Your Next Great Trip Is a Microadventure
Adventure awaits.
Article by Anna Meyer. Your Next Great Trip Is a Microadventure originally appeared on Shine, a free daily text to help you thrive.
As our car winds through the Kansas country, I watch as paved roads turn to gravel and buildings grow far and few between. I play a John Denver album over the speakers as my boyfriend and I make our way to Iatan, Missouri. It’s a town that you’ve most likely never heard of, unless you’re one of the 41 people that live there.
But this small town became my travel destination this week. It was only an hour drive from home, and it just so happened to be in the path of totality for Monday’s total solar eclipse.
We traveled in a caravan with friends, and we all shared the same excitement about the eclipse outing—a once-in-a-lifetime event coincidentally happening right near us. The trip was a way to detach from our everyday routines and go exploring. The best part? All it cost us was a fourth of a tank of gas and an afternoon away. It was truly the perfect microadventure.
Say Yes to New Microadventures
The word “adventure” tends to be associated with thousand-dollar plane tickets or a week-long trip to the hottest new destination. The truth: That's not always doable. Taking time off—whether paid or unpaid—isn't an option for many, and neither is a significant "travel fund." Thankfully, “adventures” come in all sizes—including micro.
Microadventures are short, simple, and cheap or free trips to somewhere or something new. And these mini explorations pack the same mental benefits as pricey adventures.
Research shows that traveling to new places—even if it’s just a short trip—can increase our well-being. One study showed that traveling helps us get out of our comfort zone, which can strengthen how emotionally open we are to changes as well as lead to greater emotional stability in our day-to-day lives. Other studies have also shown that travel can give us a creative boost and help relieve stress.
Microadventures are short, simple, and cheap or free trips to somewhere or something new.
We’d all like to receive the benefits of vacation, and we can make it more accessible by finding adventures around us. Here are four tips to help you plan the ultimate microadventure, like my jaunt to see the eclipse:
1. Plan in Advance
Though there's something to be said for spontaneous trips, planning a small outing or upcoming activity gives us something to look forward—and that can boost our mood.
A Cornell University study showed that “people derive more happiness from the anticipation of experiential purchases,” aka experiences, rather than physical goods. People also are happiest when they’re anticipating an upcoming trip, according to a study from the University of Surrey.
Tap into these benefits by planning your microadventure in advance, as you would a bigger adventure. One example: If you’re planning a picnic with friends in a nearby park, share recipe ideas with each other before choosing what to prepare for the big day.
2. Don’t Rule Out Your Hometown
Make a microadventure in your hometown by simply traveling somewhere you haven’t been before. Think like a tourist and check out nearby attractions you’ve yet to see. You can visit the Trip Advisor page for your town and check out the "Things to Do" tab to get ideas. If you’re without a car, try taking public transportation to a new stop and explore the area.
Make a microadventure in your hometown by simply traveling somewhere you haven’t been before.
If you can’t leave the house, don’t fret: Real Simple offers some ideas around staycations. Bring a vacation to you by cooking a traditional meal from a different region of the world. Or, create your own Netflix "film festival" with your dream line-up.
3. Tune In to the Present
Another benefit of a micro-adventure: It can briefly take us away from our day-to-day stressors, giving our minds a chance to reset. Seeing new people and places and having new experiences can shake us out of our typical routine.
If possible, try to distance yourself from normal stressors when you're on your microadventure. It might be as easy as putting your phone on airplane mode.
Disconnecting made my eclipse adventure even more special. As we drove north from our homes in Lawrence, Kansas, away from all the traffic and noise, the white cell service dots disappeared from my smart phone’s screen, one by one, until I had no data connection available. Spotify couldn’t reach my phone anymore, and the John Denver tunes paused, making me listen to nothing but our wheels crunch over the gravel.
Other than that, there was silence. My email inbox wasn’t pinging, I couldn’t read the latest political news, and I had escaped the smartphone loop that’s one of my personal biggest stressors. It felt amazing.
4. Get Your Friends On Board
Adventures can help strengthen your relationships with loved ones. Vacations are a way “to improve communications within a relationship, reduce the possibility of divorce, strengthen lifelong family bonds, and increase a sense of well-being in adults and children,” according to research out of Texas A&M University. And when we take in something new and awe-inspiring with others, studies show it can make us feel closer and more connected.
Take advantage of these benefits by inviting family and friends to come along on your microadventure.
I’ll never forget watching the solar eclipse with my friends: As we waited for the eclipse to start, we kicked soccer balls alongside corn fields and river marshes as rain sprinkled from the sky. We laughed at our ridiculous solar glasses and passed around a leopard-print hat to top it off for a complete look.
As the moon moved in front of the sun and the entire sky turned dark a bit past 1 p.m., my friends and I stood next to each other and looked up in awe. The phenomenon had flocks of birds flying around in an apocalyptic manner. It was a truly amazing scene.
When it was over, we all piled back into our cars and drove back home. Our microadventure wasn’t hard to make happen, but I returned home feeling just as relieved and recharged as I have after other "big" trips. I never would’ve thought that traveling to a tiny Missouri town would turn into one of my favorite summer adventures.
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MORE FROM OUR BLOG
Top Hacks for Busy Working Travelers
It's not always easy, but we make it fun.
Who run the world? Women.
But we’re also running all over the place. Taking business meetings and holding court in different areas of the country. We jump on planes (never to conclusions) and we’re constantly on-the-go.
At the least that’s how it is for the team behind Create & Cultivate, and we know we’re not alone. From scouting locations to heading out town for conferences and popups, we’re up in the air and out of town quite a bit. Traveling for work isn’t always easy, but we’ve found a few ways to make sure it’s fun.
Here are some of our favorite travel hacks:
Where to Stay: Use HomeAway Vacation Rentals
Travel for work may not be “vacation,” but with more than 1.2 million rentals in 190 countries, HomeAway offers a smart solution to lodging costs for employees.
The benefits are multifold, especially when and if you’re traveling with your whole team. First, it’s less expensive than renting multiple hotel rooms, especially when you factor in the cost of food. More so, having a kitchen is both a financially and emotionally beneficial. Room service charges add up. So does heading out for every meal. Beyond that, being able to gather in a kitchen (or cozy up on a couch) with your work squad when you’re OOT gives you the much-needed creature comforts of home.
Our team is like family, especially when we’re on location. We pull so many late nights the week leading up to the conference. From midnight oil burning computer cram sessions to early AM (being able to make coffee in the morning is key to getting out the door) powwows, having the team in one place is also one less thing to worry about. Instead of solo working in the wee hours of the night, we’re in it together. Being in a home together is one of the ways we keep sane.
We stayed at a 4-bedroom bungalow in the Kirkwood neighborhood in Atlanta. The home was spacious and perfect for our five-person team (and we made more than a few late-night pizzas).
Spent many late nights gathered around this table.
When you’re away, you can also be home.
How to De-Stress: Pzizz Yourself to Sleep
Stress is an inevitable challenge when you travel for work. There are deadlines and time changes. Even the most seasoned business travelers are plagued by insomnia and burnout, both of which drastically affect your performance.
One of the best rated sleep apps, Pzizz (which, has made a fan of J.K Rowling) has a patented algorithm that plays a sleep-optimized mix of music, voiceover and sound effects. They work together (just like your #workcrew) to quiet your mind, put you to sleep, keep you asleep, and wake up feeling refreshed. If you know it’s going to be a long week, getting to bed on time is one of the best things you can do for your body. A well-rested team is a well-oiled machine.
How to Pack: Only Bring a Carry-On
One of the best things about staying in a home vs. hotel is that most homes come equipped with a washer and a dryer. A MAJOR travel hack because it means you can fit everything into a carry-on and not have to worry about paying for baggage or losing it.
When traveling and packing for work trips you need to curate your suitcase the same way you would a proposal: remove the fluff and keep it tight. You can successfully travel (and still look good) for a week with a carry-on.
How you ask? This is our proven strategy: two pairs of versatile pants (one denim, one ‘fancy,’) four t-shirts (assorted colors), two blouses, three pairs of socks, four pairs of underwear (remember you have a washing machine), one dress or fancier outfit, a pair of heeled boots and dress shoes, and one magical, cozy outfit that reminds you of home.
If you’re going to be staying in a city for longer than two days, hit up the local Target and buy bath products in their travel section. You can get everything you need for under $10 (which, is much cheaper than checking luggage). Bring your jewelry or accessories in your purse.
On the plane you should wear: sneakers, leggings, t-shirt, and carry your larger coat.
That’s all you need. Truly. Try it once and you will never check another piece of luggage for work again!