Have you ever started planning a trip and wound up feeling totally overwhelmed? It's easy to get sucked into recommendations and photos, contemplating a jillion different options. There are so many cool places, and not enough time to experience them all! In the Day family, we like to narrow our focus with a few travel questions before getting knee-deep into restaurant reviews and hotel reservations.
During the fall season especially, life is busy. Getaways need to come together quickly or else they just won't happen.
We make our trips simple with three travel questions that ALL adventurers should ask themselves before they go. For Nate and I, planning a trip is easy with this little poll!
3 Travel Questions We Always Ask
- What’s the one activity you most want to do?
- With whom do you want to do it?
- How far do you want to drive?
We've been known to plan weekends around totally wacky, off-the-wall destinations that we came up with on a whim. This recent one was even stranger than most.
“I want to go to Cabela's,” Nate said.
Any of you who grew up in an adventurous community will instantly recognize the famous outdoor supply store. It competes with Bass Pro Shops, and the two are constantly one-upping each other with grand-scale attractions to draw customers in to their sprawling showrooms. The biggest Bass Pro Shop I've been to had a bowling alley in it. The largest Cabela's? An archery range.
Google told me that the one closest to us was five hours away near Phoenix. That was well within my declared driving limit, and it got bonus points for being a desert city. You all know how I love to chase the warmth of the summer season long into fall. I love a good pumpkin spice latte, but I love the feeling of sun on my shoulders even more. These two experiences combined? Heaven.
The only question left was who we wanted to see the area with, The answer to that one is easy: family!
The Activity: Firming up the Details
With a final destination in mind, the rest usually comes together from the passenger seat. I research on my phone or ask Facebook friends for suggestions. The Wells Fargo History Museum, we were told, was a must-see stop.
For food, a local favorite made the list. Cibo would have been worth the 5-hour drive all on its own.
With Who: Make Space for Bonding
Outdoor exploration inevitably winds up on our hit list no matter what destination we choose. This easy little trail is known as “Hole in the Rock.” In spite of its weirdly obvious name, it was pretty awesome to hike our way up there and walk through a cave overlooking the city. We always try to carve out some outdoor adventure no matter where we go, because the solitude and lack of interruption helps lend well towards conversation and connection.
No Matter How Far, It's Worth It
Finally, the massive warehouse stood before us. Just as Nate predicted, the boys and I took a moment to stand in sheer awe. “We need to start more vacations with those three questions,” I declared.
Our next big road trip is on the docket, and you'll never believe what Nate decided to see this time. Nothing at all! I'm not even kidding. He asked if we could go for a bonafide, middle-of-nowhere, country excursion filled with cowboys and wild game. Did you know that Wyoming is the least populated state? Brace yourselves, Wonderful Wyoming, we're heading your way soon.
What travel questions do you ask before hitting the road?