6 Reasons You Need to Travel in 2017
Americans have always been travelers, from the early Pioneers who sought a new life aboard wagon trains to today’s travelers who think nothing of flying over a few states to seek adventure or visit family and friends. We love to hop about this vastly diverse country, kicking up the skis out West or getting all “foodie” in Texas. And, of course, we need to score a little sunshine come February and March. Here are a cool half-dozen reasons we take to the skies.
1. Your Mom Misses You
Family comes first for most of us, whether we take off to meet our siblings, surprise our parents, or attend the annual family reunion. It’s awesome how little effort it takes to go back home. But we’re also checking out new places these days, with grandma and the kids in tow. Multigenerational travel continues to trend, and why shouldn’t it? It’s never been easier to gather the whole darn brood and cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale. Floating about between lido deck pools and breakfast buffets? What’s not to love about that kind of family gathering?
2. Your Job Needs a Break from You
Our non-vacation nation has finally learned to relax a little. Don’t call us Europeans, but we’ve realized that vacations deserve a top spot in our “quality of life” ledgers. Could be the strong economy or the fun of boasting about our beach time across all those social media feeds. Let’s not turn holidays into a work-like regimen of posts, but it’s okay to play “travel expert.” Go ahead, spread the Atlanta leisure news. Rooftop patios are blossoming, Piedmont Park has secured its place among America’s premier green spaces, and the Decatur neighborhood restaurants just keep getting better. And don’t miss the Atlanta Beltline, America’s latest awesome urban trail.
3. Your Job Needs You
Images of the work traveler inundate advertising — the exhausted air commuter falling hopelessly into his or her airport hotel room. Why don’t more business travelers step outside the conference and soak up the local culture? The Chicago River, for example, is all cleaned up and keeps getting better, with new terrace restaurants, which are also lovely inside should the wind blow. Best of all, the entertainment is guaranteed to be PowerPoint free! Skip the bad coffee next time you have a 90-minute break at a Michigan Avenue conference. Should weather permit, biking, running, or walking along the Lakeshore Trail will refresh you even more than caffeine. Or take a stroll through the Chicago Art Institute, a top 3 gallery. You’ll be up and running to another meeting in no time.
4. You Need To Learn Something
Americans are getting their history on, and we don’t show any signs of stopping. Call it the Ken Burns effect (without those floating photographs), but we crave some study in Washington’s Smithsonian Institution and National Gallery of Art. More recent additions such as the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Museum of African American History and Culture add critical layers to our craving for culture and history. Throw in a foray into the National Museum of Natural History, National Air & Space Museum, and dozens of other (free!) institutions, and you and your family will come away ready for any American Studies exam we can throw at you.
5. People Love You
6. You Need to See This
Ever spoken to a European after they’ve traveled around the U.S.? They’re consistently blown away by the diversity of our nature, like watching a black bear cross the road or mountain goat dance along a ledge just outside of Denver. Yes, Colorado means skiing, but the Rockies also translate into spring wildflowers, river rafting adventure, and, in downtown Denver itself, mile-high dining and nightlife. Denver is far from alone in offering a green gallery. The saguaro cacti of Phoenix may not resemble Colorado aspens, but the desert surrounding one of America’s fastest growing cities is every bit as dazzling any season of the year.
Louisville International Airport connects you to the people you love, the places you love to visit and the vacations you definitely love to take. So go ahead, print out this checklist and get going, because you can #FlyLouisville to any one of the locations above without a stopover — or a care – in the world. Come to think of it, easy access to nonstop destinations may be the best reason of all to travel.