We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, we’re all guilty of looking outwards for adventure, exploration, and fun, but more often than not, there are plenty of discovery we can do just at our footsteps. We just don’t realize it.
Exotic lands far away and the prospect of immersing yourself in new cultures, foods and people is all really exciting but a lot of times you don’t need catch a flight or drive 5-6 hours to get away.
In This Article
5 Reasons To Travel Local From Toronto
1. You Can Go Anytime
The beauty about the local gems is that you don’t need to make special plans to make it happen. You just get up and go.
Big vacations always take a lot of time to plan and most people we know will plan these type of trips around long weekends to minimize time off work. As a result, vacations becomes very calculated, precise, and planned.
For my most recent trip up to Central Counties along their A Country Path route, all we did was look up the map they provided, picked a few places that interested us and away we went the next day.
4. Learn About Local History
We’ve always found it fascinating with local trips, to learn about how a certain area or region developed over time. In the small stories such as businesses that have been passed down from generation to generation, there are so many fascinating tales.
Forts are always fun to explore as we learned in Buffalo as is something as simple as learning about an old water-powered mill that used to produce the region’s flour.
3. Save Money
This one’s obvious right. When you travel long and far away, you have to factor in a ton of costs. From flights, car rental, gas and hotel, big trips always account for a big chunk of your annual budget. If you’re travelling with kids, the costs jump up even more and so making travelling even more difficult.
Instead, why not travel local and make that money go farther. Make it a day trip and save on the expensive flights and hotels. Think of all the local wines, cheeses, ice cream and other local goodies you’ll be able to get! Treat yourself to an awesome dinner too while you’re at it!
4. Support Local Businesses
Now this is something that might not automatically pop up in your head but it’s a great feeling to be able to support the local businesses, farmers and craftsmen. With internationalization and the rise of imports, those folks living in the country side have had to work that much harder to make a living. By going out to explore these charming rural areas, you’re directly and indirectly impacting their lives and economy.
There are so many benefits of supporting local businesses. A few I can think of are: preservation of local character, environmental sustainability (more organics and reduction of sprawl), money staying in instead of going out, increased innovation and entrepreneurship, and specialized products that are way better than the big box stores.
5. Travel More Often
At the end of the day, all we want to do is get out more right? Now we’re not saying that you should stop doing this big epic trips, instead you know I’m a total fan of going all out but why not get out even more?
Think about all those quiet Sundays or the Friday-off-because-you-can’t-bank-any-more-vacation-days. Instead of doing nothing, head out and create your own adventure!
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Travel Resources For Your Next Trip
If you’re in the process of planning your trip and putting together your itinerary, these are genuinely the best resources that the Going Awesome Places team stands by 100%.
Credit cards: Don’t get burned by hidden fees on top of terrible exchange rates. When we travel now, we use the Wise Card. Simply load it with the currency you need before you go and use it as a regular VISA or their digital wallet card. Use their free app to track how much you have and top up when you need to.
Flights: Of all the booking search engines, Skyscanner is the most helpful and easy to use thanks to their Everywhere feature. Kayak is also another that’s we will often check as well.
Car Rental: If you’re looking to save money, these car rental coupon codes will be a true game-changer. Otherwise, DiscoverCars and RentalCars are great places to start.
Rideshare: For new Lyft users, use code WILLIAM4825 to get 50% off your first 2 rides (max $10 USD per ride). Offer valid for 14 days after you take your first ride. For new Uber users, use code psuqbjg4d7rn for the same offer except it’s valid for 30 days.
Airport Parking: You’ll need a spot to leave your car at the airport so why not book a spot at a discount. Use code AWESOME7 to get at least $5 off at Airport Parking Reservations or Park Sleep Fly packages.
eSIM: Lately, we’ve really loved using eSIMs. We’ve tested several over the years and we have access to a few special promotions.
- AmigoSIM – Use GOINGAWESOMEPLACES to save 25% off. Code is re-useable.
- Gigsky – Use TANG149 to get $3 USD when you sign up, then use code GOINGAWESOME to save 20% on all eSIM orders.
- KnowRoaming – Use code GAP10 to save 10%.
- AloSIM – Use code GOINGAWESOMEPLACES to save 15%.
- Airalo – Use referral code WILLIA9500 to get $3 USD credit on your first purchase.
- Ubigi – AWESOME10 to save 10% on your first order.
Wifi Hotspot: We’ve been a huge fan of wifi hotspot devices such as PokeFi (use code GAP24300) because their rates are are hard to beat and it works globally. Solis is another that we recommend. Pros are that you can share the wifi with your whole group but cons are that you have to invest in a device and you have to charge it every night.
Hotels: Our go-to is Booking.com because they have the best inventory of properties including hotels and B&Bs plus they have their Genius tier discounts. Expedia is also worth using especially with their One Key rewards program which is basically like cash. The exception is Asia where Agoda always has the best prices. Always do a quick check on TripAdvisor as well.
Vacation Rentals: Your first instinct will be to check Airbnb but we always recommend checking VRBO as well if you’re looking for a vacation rental (now eligible for One Key).
Tours and Activities: When planning our trips, we always check both Viator and GetYourGuide to at least see what’s out there in the destination that we’re going to. They often have different offerings and prices so check both.
Travel Insurance: Learn how to buy the best travel insurance for you. This isn’t something you want to travel without.
- HeyMondo – Popular insurance provider for frequent travelers and comes with great coverage and special perks. By booking through our link to get a 15% discount (from June 19-29)!
- RATESDOTCA – Search engine Canadians looking for the cheapest insurance including multi-trip annual policies.
- SafetyWing – A perfect fit for long-term nomads.
- Medjet – Global air medical transportation.
- InsureMyTrip – Best for seniors, families, and those with pre-existing conditions.
If you need more help planning your trip, make sure to check out our Travel Toolbox where we highlight all of the gear, resources, and tools we use when traveling.
The A Country Path trip was sponsored by the Central Counties, however the opinions expressed in this post are my own.
Those are good points, but unfortunately not applied to my country :(.
Most times travel abroad is cheaper and less stressful (due to traffic) than going local.
That is one of the odds side of Brazil :P
Hey Ralph, I had no idea that was the case. Is the car traffic that bad in Brazil? I’m guessing then public transportation is equally bad?
Really I agree too! We have just taken part to develope sustainable and responsible travelling in our business. We have realized that our everyday life can be something nice to others, those who live nearby us or those who live far also.
I totally agree with you, I think it’s great to make the most of our time, especially when it’s too short for a long and big trip. It’s good to go out exploring what ever is around us, learn more about the local history, culture and more. There is much I still have to discover of my own country for instance :)