4 Airplane-free Summer Ideas

Unsure how to balance your desire not to fly (or even take a long road trip), which would emit greenhouse gases, with your wish to have a fun summer? Here are four ideas that will help you get away and relax while preventing emissions and saving money.

1. Go camping Even if you live in an area that doesn't attract many tourists, you can still probably have a good time and create a sense of getting away by going camping. Check if the national, state, or regional parks in your area have campsites that you can reserve (you can use a website like Campspot, Hipcamp, or The Dyrt, or your country or state's parks website, to help you plan). During your stay, you can use this time to explore the state park and go on hikes, or you can stay closer to your campsite and focus on relaxing (bring books, art supplies, or any other things you might enjoy using to fill up your time). If you already have access to a tent and supplies, camping could be cheaper than a hotel, and it also pairs very well with screen detoxes.

2. Try trains or buses As an alternative to flying across your country, consider traveling on a train or bus instead. Although these take more time and, especially in the US, may run behind schedule, they can be very relaxing (much more so than driving). Traveling along a rail alignment may bring you beautiful views that you could never see from the road, and you'll have the opportunity to meet fellow travelers who might also care about the climate. In addition, train and bus stations have only a tiny fraction of the stressors that are in airports, and coachclass train fares are much cheaper than airplane tickets. In the United States, Amtrak offers 40 train routes spanning the country, with many bus connections offered to get you where you want to go. Or, if you don't have a specific destination in mind, you can pick a place to go based on how you want to get there.

3. Have a staycation Maybe you live in a city that's famous for its museums, but you don't visit them very often. Or perhaps your town is full of spas, and yet you've never been to one. If you'd like, you can pretend to be a tourist in your own area and explore all of the places that you've always wanted to go to, yet never have. If you "stay" in your own house (though you could treat yourself and go to a hotel, if it's possible and options are available), you could save yourself money. And, by looking at your hometown with fresh eyes, you'll give yourself an opportunity to change your perspective.

4. Go on day trips If you live near an interesting city, spend a day walking around and visiting all of its attractions. Go to museums, landmarks, or shops, or just wander around and see what places call to you. If you live near multiple cities, you can go on a separate trip to each one, which gives you an opportunity to spread out vacation experiences over the summer. Bonus points for getting to your destination by public transit!