Start Local: How Students Can Get Back to Tourism Without Spending Much

Despite all the hopes, the situation with COVID-19 is not getting better anywhere. Instead, it’s vice versa: there are more people contracting the virus every day. So, new regulations are being introduced and new restrictions imposed in a large number of countries around the world.

The pandemic continues to affect the majority of industries, too, and the travel industry is still among the most damaged ones. But it’s not just about business: travel lovers are also suffering immensely, as they can’t live the life that they’re used to anymore.

Students are known to be among the biggest traveling fans. That’s natural – on average, they have fewer responsibilities and more free time than working adults, especially those who have children. But then, there’s another problem that most students face: tight budgets. And the pandemic has contributed a lot to making the state of affairs worse.

So, with all these travel restrictions and the money issues pressing, how can students satisfy their hunger of seeing new places and getting new impressions? We’ve got the answer: start local!

What Is Local Travel?

What do you think about when you hear about “local travel”? Maybe, you imagine a nearby farm in an hour’s drive from your home? Or a small village in a country thousands of miles away? To avoid misunderstanding, let’s begin with defining what we mean by “local travel”.

In fact, whether you chose the first or the second option, you are right: there are two ways how traveling locally can be defined. They are:

• Experiencing a foreign culture by visiting places that are away from popular tourist sites.
• Traveling “around your backyard”, i.e., “nearby”, not far from the place where you live.

For students who want to enliven their daily life by visiting new places again, the second option is both more available and beneficial. So, handle your homework to a professional essay writer for once – you can find such at EssayHub – and read on to find our ideas on how you can get back to tourism right now.

Visit Your Relatives and Friends

How long has it been since you last visited your dear aunt who lives on a farm with a whole zoo of domestic animals? Ok, that’s not exactly tourism. But it’s still better than wandering around in that same park where you’ve been doing your morning runs all through the spring and summer months, isn’t it?

Spending time in the countryside has a lot of benefits: fresh clean air, a lot of space, and close contact with nature, to name a few. Plus it’s always good to change the surroundings for a while. In the calm of the farm life, surrounded by your dear ones, you will find time and energy for being creative; if you choose creative writing, start by reading this blog article.

Do you have no relatives in the country? Consider visiting your friends who live in other cities, or even states. But be careful – before you go, study the domestic travel regulations and quarantine restrictions if any.

Go on a Hiking Tour

Hiking, cycling, and trekking is an affordable and fulfilling way for a student to spend a weekend or a vacation. US National Parks have reopened, and, though there are still some restrictions, they are quite manageable. What’s more, there are also scenic driveways like the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Appalachian where you won’t even need to get out of your car to have an amazing outdoor experience.

All you have to do if you choose this option is to find a park that’s closest to your current location and then do some research and preparation.

Here’s the general advice:

• Make sure that the park is open and study all the regulations for visitors;
• Take a sufficient supply of water, food, sanitizers, face masks, and anything else that you may need during your trip;
• Follow social distancing guidelines; if the trail is too crowded, consider altering your route.

You can find more guidelines on planning your trip to the National parks and forests and how to recreate responsibly via Google search.

Search for Hidden Gems Near You

Sometimes you needn’t travel far – there may be amazing places near your home that you know nothing about. These hidden gems can be perfect local travel destinations in the era of the pandemic.

So, sit down with a map and virtually explore your neighborhood. Do the names of the towns and villages around you look unfamiliar? That’s not a reason not to visit them! Again, do brief preliminary research:

• find information about possible tourist restrictions;
• learn as much as you can about the place you’re planning to visit;
• find accommodation and food facilities;
• store on face masks, gloves, and sanitizers;
• plan your budget and sightseeing activities.

Here we go! You’re ready for an unforgettable weekend, pandemic style. But remember your academic responsibilities! While driving or riding, devote some time to solving urgent problems like choosing a major if you haven’t already done that.

Conclusion

You see, there are still some ways for students to travel during the pandemic. Moreover, if you plan your trips wisely and follow our advice, you may even benefit from the situation because local travel doesn’t require big budgets, but can at the same time be amazingly fulfilling!