We love traveling! Every time we start to look for flights traveling stateside, Jake almost always says “if we’re going to spend X amount of dollars on a flight, we might as well spend a little more and fly to Europe!” This is a big temptation for us because we both lived in Germany separately and we have a strong desire to go back and visit other parts of the continent. Though an international trip always sounds fun, we don’t always have the funds to treat ourselves to that kind of adventure. Luckily, this world is so full of amazing things and we really don’t have to go too far to see some of them!
Take Advantage Of What Is Nearby
It is important for us to visit what is nearby because we don’t know how long we will live in our current location. We want to make this time count and save money by not having to travel far. Living in Utah, there are so many national and state parks within just a few hours. This is great for those who love outdoor adventures.
A few weeks ago we visited Moab with Casey, Tara and their baby. We wanted to use this weekend getaway as a trial run for our big trip to Italy. For Jake and me, this was our first real family trip with our baby.
We left early on a Friday afternoon to avoid rush hour traffic and enjoy few hours in Arches National Park before sunset. We stayed Friday night in Moab and spent Saturday exploring the park before driving back home. There are so many fun hikes; unfortunately we didn’t have time to do everything we wanted. We went to Sand Dune Arch and Landmark Arch where we could also see Double O. We didn’t have time to hike to Delicate Arch, but we were able to see it from the lookout point. We wished we could’ve had time to actually hike to it, so make sure when you plan shorter weekend getaways, you know exactly what you want to do so you don’t run out of time.
With our first trip with a baby, we learned that we need to travel at a slower pace to accommodate our baby’s needs. We’ve also had to learn how to change diapers and nurse in small spaces. We are progressively getting better at this though! However, naptime is starting to make travel more difficult. Our baby was fussy at the beginning of a longer hike, but she was finally able to relax and sleep in her carrier as we hiked. We are working on these little things to help make traveling with a baby more convenient both around home and when we go out of state.
We ended up spending more money on our Moab trip than we had originally planned. We found a hotel room that was not too expensive by going during the off-season. We spent more money on food because we didn’t plan our meals very well. As a nursing mom it was hard to find the least expensive option when all I could think was “FOOD. NOW.”
Overall, this trip was a good reminder that you don’t always need to go far away to have a great vacation. There are so many places in every state to visit! It’s important to take advantage of what’s nearby. For us, Moab is about a 3 hour drive, but you can vacation even closer to home if you want!
Staycations
My first staycation was when I was about 9 or 10 years old, my family and extended family planned a small family reunion in Salt Lake about 45 minutes from our homes. This was my first memory of actually seeing Salt Lake. It was so fun to stay in a hotel, go ice-skating and visit historic sites including Temple Square.
Staycations are a great way to see and enjoy some places without breaking the bank. You can find inexpensive places to stay for one or two nights. You can also make a day trip to a cool city nearby or a fun place to explore. Creativity is your best resource when planning a staycation.
Don’t Wait To Travel
If you really want to travel, don’t wait until you have time or can afford it. Look for travel destinations near you. You could spend the weekend away, or just a few hours. Don’t look for excuses; instead look for opportunities to see the world starting in your own backyard.
We are planning on documenting more of our weekend getaways and staycations. What are your favorite weekend getaways?
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