Family vacations were huge in my household. Before I was 10 I had been to six different states. I never grasped how much of a privilege it was to go on cruises to the Caribbean, or the expense of an all-inclusive resort in Mexico. While I appreciated each vacation, I don’t think I was able to truly appreciate the value of each trip because I was so young. It wasn’t until I got older and started traveling as an adult that I was able to gain a deeper worldview, leading me to believe it’s important to travel during your twenties.
A new study shows that one in six Americans have never left their home state. That means someone in Colorado has never been to the beach, someone in Florida has never experienced snow. Someone in Georgia hasn’t gone past the peaches.
My first trip as an adult was to the beach with my friend. We picked out a relatively cheap hotel, packed the car with snacks, and were on our way. The newfound freedom of picking my destination and planning the details has lead me to travel to Tennessee and Ohio a few times, Alabama, Illinois, and Texas; and I have a trip scheduled to fly to New York in March.
On a road trip to Chicago, I was shocked at the number of cornfields spread across Illinois. We had stopped at a Wendy’s off the interstate and you could touch a stalk of corn two feet from the parking lot. According to the Department of Agriculture, there are 127 million acres of agricultural land in the Midwest with soybeans and corn making up 75% of produced agriculture. Chicago is a beautiful city with ornate architecture, and the city sitting upon Lake Michigan is an extrodinary sight.
Chicago offered diversity and culture. To afford the trip my friends and I drove, splitting the cost of gas, and stayed at a hostel that offered private rooms with shared bathrooms. The first night we arrived we accidentally went into the men’s restroom and wondered why there were so many urinals. It wasn’t until the next morning when I wondered around the hallways that I realized we visited the wrong restroom the night before – huge face palm moment. The girl’s restroom was much like a gym or locker room bathroom. There were toilet stalls to the left side of the bathroom and to the right there were stalls. It was an experience I’ll never forget, and the entire trip was under $200 per person for travel, food and lodge.
Traveling doesn’t necessarily require an overnight stay either. My sister and I took a day trip to visit the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and The Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama. From Kennesaw, the drive took us around two hours and because of the time zone change, we gained an hour of day time once we arrived. This trip was more for listening, learning and reflecting rather than a vacation or relaxation, but it was by far the most rewarding trip I have been on in the past couple of years. Not only was I able to bond with my sister, but I was able to learn the harrowing truths about the South and American history, and gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be an ally.
Tennessee, depending on what city, can make for a great day trip. Ruby Falls is about two hours from Kennesaw and offers cave adventures, zip lining and shops. Nashville is great for a weekend trip, the city offers delicious food, night life, live music and shows.
Whether the trip planned is a week, a weekend or a day, get out there and explore. Cost-friendly traveling is possible, especially if you’re able to travel with a friend or partner. Broaden your horizons during the more formative years of your life and expand your world view. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my twenties traveling across the United States. There is so much I don’t know about the beautiful country I reside in and I can’t wait to experience it all for myself.