Day trip ideas
This page contains notes about the research I do while identifying possible Travel and vacations destinations.
Things to Research
- Best neighborhoods for hotels
- Airport transportation
- Public transportation passes
- Local tipping customs
- Currency and payment methods
- Cellular phone service
- Wi-Fi availability
- Electrical outlets and adapters
- Weather
- Appropriate clothing
- Major holidays during travel dates
- Local customs
- Common tourist scams
- Accessibility requirements
- Reservation requirements for major attractions
Questions to Ask People Who Have Been There
- What was your favorite experience?
- What would you skip if you went again?
- Where did you stay?
- Would you stay in the same neighborhood again?
- What restaurants did you particularly enjoy?
- What surprised you?
- What did you wish you had known beforehand?
- Did anything require reservations much earlier than expected?
- How did you get around?
- How many days would you recommend?
Ideas That Did Not Make the Itinerary
Save good ideas even when there is not enough time to include them in the current trip.
- Day trip that required too much travel
- Museum that did not fit the schedule
- Restaurant that was fully booked
- Neighborhood we did not have time to explore
- Nearby city that would require another day
These may become useful for a future return trip.
Weekend and Short Trips
Trips that could potentially be taken without a major vacation:
| Destination | Ideal Length | Ideas |
|---|---|---|
| Washington, D.C. | 2–3 days | Smithsonian museums, monuments |
| Boston | 2–3 days | Freedom Trail, museums, historical sites |
| Philadelphia | 1–2 days | Historic district, museums, restaurants |
| Hudson Valley | 2 days | Hiking, historic homes, fall foliage |
| Newport, Rhode Island | 2–3 days | Mansions, coastline |