Many people love the thrill of traveling, but they don’t end up leaving town very often. If you’ve been longing to travel, but you’re not sure how to fit it into your busy lifestyle and limited budget, this article is for you. Check out these helpful tips to find out how you can experience the adventure of travel without breaking the bank.
Find Travel Hot Spots Close to Home
There may be a number of far off, exotic places that you want to explore, but you aren’t currently in a position financially or time-wise for these to be realistic travel destinations. That’s okay. With a little research, you can find some charming and interesting places to visit right in your own backyard. Simply sit down at your computer and type into your favorite search engine, “Things to do near me.” You’ll likely be surprised by the number of great destinations that pop up.
You can broaden your search as far as you’d like by listing your city, county, state, or country. For example, if you live in Western Michigan you could type, “Things to do in Western Michigan.” One of the top sites to pop up lists a whole host of exciting destinations, such as a historic village, state parks, lighthouses, golf courses, and much more. Choose whatever area you want that’s within close driving distance of your home, do an online search, and locate some of the travel spots near you! Not only will you cut down on the amount of vacation time that’s wasted reaching your destination, you’ll also cut down on the expense of fuel by staying nearby.
Volunteer for Mission Work
You may not be aware of it, but there are plenty of civic and religious organizations that tour the globe and go to many fascinating places. Though there’s usually some work involved, a great way to experience amazing travel destinations you may not get to see otherwise would be to volunteer for some sort of mission work.
If you have medical training, experience with carpentry or building, religious training of any kind, or just a heart that’s willing to serve others, you may be eligible for these types of excursions. You could check with your local community center or call around to different civic organizations or local houses of worship to see if they’re organizing any mission or work teams you may qualify to join. Often these trips include time for sightseeing and touring as well as work.
Stay with Friends and Family
Friends and family who don’t live nearby are more than willing to have a relative come and stay with them for a while. If you have a friend or family member you haven’t spent time with recently due to distance, it may be time to give them a call. Find out if there’s a good time you could visit them. Not only will this give you a chance to see a new place, it will give you a chance to catch up with someone you may not get to spend time with on a regular basis. Not to mention, someone familiar with the area may know which places make great tourist destinations.
Become a Tour Guide
There are certain tour groups that are constantly organizing tours due to historical, cultural, or ecological attractions associated with specific travel destinations in the world. If you become well-versed in the history of a specific location, you may be able to organize and lead one of these tours with a tour company. Often tour guides receive discounted travel rates or are even allowed to go on the trip for free! This is an especially good idea if you want to go back to a place you’ve already toured in the past. Many tour companies want guides who have at least visited the destination they’ll be leading a tour to at some point in the past.
Become a Travel Agent
If you’re really passionate about traveling, you may want to consider becoming a travel agent or managing a travel agent franchise. This could be either as a side job or for your main career. Travel agents sometimes get access to discounts and upgrades on travel in order to promote different hotels they go to visit. They’re also made aware of great deals through the research they do for their clients. Some airlines may also offer travel agent discounts to agents who have been with a travel agency for a certain length of time.
Hopefully, these helpful tips will give you some ideas that can make your dreams of an upcoming trip into a reality. Happy travels!
Dixie Somers is a freelance writer and blogger for business, home, and family niches. She lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and is the proud mother of three beautiful girls and wife to a wonderful husband. Dixie recommends looking into a travel agent franchise if you want opportunities to travel professionally.