Mini Adventure – A Vacation That Fits into Your Everyday Life
Want to escape your everyday life with an adventure or trip? Do you struggle to find the time or money to do so? If so, mini adventures are perfect for you. You don’t need a lot of money or vacation days to embark on a mini adventure. All you need is the motivation to discover new things.
The best experiences often await you right outside your front door. Therefore, mini adventures are an easy and quick way to fit a trip into your everyday life.
Keep reading to hear what a mini adventure is and to learn tips and ideas for creating your own mini adventures.
What is a Mini Adventure?
A mini adventure is literally an adventure that starts from your front door. The term was coined by the British adventurer and writer Alastair Humphreys. He describes a mini adventure as a local, inexpensive, simple, and short adventure, without much planning, which is still fun, challenging, refreshing, and enriching.
However, there is no single definition of what a mini adventure is, as they are very individual. For some, traversing their hometown on foot is a mini adventure, for others, it is a night spent outdoors. The idea is to briefly break out of everyday life and realize that it is very easy to experience an adventure, anytime, anywhere.
Exploring Close to Home
Hiking or exploring close to home is probably the easiest way to experience a mini adventure. Just put on your hiking boots and go for it. Discover something new and beautiful no matter where you live. Take a conscious look around you and rediscover things you usually overlook. A hike in your area will work wonders and quickly rid you of worries and stress. Choose between a short walk during your lunch break or after work. You can also pack a backpack on the weekend and go mini adventuring for several hours or days.
Keep reading for some suggestions on how to make your hike even more adventurous.
Go outside and flip a coin
A simple idea to make your hike or walk exciting is to flip a coin at every intersection. Use the coin to determine which direction to go. For example, if the coin lands on tails, go left, and if it lands on heads, go right. Try it and see where the coin takes you!
Take a themed hike
Are there any castles, lakes, or forests near your home? Write down a list of all the nearby lakes or rivers and visit them one by one. You don’t have to hike all of them in one day. Whenever you have the time, choose an item on your list, and visit it. It’s a great way to get to know your local area and to visit lots of great places.
Visit abandoned locations
Abandoned places and buildings can be hidden in the forest or in the middle of a city. They are empty for various reasons. It could be because they were never renovated, never completed, or simply forgotten. But they all have one thing in common: they’ll give you goosebumps. This factor is compelling to those who like to explore. Look for an abandoned place near you and see what you find!
Avoid structures in danger of collapsing, and only enter buildings if permitted and safe. Don’t forget to leave the place exactly as you found it.
Watch the Sunrise
If you want to experience a mini adventure before your daily work starts, drag yourself out of bed a little earlier in the morning and hike up the closet hill. When the sun rises, and the city or place below comes to life, you’ll realize getting up early was worth it. Sunrises are beautiful and always unique. Nature’s beauty in the morning is sure to energize and motivate you for the rest of the day.
Go on a Self-Guided Mountain Bike Tour
On a mountain bike, you can simply set off, slow down, and enjoy nature. Find a well-marked bike path, or plan an approximate number of kilometers to travel, and don’t rely on your map to see where you should get off. Regardless of whether you have a plan or you just let yourself drift, you will experience an unforgettable tour. Equipped with packed saddlebags or a backpack, spend an adventurous day or weekend in the great outdoors.
Ride to the End of the Line
Many of us take the train or bus to school or work every day. We hop on the same line and get on and off at the same stop. Mini adventures are created by redesigning small things in your everyday life and stepping out of your comfort zone. So, pack your bag, and ride to the end of the line, or hop on a random train and see where it takes you. Get to know new places in your area this way and easily experience a little adventure. Try to hike back home on foot and enjoy your surroundings.
Mini Adventure on the Water
Stand-up paddleboards (SUP) have long been a very popular pastime. It’s a lot of fun paddling over a lake or river on a SUP and enjoying nature. You can rent boards at most lakes and at river stations. It doesn’t cost much and is a great idea for a mini adventure.
With a kayak, you can go on cheap, easy, multi-day tours. Pack your equipment, rent a kayak, and head off on your adventure. Zone out and enjoy the surrounding nature.
Spend a Night Under the Stars
Spending the night in the open air is a must for some mini adventurers on their trips. It is a uniquely beautiful experience to lie in a warm sleeping bag and marvel at the starry sky above you. Find dark places with no cities nearby and observe a breathtaking night sky. You might even see the Milky Way. Make the most out of your mini adventure by integrating a night outdoors into your multi-day hike, kayak tour, or mountain bike trip.
Of course, you can always pitch a tent outside on cold or rainy days and spend the night under a tarp! This is a great way to go on a mini adventure, even when the weather is poor.
5-to-9 Mini Adventure
5-to-9 adventures are a sub-category of mini adventures. The goal of these is to experience a mini adventure between the end of your workday and the beginning of work the following day. Bring whatever equipment you need for your adventure to work and start straight from there. You can explore nature, spend the night outdoors, and go back to work the next morning. You can experience a lot in the time you usually spend lying at home on the sofa watching TV. The 5-to-9 adventures are a great opportunity for all adventurers who want to make their average workday more exciting.
Conclusion
Mini adventures are great for breaking away from everyday life and clearing your mind. We guarantee that a little break-out in nature will help increase your daily motivation and productivity.
The greatest thing about mini adventures is that you can personalize your trip. Choose the duration, location, and activity that adapts to your situation and goals.
You don’t need a flight to another country or a long-planned vacation to discover and experience new things. Be an adventurer at home by trying new activities, exploring your surroundings, and stepping out of your comfort zone.
So, don’t wait any longer, and embark on your first mini adventure today!
