Escape the city
Six top day trip ideas
Whether it’s the tranquil lakes of Milan or the sun-blasted deserts of Las Vegas, traveldk.com is packed with day trip ideas to take you out of the city and into the surrounding countryside. Here are six places we’ve picked out where the great outdoors is within touching distance of the city limits...
1. Las Vegas – Death Valley National Park
When it comes to nearby impressive landscapes, Las Vegas isn’t short of an option or two. As you escape the blinking lights and whirring slot machines, a series of natural wonders unfolds, each seemingly more remarkable than the last. Red Rock Canyon is the closest to the city, but Zion Canyon and, of course, the peerless Grand Canyon are both within striking distance.
At about 90 miles (145km) away, you’d have to get up early to fit Aguereberry Point into a day trip. But it would be worth it as, high in the Panamint Mountains, the point offers panoramic views across Death Valley National Park, taking in Furnace Creek and the snow-capped Sierra Nevada.
Get out to more amazing landscapes with one of our top ten Las Vegas commercial tours
2. Copenhagen – Køge Bugt Strandpark
Dotted with parks, gardens and open spaces, Copenhagen is undoubtedly one of the greenest cities in Europe. Venture just outside the city, though, and things just get better and better, as a string of surprisingly pleasant beaches run away in every direction.
Køge Bugt Strandpark (a broad bay to the west of the city) is nowhere near as ‘wild’ as a couple of the other natural attractions we’ve picked out. But it nevertheless makes for a fantastic place to take a day trip and while away a lazy afternoon by wandering along the shore or, when the sun shines, stretched out on the sand.
See more of our top ten Copenhagen outdoor activities
3. Boston – Cape Ann
Thirty miles (48 km) north of Boston, the granite brow of Cape Ann juts defiantly into the Atlantic – a rugged landscape of precipitous cliffs and deeply cleft harbors. When the weather closes in and the sea gets up, the coastline has a wildly dramatic feel to it; in Gloucester, a waterfront plaque memorializes the 10,000 local fishermen who have perished at sea since 1623.
Read more of our top ten Boston seaside day trips
4. Hong Kong – Cape D’Aguilar
With its soaring skyscrapers, its noisy markets and its bustling harbor, it’s easy to forget that Hong Kong is surrounded by areas of extreme natural beauty. The looming Tai Mo Shan peak makes for an impressive spectacle; Bride’s Pool, a stunning waterfall and picnicking spot, while there are also beaches galore.
It may be only 7 miles (11 km) directly south of Hong Kong’s busy Central district, but Cape D’Aguilar feels like another world. The wild coastline has wave-lashed rock formations and a marine life so rich that researchers have discovered 20 species “new to science” in these waters.
Find out more about the top ten areas of natural beauty in Hong Kong
5. San Antonio – Friedrich Wilderness Park
San Antonio is yet another large US city surrounded by more than its fair share of impressive natural landscapes. The coast especially is home to the magnificent Padre Island National Seashore, and Aransas National Wildlife Refuge – although both are perhaps a little far for your average day trip.
Conveniently enough, Friedrich Wilderness Park is a little closer at hand. A great place to hike and experience the untouched beauty of the Hill Country, this 600-acre nature preserve, just northwest of San Antonio, is a pristine natural area of beautiful trails. Creeks, springs, hilltops, and wooded canyons maintain a large population of fascinating native birds and animals.
Check out the rest of our top ten San Antonio parks, gardens and natural wonders
6. Milan – the lakes of Lombardy
There’s no better way to escape the clamor of mopeds and the sticky heat of a summer in Milan, than with a trip to Lombardy lake country. Lake Como and Lake Maggiore are both within a fairly comfortable day trip distance of the city – with the former being particularly spectacular.
Lake Idro, however, is a little further away – and quite a lot less prestigious – but is in many ways more charming. Sports and the lake’s natural beauty are to the fore, while cultural highlights are Anfo’s 16th-century castle and the 15th-century frescos in the church of Sant’Antonio. And if you end up having to turn a day trip into an overnight stay… well, it’s not exactly a hardship!
Look into the smaller lakes and towns of Lombardy
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