The Minimalist Guide to Weekend Getaways

Introduction

In 2020, with the fast spread of novel corona virus a severe change was seen in the way we live, work and socialize. We all got familiar with working from home, mastered new skills, spent more time with family, saved more by spending only on essentials, focused on our health & immunity, etc. In short, we learned that there’s much more in life than just work and earning money. Later, with the easing of Covid lockdown and restrictions, a similar change was seen in the way people travel or holiday. This shift was towards weekend getaways or mini vacations to nearby places. In this blog I will be sharing more insights on weekend getaways and will help you find a perfect getaway from your city.

What is a weekend getaway?

It’s a type of holiday wherein people travel to a nearby place (which can be easily covered by road) for good 2-3 days to relax and spend quality time with family or group of friends or co-traveller. Weekend getaways are considered to be the best way to get away from stress and pressures of daily routine city life. Short trips are ideal for travellers who have time constraints and busy schedules. In such cases one can plan for a weekend excursion or getaway to the nearest possible location from the home city. A Trip of one or two days will help to unplug, unwind and explore new places nearby.

Types of weekend getaways:

• Weekend trip: the end of the week starting from Friday night and return by Sunday night. Most of these trips are road trips covered by self-drive or by hiring a cab. Duration could be 2 – 3 days and distance would be within 350 kms range.
• Long Weekend trip: a weekend trip extended by a day or days. Mostly covered by hiring a cab or by rail or by air. Duration could be 3 – 4 days and distance would be above 350 kms. Duration of the trip is extended by adding national and other holidays with weekend holidays.

Benefits of Weekend getaways:

According to an annual survey by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, now travellers are preferring weekend getaways as compared to a full-fledged far away vacation. Most of the surveyed people agree that planning a short trip is far easier than planning a long vacation. Through this survey respondents also shared that by travelling they wanted to escape from stress, pandemic aftermath and social media. Looking at the duration and increasing financial constraints, which limits travelers from taking longer and far away vacations, these short trips are a fantastic and valuable option. So, here are few reasons why weekend getaways are beneficial:

Shorter duration

These short getaways doesn’t need too many days to cover. It can be planned and covered easily over a weekend or a long weekend. By this way one can save up on leaves for a long trip in the future.

Easy Accessibility

Due to the short distance, one doesn’t have to depend on rail or flight connectivity. Many weekend getaways can be covered by road with a driving time of around 6 – 8 hrs each way. Road trips are cheaper than flying, especially if you have a vehicle that is good on mileage. In fact, road trips are amazing, as you go on cruising down the highway, windows down and playing your favourite songs.

Budget Friendly

One can save a lot during these short trips by planning wisely, especially when it comes to accommodation. Many hotels, resort and home stay options are now available at a budget suitable to all types of travelers. Most of these accommodations offer services at par with a good deluxe hotel or resort.

Health and Well being

Moving to a place outside your norm wipes out most of the daily stress away. By unplugging from your daily stress, you are not running away from responsibility – you are recharging and refocusing to be healthier and more productive.

Fresh Air and Clean Environment

Where and when was the last time you took a real deep breath? Was it in the city you live, a beach or a hill station? Located away from city these getaways are less populated, with lesser polluting elements resulting in a cleaner environment with better air quality.

Being Social

One of the benefits of weekend getaway is that you can plan a trip with your friends. It helps build those friendships. You go down the memory lanes, revisit old times and create new ones. In fact, visiting friends and relatives is the second most common weekend excursion.

Weekend Getaways in India

All above points show how a short trip over the weekend can do wonders for a person’s well being. Undoubtedly this makes weekend getaways the perfect way to refresh and re-energise from the hectic city life. In India too, these short vacations are very popular and with the easing of Covid lockdown and restrictions, a change was seen in the way people travel or holiday. This shift was towards weekend getaways or mini vacations to nearby places.

Luckily, we live in a country that offers a lot of options when it comes to weekend getaways in India. Dotted with numerous attractions India offers a wide range of alternatives like – hills, wildlife, beaches, backwaters, history, religious and more. One can choose from snow covered Gulmarg, a break in a jungle resort in Ranthambore, adventurous and soulful Rishikesh, sparkling beaches in Goa, houseboat cruise in Alleppey to enjoy a weekend trip.

Tastes and preferences play a significant role as it varies from person to person. For some it may be a long drive through striking landscapes or being adventurous by indulging into adventure sports and for others it can be a relaxing stay at a luxurious resort nearby beach. This has even helped many big travel companies in categorising and launching theme-based holiday products like romantic getaways, offbeat getaways, wildlife getaways and more. Here I put together a list of popular weekend getaways from major cities in India.

Weekend Getaways from Delhi

The capital of India, Delhi offers plenty of choices, when it comes to planning short trips or weekend getaways. The city is encircled by numerous scenic attractions ranging from scenic hills, wildlife expeditions, adventure holidays, spiritual sojourns and much more. Delhi offers some amazing range of refreshing getaways to help you escape the rush of urban city life. So, if you are looking for a weekend getaway from Delhi, then here is a list of places to visit near Delhi.

Also read: A Complete Guide on Weekend Getaways from Delhi

Weekend Getaways from Ahmedabad

One of the most important cities of Gujarat, Ahmedabad with its tourism tagline “kuch din toh guzariye Gujarat mein” is known for its rich cultural heritage and welcoming hospitality. The ideal location between Gujarat and Rajasthan gives Ahmedabad an easy access to some of the best weekend getaways. From hill stations of Mt Abu to wildlife of Gir National Park or beaches of Daman to historical sites of Dholavira, the city offers plenty of options for weekend travel. Here is a list of places that can be covered from Ahmedabad.

Weekend Getaways from Mumbai

The commercial capital of India and the largest metropolitan, Mumbai is known for its fast-paced lifestyle and hectic work schedules. But away from the city hustle and bustle, there are a lot of exciting places that are still hidden and unexplored. There are tons of weekend getaways near Mumbai that include calm beaches, stunning waterfalls, lush green hills, rich historical and cultural sites. So, here is a curated list of some best places to visit near Mumbai on a weekend.

Weekend Getaways from Bengaluru

The IT capital of India, Bengaluru is known for its pleasant weather, parks, lakes and nightlife. Another best part about living in a city like Bengaluru is that you get so many weekend destinations within easy reach. In fact, some of the most beautiful tourist destinations of South India are located at short distances from Bengaluru. Be it hills, waterfalls, beaches or historical sites, all are just a short drive away. Here are the weekend getaways that can be covered from Bengaluru:

Also Read: A Complete Guide on Kerala Tourism Places

Conclusion

Irrespective of your profession, whether you work in an office or at home looking after household chores and kids, life is hectic for all. So, why can’t we put a brake on all the hectic work life and take off for a few days. I am sure you will like the change and will return back fully rejuvenated and charged up. A short trip might cost you some amount, but the return it gives back is really priceless and you’ll realise it later. Every trip gives you a chance to explore and learn something new. Now, it’s time to mark out different places you can travel and make these your future weekend getaways. Hope the above article helped you get more insights on weekend getaways. Feel free to share in the comment section about trip experiences you have taken or would like to take in future.

Imagine taking a short getaway once a month for a year – by this way you’ll be able to visit 12 new places that you probably wouldn’t have otherwise.