Hardway for Life

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Solo Travel Close to Home

It's a big world out there, with infinite adventures awaiting the travel hungry. Sitting at my desk on a cold winter day, watching the fog roll in from the ocean to blanket the houses and buildings in sheets of white, I find myself daydreaming about the sun-soaked sands of Mexico beaches, the colorful rain forests of Costa Rica, the wild national parks and animals of the Australian Outback. And then, of course, there are the cathedrals of Rome, the art museums of Paris, the canals of Venice, the temples of Japan. While the world holds infinite wonders to capture the imagination, most of us don't have infinite vacation days or bank accounts. What do you do when you get the itch to travel, but only have a weekend to scratch it with?

Sometimes it's easy to forget, but chances are your own hometown and destinations close by are rife with fun things to see and do. An exciting trip could be as simple as heading to the park, spending the day touring the local museums, taking a brewery tour, relaxing at a spa, or climbing into the car stocked with snacks and your favorite CD's and heading down the highway for your own mini road trip. Here are some ideas for great solo trips you can take in your own backyard.

Play Tourist in your Hometown

I've lived in San Francisco for six years now, and it occurred to me the other day that I've never ridden a trolley car, or been to Alcatraz. While some tourist attractions can be more hype than happening, most of them are popular for good reason. One fun way to spend a weekend without going too far or spending too much, is to grab your camera and pretend to be a tourist. What are the attractions people come to your town from all over the country, or even the world, to see? Many cities offer tourist passes, allowing travelers to visit all of the major attractions at a discounted price. Bus tours, walking tours, and other group tours are often available too, for those wishing to experience their town under the wisdom of a guide. For travelers who'd rather go it alone, a great place to begin is your city's visitor's center, where you can get lists of attractions, maps, tour information, and more.

Attractions in Major Cities:
San Francisco Attractions
New York Attractions
Los Angeles Attractions
Seattle Attractions
Boston Attractions
Las Vegas Attractions
More...

Take a Culture Tour

You may not live in New York City or Rome, but chances are, your hometown has its own fantastic array of cultural attractions. I'm always pleasantly surprised to discover how many cultural events are taking place in my city, from theatre productions to poetry readings and art openings, to literary festivals and performance art. A fun way to escape the norm of the week and to stir your intellect is to plan a cultural weekend for yourself. You could spend a Saturday checking out the latest exhibits at your local art museum, learning about prehistoric times at a museum of natural history, or experiencing the astronomical at a planetarium show. Many museums offer guided tours, or self-guided audio tours, allowing you to learn about the art and artists that capture your imagination as you peruse. Experiencing art and historical exhibits is a fantastic way to travel the world without leaving your own backyard.

Road Trip!

Venturing on a road trip may take a bit of planning, but not too much! One suggestion is to locate a place you've never visited that you've always wanted to see — a nearby state or national park, a fantastic zoo, a winery or brewery you'd enjoy touring, a spa or hot springs, or even just another city you'd like to experience. Once you've settled on a destination, it might be fun to take the route that is most scenic so that you can stop and take photos along the way, enjoy a picnic lunch by a lake, or just take in the views as you speed down the highway. If you're more inspired by the journey rather than the destination, you might just take out a local map, point to a spot, and then hit the road. Don't forget to pack your favorite snacks and music!

Next time you're at work, or making dinner for your kids, or filling up the car with gas and you begin daydreaming about traveling the world, remember there might just be a whole world in your own backyard. Big trips to exotic places are wonderful, but it's easy to travel nearly anytime — those small vacations can make waiting for the big ones a lot easier, and who knows, you might have the time of your life close to home.

Meditation and Yoga Retreats

Meditation and Yoga Retreats

via RealTravel by Anne Marie Bonneau on 11/6/07

Rishikesh for 5 days by bridget may

Traveling solo can be a great way to de-stress, meet new people and experience a destination in a whole new way. Whether you choose to take a group tour to meet new people, head out on a peaceful meditation retreat, or discover a new city all on your own, solo traveling can be an experience of a lifetime.

This week we'll focus on different ways of exploring the world on your own, from going on retreats, to adventures that allow you to meet new people and more. Whether it's backpacking across Europe, walking across the United States, finding secluded meditation retreats, day-tripping near your hometown city, or volunteering abroad, there are many ways to forge an adventure on your own.

Meditation and Yoga Retreats

For a relaxing trip that may actually help you cope with stress long after your holiday ends, consider a meditation or yoga retreat. While India might be the ultimate destination for a retreat spiritual in nature, many destinations in the United States also have much to offer anyone searching for an enlightening vacation.

India

Often referred to as the world capital of yoga, Rishikesh, located in the northern state of Uttaranchal in the Himalayas, each year attracts thousands of pilgrims, both native and foreign. It was here in the Himalayas during the sixties that the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi taught The Beatles to meditate, making the city a household name in the West. Today, the river Ganges attracts not only devotees seeking enlightenment and healing via a dip in the sacred waters, but also white water rafting enthusiasts.

RealTraveler bridget may spent five days in Rishikesh and writes:

"Every morning we are awakened by temple bells and every evening a small band assembles on the sand below and a man chants into a mic accompanied by drums and a tiny piano. The natural beauty of the place is fantastic and add to that the seven story Lakshman Temple in the near distance against the dark misty green of the mountains with the amazing and unusual sound–to us make this place truly dream-like.

There are daily yoga classes which are drop in and seem to cater to the westerners. But the ashram is also a place of spiritual practice and there are Indian (men) who hang out there and chant and meditate all day." (more...)

Also situated in the Himalayas, Dharamsala sits on the slopes of the Kangra Valley with the Dhauladhar mountains serving as a backdrop. The dense forest and snowline with several streams ensure a cool, fresh and healthy environment. Although Dharamsala was first established as a base camp for explorers and travelers, today it is best known as the home of the Dalai Lama and tens of thousands of Tibetan monks.

While in Dharamsala, Adrian B visited Tibetan monks and nuns, learned about the philosophy of yoga, studied massage, attended the "amazing 4th annual Indigenous Grandmothers Council," and "went to the Tibetan Children's Village school to hear the Dalai Lama & others talk." Read more about his adventures in Dharamsala here.

Adrian B also visited Auroville, an intentional community situated in southern India mostly in the State of Tamil Nadu with some parts in the state of Pondicherry. Focusing on human unity through diversity, Auroville is "an experiment in living, inaugurated in 1968 & now 39 years into its evolution. Not really a big commune, but more of a small conscious city of 2,000+ 'Aurovillian' residents & many guests passing through for short & long-term visits." This community offers classes in "sustainability, permaculture, healing arts/massage, dance, yoga, & other very interesting topics." (more...)

Whether you decide to go on a retreat or not, if traveling to India, you may want to visit the bodhi tree under which the Buddha achieved enlightenment. While in Bodgaya, India, RealTraveler Sazman sat in this same spot. He explains that "the tree is next to a temple that has been built in it's honor (of course, as temples are) and all around it are monks, monks, and more monks. And all the monks are chanting. It is really calming and intense at the same time. It was enough to induce spiritual feelings in even the most atheistic of us. This is truly a holy place." (more...)

For more useful information, be sure to read In Wanderland's blog entry Finally! A Place to Relax in India.

United States

The website of the Esalen Institute states that visitors "come from all over the world to participate in Esalen's forty-year-long Olympics of the body, mind, and spirit, committing themselves not so much to 'stronger, faster, higher' as to deeper, richer, more enduring." Located in Big Sur in Northern California overlooking the ocean, Esalen offers personal retreats, hundreds of workshops, classes in meditation, yoga, dance, continuing education and much more. Lodging ranges from sleeping bags to private rooms.

Further north in California is The Expanding Light at Ananda, one of the largest yoga and meditation retreats in the country. Situated in the Sierra Nevada foothills near Sacramento, The Expanding Light welcomes guests of all backgrounds and offers classes in meditation, yoga, cooking, teaching and more. Accommodations range from deluxe rooms, both private and shared, to cabins and tents. Vegetarian meals are served in the communal kitchen. A world wide organization, Ananda also offers retreats in other locations such as Rhode Island and Assisi, Italy.

Useful Resources:

India Travel Guide
United States Travel Guide
California Travel Guide
Travel Blogs about Yoga

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