Free search tool to find day trip destinations

By Clara Bosonetto Maerz

For the AJC

With school on summer hiatus, the dreaded "boredom syndrome" will start to sink in. With the help of A Day's Outing there's no need for the family to get restless.

A Day’s Outing is a free search tool that helps users discover nearby activities and events, short-distance day trips, and weekend getaways. The upside to a 'staycation' trip is that it doesn't break the bank. So be spontaneous this summer and discover fun activities to keep the kids busy and parents happy.

The web site details many activities, historical points of interest, local museums, gardens, and hidden treasures close to home. And with a gallon of gas priced at $2.70, a road trip out of town is still affordable.

Activities you'll find at A Day’s Outing might include nearby petting zoos, hands-on arts and crafts activities, special movie events in town, or local fairs happening in the next town over. A Day’s Outing is also a great tool for those who may already be on vacation, looking for a great side trip. Users simply plug in their present location, personal interests and how far they are willing to travel. In return they will see a list of nearby attractions, activities and events that they may not have found as easily if they had only been scanning local newspaper listings, outdated hotel guides and flyers, or a slew of separate web sites.

A Day’s Outing is getting ready to expand from the mid-Atlantic to a nationwide day trip service. The company will also be making suggestions via an iPhone app, which users can access to spontaneously find activities and points of interest while on the road.

http://www.adaysouting.com

Clara Bosonetto Maerz is a retired travel consultant.