Written by Logan Marie
With summer more than halfway underway, it is easy to feel like you’re not “doing enough”, or seeing as much as you want to see before it’s over. Not only that, traveling can be expensive! There are many ways that you can limit the cost of adventures during the summertime by sticking to local adventures that fuel the soul. This list is meant for outdoor lovers alike, or for somebody looking to find ways to get outside more!
Below there are five cost-efficient trips that you can take this summer:
- Go car camping: booking a campsite is a stress-free way to know that you will have a campsite reserved and won’t have to worry about rushing to a dispersed site on a busy summer weekend. Sharing the costs with friends is a great way to minimize money spent. I personally love splitting meals with friends too. Ex. one couple does dinners and the others does lunch and breakfast.
For this trip use your Alpaca 60L duffel bag! Big enough to fit your kayak gear, camping accessories, and clothing for the weekend.
- Go Backpacking: once you have the gear to go backpacking, the cost to go on trail is quite minimal. Don’t have the gear? Borrow from a friend or a local gear shop rather than buying everything new. Keep food simple like tuna, ramen, and granola bars. That way you’re able to go backpacking without spending a fortune on dehydrated backpacking meals, those add up. Sharing materials with friends is a great way to not overwhelm yourself with cost. Ex. somebody has the tent while you have the camp stove!
For this trip use your Deva 60L or Baltoro 65L
- Take a day trip: you don’t have to dedicate an entire weekend to camping or hiking just to enjoy being outside. Day trips can cost a small amount of money. Bike to the trail, share gas with a friend, and pack lunch from home. I find that packing your own food, no matter what you’re doing, is going to cut down on costs tremendously.
For this trip use your Jade 38L or Citro 30L
- Go Kayaking or Stand-up paddle boarding: don’t have a board or boat? Rent one from your local college or community center! You would be surprised at how many rental options are available once you look into it. After that, being on the water is essentially free! Pack a lunch, split the cost of gas, and you’re all set for a less expensive trip.
For this trip pack your Inertia 18 H2O
- Use Hipcamp: looking for a unique place to pitch a tent for the night? Hipcamp is a wonderful way to find unique properties to stay on. Plus, you’ll find that there might be more space for friends than a traditional campground-split the cost!
For this trip pack your Alpaca 60L
Most importantly, have fun! I find that the more I repeat trips and experience new things outdoors, I find that it doesn’t have to be a big, grand adventure. Start small, share experiences with people like you, and most importantly don’t take yourself too seriously.
Cheers!