Tips For Planning A Great Day Trip

No Particular Place To Go.

In 1964, the recording artist, Chuck Berry, released a single entitled, "No Particular Place To Go".  For those of you unfamiliar with 60's music, this is an uptempo melody with lyrics describing a young Chuck Berry on a seemingly random drive-about with his date, with no real destination in mind. The date goes humorously awry when he decides to stop and he can't get his seatbelt unfastened.

I often think of this song when I'm longing for a get out and go~ a day trip with no restrictions (except for seatbelts).

Although the notion of roaming around with no particular stops in mind sounds fun, that kind of drive rarely meets my expectations. In all actuality, most successful excursions require a modicum of preplanning. And just as an aside, most men do not do at all well with purposeless ambling, so keep that in mind too.

Today I'm sharing some pictures of a recent outing I planned for my good friend's birthday, and a few tips for crafting a successful day-journey.

1. Consider having a theme for your outing. My friend loves farming, flowers and local food. These categories helped me figure out our stops. I spent a lot of time on the internet researching farms and farm stands, flower carts and handcrafted food venues. I checked days and hours carefully.
2. Every good drive trip starts with great coffee. But first coffee~ that's our motto.
3. Take a picture at every stop. Good memories need to be preserved.
4. Figure out in advance where you plan to have a meal, and try not to arrive during the busiest time.
5. Carry cash. Not all vendors accept card payments.
6. Make sure you have a full tank of gas before embarking. (Imperative if you're companion is male). Nothing ruins a fun time more than the worry of running out of gas. Or in my case it would be Larry searching for the best gas prices.

We really had a delightful time. This is mostly because the two of us are so companionable, but it really did help that I had a sort of blueprint for the day. 

We traveled north to south through our picturesque county, Skagit, which is considered to be an agricultural corridor within Washington State. Skagit has a very diverse terrain indeed. We have saltwater shores, fertile farmland, numerous sloughs that rise and fall with the tides, and dense forests. In addition, there is so much great local food to be experienced. And as if these things aren't enough to lure visitors, our eastern county boundary stops just shy of North Cascades National Park. Wow! 

I hope I've inspired you to plan an outing. From time to time we all need that breath of fresh air that only a little time away from life's responsibilities can provide. 

Where will you go?

~Dana