Some say that frequent traveling is more than just an experience, it’s a lifestyle. You live to travel, and yes, the lifestyle is so attractive and fulfilling, you feel anxious and uncomfortable just waiting for your next trip. It sounds like you have a bad case of wanderlust. Don’t let those negative feelings affect your life. Instead, take a look at these tips to calm your wanderlust through everyday activities.

Take a Day Trip

Studies show that even the simple act of planning a trip boosts our mood. Using your weekends for day trips is a great way to take advantage of this effect. A day trip should be designed so that you can leave and come back home on the same day. Start by picking a city or park within about an hour’s drive. Do some research to see what shops and attractions it has to offer. Often times, a great resource for finding little-known spots in towns are their Chamber of Commerce or Downtown Associations. These organizations often put together maps and magazines of shops, parks and events specifically aimed at out-of-towners. Look for interesting shops and restaurants, cultural events and First Friday-type celebrations. Once you have your trip planned, take the day (and maybe a friend) to relax and explore a new place.

Staycation

Don’t feel like driving much? Take a staycation in your very own town. Chances are, you don’t know the place you call home as well as you think you do.  Follow the same research process as you would for a day trip, but apply it to an area within walking distance. Traveling local has the ability to save you money so you can focus on places to eat or attractions you want to go see, and you will be supporting local businesses by staying close to home! There are also plenty of ways to relax during your staycation that don’t involve shopping. Going swimming or seeing performances at the local theater are great ways to get out and about. You might just discover a new interest!

Get into Nature

If you want to travel but don’t feel like being in the city, hiking can help you get away from it all. A 90 minuet hike has been shown to reduce stress and negative thoughts. Other studies link hiking to physical benefits such as reduced inflammation, a strong immune system and decreased instances of myopia. Depending on how you personally like to relax, you can hike by yourself or with a friend. Or, in making new friends is an essential part of your travel experience, consider looking for hiking clubs in your area through sites like Meetup.com. These groups are often friendly and extremely welcoming to new members no matter their experience level.

Explore Travel Media

Reading books and watching travel-centric movies is an inexpensive way of passing the time between big trips. To help you find content, look on specialized websites such as Longitude Books for suggestions about where to start. This site reviews and sells various travel-centric books and magazines, and also categorizes them by region for easy discovery. Another option is to look into IMAX documentaries. IMAX movies are shot using extremely high quality equipment, and projected onto enormous screens to provide an immersive experience. While you won’t actually be traveling to Madagascar or Antarctica, a well-make IMAX film will make you feel like you’re in the middle of the action.

Plan a Cultural Day

For a more DIY approach to wanderlust-calming, plan a day to totally immerse yourself in a location. It might be the place you plan to visit next, or it might be somewhere you’re curious about. Pick up some music and movies set in that location from your local library. Then, browse the net for recipes from that region. Look for sites that focus specifically on your area of interest, or better yet, cooking blogs written by natives. Take a day and completely immerse yourself in the food, music, films and tales. You will learn something new about the region, and come out feeling like you’ve traveled without ever leaving home.

For the avid traveler, there are plenty of ways to ease wanderlust without hopping on a plane. Day trips and hiking offer ways to explore new areas, while staycations and cultural days can be done in the comfort of your own home. Travel magazines and movies can keep you occupied in between trips, while IMAX movies will make you feel like you’re really in the wilds. For those affected by wanderlust, there could be nothing better.