. Still, for the best local getaway, you want to take a step by step approach similar to planning a bigger trip. Let’s dive into how to plan a local vacation.

Step 1: Choose a destination

If your budget is flexible, I’d start with choosing a destination. Typically for local travel, we’re talking about road trips so look inward and decide how long you’re willing to drive.

It also helps to think about how long you have for this trip.

Personally, for weekend getaways, I don’t like to drive for more than 4 hours because I want to spend the majority of my time in the destination, not driving to and from it.

For example, when I was in Athens, Georgia, I looked for destinations 4 hours away from me and I got: Atlanta, North Georgia, Savannah, and Jekyll Island in Georgia and Chattanooga, Tennessee, Asheville, North Carolina, and Charleston, South Carolina, among others. Lots to choose from!

If you need inspiration, I recommend checking local tourism boards’ social medias and websites to see what highlights there are in a specific area. They really do know best! You can usually just do a quick search on Google for “destination + tourism” and the official office will come up. From there, scroll to the bottom of their website to find their socials!

For other local travel inspiration, I also love heading to Instagram and searching hashtags to get travel ideas. For Georgia, I like #ExploreGeorgia, #wandernorthgeorgia, and #visitathensga. You can also try regional searches like the Southeast or West Coast.

You can also find some inspiration on Pinterest by searching for your region or state + things to do. Lots of options!

Related read >> Places to travel in summer in the US (great if you’re looking for a getaway during summer break)

Step 2: Land on a budget

This may be your first step, and that’s totally fine. Travel budgets are important…sometimes even more than the destination! In fact, lots of budget travelers follow cheap flights to a destination rather finding flights for a destination.

You can use this same technique to pick your local travel destination. If you’re driving, instead of checking cheap flights, do a quick hotel search and choose somewhere based on that because for local travel, the biggest expense is often accommodation.

Another technique is to decide on what you can afford to spend per day. As you research destinations, if the cost of food or activities is pushing you over the limit, nix it from your possibility list.

Step 3: Decide your trip length

One of the main reasons we take local trips is to get our travel fix quickly because we don’t have a lot of time (or money).

So with that in mind, chances are you’re likely looking at a 2-4 day trip. If you have longer, you might consider a farther destination.

For example, when I had Thanksgiving week off, I chose to visit New Orleans even though it’s 7 hours away from me by car. That’s because I actually had the time.

However, for weekend jaunts, I usually pick a closer destination from the list in Step 1.

You may have figured out that Steps 1 through 3 really go hand in hand. They can all be equally important and often work together to form your trip.

Step 4: Find accommodation

When I travel and especially travel locally, I really try to prioritize locals in my destination. So, for accommodation, I usually consult Airbnb or Vrbo first.

I like to see what locals are offering for accommodation. And usually there’s some pretty great stays.

When I visited Chattanooga, Tennessee a few times, I stayed in these incredible movie-themed Airbnbs where I got to know the host. It made these trips so much more special.

Sometimes though, my budget taps the final gavel and I stray from local stays to cater to my wallet. It must be done.

In that case, I like browsing Booking.com for hotels. If I can opt for a local hotel, I will.

I also look out for amenities such as free breakfast, free hourly bike rentals, or free beach gear. This can be such a game-changer for your budgeting.

Step 5: Pick things to do on your local getaway

I’ve already written a whole guide on how to find the best things to do when traveling. But, for local travel there are some other things to keep in mind.

First, consider touristy things that you maybe haven’t done because you live nearby. I grew up in Los Angeles and yet it took me until my mid-twenties to make it to Rodeo Drive. In Flagstaff, Arizona, I never made it to the Grand Canyon (shame!!). Don’t be like me and cross those things off your travel bucket list!

Seek out a local travel experience. Of course, this is a great activity for international travel to become immersed in local culture, but it’s also a great way to experience your local getaway.

Check Airbnb experiences for fun activities like vintage shopping experiences, photography sessions, and walking tours.

I personally love to see what other travel bloggers do in destinations so I always search “destination + travel blog”. This brings up other travel bloggers’ posts, itineraries, and recommendations. Trust me, they usually have good insight.

How to save money on a local trip

Luckily, local getaways are naturally cheaper than long international adventures. There’s no flights involved, which already saves a ton.

Plus, being a local can work in your favor for the cost of your trip.

1. Use your library card

For example, one of my all-time favorite ways to save when traveling is by using your local library for free tickets to local attractions.

With your library card, you can check out free passes to state parks, historic sites, zoos, aquariums, and museums. Seriously! For free!

This is great for state-wide travel, which is often where your local travels will take you!

2. Check local tourism offices

Tourism offices are a treasure-trove of resources and discounts. They always know the best things to do!

Find the local tourism office to check their recommendations, maps, and sometimes coupons for admission to local activities.

3. Bring your own food

Especially if you’re going on a road trip, bringing your own food lowers the cost of your trip significantly.

I like to bring cold cut sandwich makings in a cooler with snacks and drinks so when the group is hungry, we can just pull over and assemble sandwiches.

4. Go camping to save on accommodation

Camping trips are a great inexpensive option for local travel. Albeit the gear at the start if you’ve never been can add up quickly.

But once you have the camping essentials, you’re set for years!

Typically camping only costs about $25 a night and you bring and cook your own food, which we already know is cheaper (from #3 above).

Local trip essentials

For road trips, make sure you tend to your car – check the fluids, make sure your wipers are good, you have a full tank of gas, etc. Be sure to pack a road trip kit with all the essentials too.

Other things you might need include:

• parking passes
• America the Beautiful pass (which gives you annual national park entry for $80)
• sunscreen/bugspray
• your camera
• camera bag

Tips for a successful local getaway

The best part of local trips is getting to discover something you maybe would have missed had you not set your mind to it. It’s so easy to forget to travel locally to see places around you and explore your own state.

So as you get to exploring, here are some tips to ensure you have a successful trip.

1. Make a list

I’m a big fan of lists (if you can’t tell by the structure of this blog post). I think lists can be so helpful in organizing your destination list so you can prioritize the places you want to visit locally.

For example, I’ve had a running list of places to see in the South before I leave Georgia including New Orleans, Miami, Nashville, Blue Ridge Scenic Parkway, north Georgia, Asheville, Savannah, Jekyll Island, and Orlando (specifically for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter).

Then I rearranged them in order of priority so that way when it came time to plan local trips, I could move my way down the list and start checking off those bucket list items.

Lists are also helpful for staying organized with travel planning in general that way you won’t forget to plan or pack something.

2. Be open to local experiences

Given that you’re likely visiting somewhere nearby, it’s easy to have a preconceived idea of the destination.

If you can, try to leave those thoughts back at home and be open to the local experience…even if it’s only 20 minutes away from your front door.

This is just my advice for traveling in general and sometimes even more important for local travel.

Every destination has a draw. That’s why travelers come from all over the world to that place. So try to put yourself in your traveler’s shoes to see places from a new perspective, be open to local recommendations, and enjoy yourself!

Even if you’re only visiting your hometown with a fresh set of eyes, look for new restaurants or breweries, special themed cafes, events you haven’t been to, or even a “tourist” activity you haven’t tried yet.

3. Take it slow

One of the best perks of local travel is that you’re near home. That means it’s possible to come back.

Because of that, you don’t need to rush around to see everything. I’m not the biggest fan of slow travel because I like to maximize my time and see as much as possible. But with local travel, you really get a breath of fresh air to slow down and experience a destination a little at a time if you want.

Plus, you often discover more and more each time you return.

4. Seek the unordinary

It’s easy to get into a travel rut, especially when you’re traveling close to home. How many times can you experience the same type of museum or hike trails with similar views.

Look, I get it. I spent years exploring the same part of the US (due to a certain worldwide health crisis). It gets tedious and repetitive sometimes.

But to avoid this, I recommend seeking the unordinary. What exactly do I mean by that?

I mean, try something you maybe wouldn’t normally do, stay in a unique hotel, or opt for tour even if you know the area.

I never thought Georgia could be so exciting, yet here I’ve gone hang-gliding, stayed in a Harry Potter Airbnb (twice!), and even attended Oktoberfest in a Bavarian village town. All things I would have thought only possible in international destinations in Europe.

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