Summertime is here, and with it comes the crunch of travel. If this summer is anything like summer’s pre-pandemic, traveling throughout the US will be at an all-time high.
According to the Automotive Association of America, the AAA, Memorial Day Weekend is the barometer of summer travel, and this past Memorial Day shows travel to be white-hot.
Senior VP Paula Twidale of AAA says, “Memorial Day is always a good predictor of what’s to come for summer travel…based on our projections, summer travel isn’t just heating up; it’s on fire.”
Traveling is so popular this summer, but in general, it could be from the overall need for a vacation after the past couple of summers stuck at home.
The cost of traveling isn’t going down, however, which is one reason that may limit people from traveling this summer. Then there are the lingering effects of the pandemic, work, and other concerns.
The Price Of Gas
Regardless of what may be keeping you from traveling, multiple benefits for your happiness and health should outweigh any concerns you may have about your trip.
Even with the rise of summer travel, there is one negative to traveling right now: the excessive gas costs. The skyrocketing fuel costs are impacting everything from the price of gas, and jet fuel, to even food costs.
If traveling this summer, consider going by electric vehicle. There are plenty of options for traveling by EV, from buying a new or used car to rental agencies. In addition, electric vehicles can get you to where you want to go at a fraction of the cost of gas.
If you decide to travel by EV, be sure to map out your itinerary to know where Tesla charging stations or other EV stations are on your journey.
The price of gas may be astronomical right now, but the benefits to your mental health far outweigh those prices.
5 Benefits Of Traveling
Traveling is a great time, one that creates memories for a lifetime. This is why most people travel with a special someone to share those memories with, whether it’s to visit family, visit exotic locales, or even enjoy a festival such as a Gay Wine Weekend in Napa.
The primary benefits of traveling provide a variety of health benefits as well.
Disconnect And Recharge: Travel allows you to disconnect from your everyday life, which will enable you to recharge. Being somewhere new is stimulating and motivating, and not having a 9-to-5 schedule but one where you can relax, nap, play, or do whatever is a way to recharge and reconnect with yourself and loved ones.
Reduces Stress And Anxiety: As you disconnect and recharge, you’ll also reduce your stress and relieve your anxiety. By relieving your stress and anxiety, you’re improving your physical and mental health, making you happier and enjoying a better quality of life.
Quality of life is defined as being comfortable, healthy, and able to participate in and enjoy life events. Stress and anxiety diminish the quality of life, and travel is one way to alleviate these issues.
Opens Your Mind And Increases Creativity: Traveling exposes you to different people and ways of doing things, creating better tolerance and understanding, something the world could use a little more of these days.
Additionally, becoming exposed to new thoughts and ways of doing things entices you to think differently about your problems and solutions, increasing your creativity as a happy byproduct.
The reason for increased creativity is that travel reduces stress which inhibits neurochemicals in the brain associated with happiness and creativity.
Travel Boosts Moods And Satisfaction: As you shed stress and anxiety, you become happier, and an increase in happiness tends to encourage more satisfaction. Coupled with the experiences and memories you make on your trip, your overall life satisfaction improves.
Improves Mental Resilience: Traveling exposes you to various new cultures and ways to do things and will require some thinking on your feet. One of the benefits that come from these experiences is improved resiliency, or “mental toughness.”
Overcoming the unknown of traveling somewhere new, especially if you’re traveling for an extended period, is a mentally strengthening process that provides ample benefits when you return home.
Last modified: May 25, 2023
