Vacations are good for the soul. They refresh me when I'm worn out, give me a fun way to celebrate events, and put me in touch with nature, culture, and new experiences. The problem, of course, is that unless I simply take a few days off at home, "getaways" mean actually going somewhere. Most traveling is not cheap or green--and very often the two factors have an inverse relationship (the greener the vacation, the less cheap it is--at least when advertised as such--and vice versa). Here are a few ways I try to minimize my impact and my expenses so I can enjoy these beautiful summer days somewhere besides my desk or my living room.
I travel with friends. For the last couple of years some of my friends and I (about six to eight of us in all) have rented a cottage together for a long weekend in the fall. We look for a place near a park with hiking trails that's a reasonable drive away. We find a cottage that will accomodate a large group and we split the cost more or less equally, based on the number of days each of us can stay (we generally plan four or five days total around a holiday weekend). The last time we did this, the cost for three nights in a cabin on Chincoteague Island in Virginia was about $60 each plus tip--though it was a very small cottage, so thank goodness we were all friends. Unlike staying in hotels, cabins usually have full kitchens with cookware, appliances, plates, and utensils, so we take turns preparing yummy meals that cost a fraction of what the whole bunch of us would pay for restaurant food (with no styrofoam containers wasted on the leftovers, either). Environmentally speaking, it also helps to carpool and share resources like heat and electricity.
I stay with friends. Visiting with people you like in other areas of the country has obvious benefits. You don't need to pay for your room, someone who knows you can take you to places off the beaten path that suit your unique interests, and, of course, you get to spend time with friends. Sharing a room or staying in a guest room is definitely better for the environment than staying in a hotel where the the bathroom is washed with bleach every day and the shampoo comes in miniature bottles. If your friend can pick you up at a bus or train station, share a car with you, or show you around the local subway system, you can also significantly reduce the gas you burn--one of the worst and most expensive environmental impacts while vacationing. (And when you return the favor and your friends visit you, you get another cheap vacation by playing tourist in your own town and enjoying the sights close to home.)