6 Domestic Trips to Plan once we can travel again
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Once we return to our new state of normal, many of us will ease our way back in with domestic travel focused on nature. While I love a big global adventure, over the past couple years I’ve realized how much joy domestic trips bring and how much beauty there is to see in the USA. Below are 6 suggested trips so start planning now to take across the US once we can get back to exploring.
1) Lake Tahoe, NV/CA
Lake Tahoe is incredibly stunning and is the second deepest crater lake in the US (but the largest alpine lake!). Its depths make it look as blue as the Pacific Ocean with the benefit of not being salty for your eyes during swims.
The Northern part of the lake feels more woodsy and we stayed in the log cabins of Rustic Cottages (which I would highly recommend!). We spent our days walking, swimming and mountain biking. Next time, I’d also rent a kayak! For meals, there are plenty of great options but my favorites were La Mexicana Grocery Store and Lanzas (share one entrée – they’re huge!).
We also stayed on the south side at The Coachman Hotel, which is super hip and a really fun place to meet other travelers. From there, we enjoyed meals in the village nearby (Sprouts and Basecamp Pizza were both delicious) and hiking on the West Coast of the lake.
Suggested number of days: 4
2) Apostle Islands, WI
The Apostle Islands are located near Bayfield Wisconsin and are a true gem of the Midwest. From Minneapolis, it’s about a 4 hour drive. We stayed in the town of Bayfield but you could also camp either in the city or on a nearby island. We spent our days kayaking in the sea caves, hiking along the shore, taking a ferry around the island, picking berries and enjoying some delicious meals.
Suggested number of days: 3-4
3) Big Sur, CA
A classic domestic Road trip is Big Sur, and for good reason. The coastline here is so beautiful and there are many places you can stop off for hikes along the way. We stayed in Carmel and Monterey – I preferred Carmel because of its quick access to a beautiful sandy beach.
Our days here were spent driving and picnicking along the Pacific Coast Highway (with lunch supplies from 5th Avenue Deli), exploring Carmel including the weekend farmer’s market, hiking at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, and enjoying the included happy hour at our hotel – The Getaway, which I would highly recommend.
Suggested number of days: 2-3
4) Crystal River, FL
Florida is a popular destination – either for families going to Disney World, kids visiting their retired parents or spring breakers heading to Miami. While all of those places are great, one true gem of Florida is Crystal River. Here, you can swim next to wild manatees, kayak and swim in the most beautiful blue freshwater and enjoy delicious seafood. Read my guide here for more details!
Suggested number of days: 2-3
5) Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina should definitely be on your radar for an upcoming trip! We spent our days exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains and hiking to a waterfall, eating delicious food, exploring wineries and just enjoying the fresh mountain air. For more information, read my guide here.
Suggested number of days: 3-4
See more detailed guide here for help in trip planning!
6) Utah road trip
Utah is one of the most incredible states in the US because of its scenery. We visited the 5 National Parks during our roadtrip plus some side hikes including The Wave’s next door neighbor at South Coyote Buttes and Lower Calf Creek Falls.
We indulged in delicious meals along the way and really enjoyed being outside in the evenings, away from noise and air pollution. My favorite National Park of them all was Capitol Reef – it’s more under the radar but had awesome hikes in addition to Pick-Your-Own fruit from the fruit trees and fresh cinnamon pies from an old pioneer house! Read my detailed guide here!
Suggested number of days: 7
It was hard to pick just 6 domestic trips! Where else would you recommend planning a trip domestically?
Happy Planning!
This is such a good list!
I agree that local and domestic adventures with dominate as travel restrictions decline. I am, of course, partial to the Apostle Islands, but I would totally recommend Lake Tahoe and Crystal River too!
Thank you! I’m trying to figure out some new domestic ideas for late summer/fall – hoping we’ll be able to take a road trip then!
I’ve been to all these areas except to the Manatee spot in Florida!! I’m so looking forward to getting a chance to see those gentle creatures in person and learn about them! I’m totally itching for a road trip right now since I had to cancel a trip down the coast to San Francisco and then on to Big Sur. These are such good spots to plan a roadtrip around.
The manatees are so fun to see and swim by – keep it in mind for a future trip! So fun you’ve been to all of the other areas! I’m hoping we can take a road trip later this summer too.