5 Tips for a Great Summer Daytrip
This summer we skipped the traditional week-long vacation and instead focused on simple day trips. Summer day trips deliver all the fun of adventure, but keep the costs under control and let you sleep in your own bed each night. We’ve found the best fudge, the coolest thrift stores, met some amazing people with fun stories, and made memories. Keep reading to see what we’ve learned from summer daytripping.
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Plan Your Day…but be ready to shift
We typically started out with a loose idea of where we were heading, but our plans will typically shift as we kept on exploring. We talk about our loose idea, and then start planning the day trip.
Real Life Tip: AI is really good at planning the most efficient route and helping me map out our destination. I simply put in the city I want to explore and then ask it to look for other things nearby – i.e., free museums, yard sales, thrift stores, used bookstores. ChatGPT is pretty good at making an itinerary and keeping us from doing too much backtracking on our adventures.
We love exploring the small backroad towns when we are out on adventure. We have found the cutest little antique stores, resale shops, local historic museums, and restaurants. Don’t be afraid to stop and browse in the small towns.
Pack a Cooler
A cooler is a non-negotiable item when any of our family leaves the house. It doesn’t matter where we are headed or what the plan is; we pack a cooler with several extra bottles of water, a few sodas, and a couple of granola bars or meat sticks on the inside tray.
The Titan 9 Can Arctic Zone Deep Freeze Cooler is the perfect fit for the back seat of our car and holds enough drinks and snacks for a perfect day trip. It keeps the ice frozen all day on our adventures.
The Titan by Arctic Zone Deep Freeze Cooler features a convenient zipperless, flip-open lid for quick access to food and drinks. Deep Freeze insulation helps keep contents cold, while the removable HardBody liner and SmartShelf keep drinks separated from sandwiches and other foods so they don’t get crushed.
Set a Budget
Whether you are looking for yard sales, stopping at thrift stores or shopping for the best fudge, you need to plan so you don’t overspend. If you are looking for yard sales, make sure you carry some small bills and quarters for the unexpected deals!
Look for Free Stuff
We are always on the lookout for free adventure stops. Did you know that Kentucky has its own Stonehenge in Munfordsville? We’ve been there several times over the years, but when family comes to town and we want to take them on a daytrip, this is one of our fun stops.
Have you stopped at Lincoln’s Birthplace in Hodgenville? This is a great free adventure where you can learn American history, enjoy some beautiful scenery, and walk through the visitor center.
Do a quick internet search for free museums, places of interest, or unusual places to visit near you or along your day-trip route. You’ll be amazed at how many places you can find!
Look for Specialty Food
We have found the best fudge at the Sweet Shoppe in Hodgenville and the best catfish at Bully’s in Glasgow. Rarely do we eat chain restaurant food when we are out on a road trip. When we are driving through a small city and get hungry, we do a quick internet search to find the local favorites.
Day trips are some of the most fun ways to enjoy a Saturday when you don’t really have time to go on a big adventure. Just grab your cooler and head out on adventures.
