Seeking Quick Hitters
Whenever the idea of vacations comes up, people tend to think about it through the lens of these week-long, break-the-bank, profound experience vacations. Sure, those are awesome! There's nothing quite like a plane ride to a foreign place, eating interesting foods, experiencing new cultures, and seeing fascinating sights. But these types of trips require a hugecommitment in the form of time away, energy planning, and/or money spent. Therefore, if we can't afford one of these commitments, we often concede defeat and make peace with the reality we aren't going on vacation.
I'm a huge fan of quick hitters. These are smaller trips that may not be as sexy as a stereotypical vacation, but can offer many of the same benefits for a fraction of the cost. My family is doing a quick hitter as we speak! With zero planning and very little notice, we decided to take a 24-hour mini-trip to Omaha to celebrate the beginning of spring break. Here's a fun little breakdown of the trip:
2-hour drive each way: $30 in gas
1 night in a downtown hotel: $140
Hotel parking: $15
3 hours of hotel swimming: Free
Window shopping at a vintage toy store: Free (and priceless!)
Dinner at an Italian restaurant: $60
Ice cream at an iconic little shop: $15
Shopping at one of the coolest candy stores on the planet: $20
Hotel breakfast: Free
A few more hours of hotel swimming: Still free
Walking around a historic downtown book store: Free
Stop by the children's museum: Free (with reciprocity from our city's science center pass)
Pastries at a famous little bake shop on the way out of town: $20
$300. That's a lot of memories packed into 24 hours and $300. We don't have to break the bank to create memories and share experiences with those we love. Would I rather be exploring Asia or the Middle East? Absolutely! But that's not in the time or financial budget right now. Therefore, we're going to enjoy the heck out of these little quick hitters when we get them.
I hope you have some epic trips in your future, but don't overlook the quick hitters. They can really move the needle, create tremendous memories, and help get a much-needed reset. Have a great day!
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