Why You Should Plan Your Next Trip Now
It’s the perfect time to get a head start on planning your road trips and adventures since many of us are home right now! Research has shown that vacationers are happier not only from the trip but from planning it and looking forward to it. We are all looking for ways to maintain our mental health right now and making flexible travel plans is one way to be happy.
The study was conducted and published by Applied Research in Quality of Life. The study consisted of 1,500 respondents and different variables including length of their trip. The most dramatic difference was between pre-trip happiness and post-trip happiness, indicating that there is more happiness from looking forward to a vacation. Essentially, people who anticipate a vacation feel better off than non-vacationers. Another interesting result of the study was that the length of the trip did not dictate post trip happiness, meaning you can benefit from several shorter trips throughout the year just as much as you can from a single longer vacation. Here are some tools you can use to start making flexible travel plans for this summer and beyond:
Try downloading and using a new app for planning you’re travels.
- Campendium - Find free camping near you and view camp reviews all in one place! https://www.campendium.com
- Gas Buddy - This app will help you find the cheapest gas nearby on your travels. https://www.gasbuddy.com
- Harvest Hosts -A membership for RVers that provides free RV camping at over 1000 wineries, breweries, distilleries, farms, museums, and other unique locations! https://harvesthosts.com
Grab a cup of coffee and listen to a podcast to inspire your travel plans.
- The Thoughtful Travel Podcast – Each episode is packed with travel stories from fellow travelers. https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-thoughtful-travel-podcast/id1269489189?mt=2
- Extra Pack of Peanuts – For inspiring wanderlust and acquiring travel knowledge. https://extrapackofpeanuts.com/show/
- RV Miles – A weekly show for RV enthusiasts. https://rvmiles.com/podcast/
File these away or on a rainy day browse through and take notes as you dream up your next roadtrip.
- The Ultimate RV Resource Guide – A breakdown of all things RVs! http://www.tripbuzz.com/rving-guide/
- RV Travel Resources – A directory for RV resources. https://www.rvtravel.com/resources/
- RV Club Directory – Directory of clubs for the US and Canada. https://www.rvtravel.com/rv-clubs-in-the-usa-and-canada/
We hope this post inspires you to get a head start planning summer road trips, try listening to a new travel podcast or try out a new app and enjoy the happiness and anticipation of later travel. You can learn more about the study here (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11482-009-9091-9#Sec27).
There are other studies as well that show that camping is good for your health. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation discovered that immersing yourself among the forests, trees, and other greenery has multiple health benefits such as boosting your immune system, lowering blood pressure, reducing stress, increasing your ability to focus, improving sleep, and it can even increase your energy levels. For more RV education and inspiration join us Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.