Last year proved to be unlike any other due to the novel coronavirus, for a variety of reasons. Health problems, financial concerns, job losses, and children deprived of a normal schooling routine have all proved difficult issues to surmount. Another problem facing people worldwide was the inability to travel due to pandemic-related restrictions. Each year, millions of Americans look forward to spending their vacation time getting away to a favorite haunt or somewhere new to explore. Having that option removed or compromised can be difficult.
The new year can still allow for getaways that provide you ways to carve out a break from daily life. While regular vacations at busy tourist destinations are not currently recommended, a little creativity and a willingness to be open-minded can help give you the time off you need. Whether it’s just a weekend or a much longer vacation, see if one or more of these ideas helps jumpstart your plans to get away from the same old routine that’s gone on for months.
Taking Your Home on the Road
Last summer showed a spike in RV sales and rentals as people chose to vacation in a rolling home. Traveling in an RV allows for social distancing that you can’t get when dealing with hotels, airports, and restaurants. It’s like living in a tiny house while still getting out of town. Many websites provide listings for rentals for recreational vehicles, giving families, couples, and individuals the ability to enjoy them without committing to a purchase. These options are similar to Airbnb, except these rental properties can be driven across the state or country.
RVs aren’t just limited to the stereotypical image of a forty-foot Winnebago, which may prove too cumbersome for someone who doesn’t feel confident driving one. Consider a sprinter van, an extra-long van typically equipped with a kitchenette, full bath, and a bed if you need less space. Truck campers and “skoolies,” the slang term for school buses converted into an RV, are also mobile homes that provide most of the comforts of home.
Vacationing in an RV allows you to cook and sleep in privacy, avoiding the problem of trying to social distance in busy restaurants and hotels. Many national and state parks, as well as RV parks, charge inexpensive fees to stay there, giving you a picture-perfect view from your vehicle’s windows of beautiful lakes, mountains, forests, deserts, and other areas worth visiting.
Break up Your Home Life With a Staycation
A “staycation,” taking a vacation without leaving home, has a lot of advantages. You don’t incur costs for gasoline, plane tickets, hotels, and things like amusement park tickets, making it easy on your wallet. Make a point of breaking your usual routine so that the staycation gives you a real change of pace. Do things you don’t normally do, like sleep in or stay up late. Make every night a movie night or binge-watch a new favorite television show.
If you have a hobby you’ve neglected or wanted to start but couldn’t find the time, gather the necessary supplies for it and get to work. Enjoy restaurant food by utilizing food delivery services or curbside pick up. If you have kids, involve them in ideas the whole family can enjoy. Things like board games, reading to each other, or a talent show can put everyone in a good mood and laughing. Planning activities for a weekend break or several days off can help elevate your mood by forcing you out of your humdrum routine.
Camping Trips for One
Sometimes what a person craves the most out of their time off, is peace and quiet. If you find yourself overwhelmed with your workload, clients, and demands in your personal life, getting back to nature may be the salve to soothe you. Dig out the basic supplies or purchase a tent, sleeping bag, a few cooking supplies and decide where you want to get lost in the landscape.
You can go camping in the middle of nowhere or alongside other campers who gather at places like state or national parks. You can choose a location that provides electricity hookups, water, and bathrooms, or opt for living off what you can carry in your backpack. Either way, leaving behind the modern world can significantly change your mood. Swearing off the internet, texting, and monitoring the news lets your mind recharge. Solo activities like hiking, bicycling, or kayaking give you time to relax and stay in the moment of the beauty of your surroundings. Sitting alone with your thoughts while the sun rises or cooking over an open fire helps you leave your busy, stressful life behind. Take a journal to write in and a portable music device to allow the muses to camp with you.
Everyone looks forward to planning the perfect vacation, but 2020 proved to be a year that caused millions to cancel plans to get out of town and enjoy the usual trips away from home. 2021 doesn’t have to be a repeat if you get creative about how to spend your time off. When a young person finds themselves in need of professional treatment for their mental health and any co-occurring addiction, it may not be the time away from their daily life that they crave, but it can prove beneficial in multiple ways. Sustain Recovery treats adolescents with a variety of programs that help them leave the toxicity of their lives behind and focus on healing their emotional issues and getting sober. Our long-term programs, including schooling, help focus our clients on taking responsibility and returning home ready to continue making progress. Call (949) 407-9052 now to find out how our Southern California campus can help your adolescent clients.
