I think it’s safe to say if you find yourself coming back from a vacation more tired than before you left, that’s a major system failure. This is something that has happened to many of us. We usually categorize vacations as either an easy-going beach trip for which you essentially turn off your brain or a fast-paced itinerary so packed that you’ll need another vacation to recover from it. There are no reasons why you cannot combine the deep relaxation that comes with true adventure on the same trip. The right geography combined with intentional time for rest is the secret.
Anchor Your Trip in a Coastal Town
Your home base will be the key to a well-rounded experience on your next vacation. It’s time to skip big cities and remote resorts. Target a fun and energetic coastal community with an instant connection to nature and an easily accessible downtown. With its natural rhythms, a coastal community will provide you with the ability to enjoy quiet mornings while sipping coffee and gazing out at the rising sun through the lifting fog. Then by mid-afternoon, it will also serve as a departure point for all of the amazing discoveries a coastal community has to offer. The slow-paced, rejuvenating atmosphere inherent to coastal communities provides a perfect contrast to the stimulation provided by the historic waterfronts, local stores, and independently owned businesses that line the streets.
Keep the Hikes Short and Intentional
You do not need to reach the top of a mountain to feel worthy of stunning views.
Create your daily itinerary by organizing shorter hiking routes with great rewards like a beautiful cliffside ocean view. Connect each of the trail heads using planned scenic driving routes. This will allow you to experience the full beauty of an area at your own pace in your car, which will give you all the energy you need to hike when you decide to do so.
When you are looking at blending your leisure time with activity time, seek out places that combine these two in a single stretch of coastline.
For example, some of the most well-known Maine tourist attractions have managed to put together both the rugged mountain summits and an easy-to-walk path on the coast, so that you may enjoy scenic views with little physical exertion.
You will see this same effortless combination of leisure and activity time along Oregon Highway 101 around Cannon Beach, where dramatic sea stacks are located within walking distance of many easily accessible rainforest hiking trails.
Let Food Be Part of the Adventure
A good meal can be an experience in itself. Just find out where local people go for their meals—it probably doesn’t have a QR code on the menu or a line of tourists waiting outside. Try whatever regional specialty they’re best known for. This will give you great seafood if you are in a coastal area, great farm-to-table cuisine if you are in a rural area, and old-school diners with good pie. Low maintenance, but very memorable.
What Makes It Feel Restful
Here’s what separates a genuinely restful trip from one that just looks good on paper: margin. Empty space in the schedule. A morning with no plan.
When each and every hour of a day is planned, the vacation experience will begin to feel like “work.” When you include downtime in your itinerary, the hike, the driving, the meal—all of these experiences land the way they were intended.
Plan Around the Energy You Want to Come Home With
Your dream vacation can be what you want it to be. Pick a coastal town as your base of operations. Mix easy day hikes with some fun scenic drive routes. And let the good eats be the central theme for your daily adventures. Set up your trip, be flexible on how your time will play out, and find your own unique balance of adventure and relaxation.
