While fun to daydream about, vacations are often too expensive and require too much time traveling and not enough time relaxing. Many people stay home or wind up giving themselves headaches across a tiring trip when they just wanted to explore someplace new or unwind somewhere other than their couch.
Good news: Within Hours is looking out for these people, and they can now easily find the perfect weekend destination within hours of their home.
What is Within Hours?
Within Hours is an up-and-coming tool that lets you put in your location, select the maximum time or distance you want to travel, and press "Go."
With the click of the button, you've got suggestions galore within hours of where you are. Once you choose a destination, the website brings you to Trippy, a travel website filled with suggestions for where to stay, what to eat, and what to do. The site does also seem to open Kayak search results for your own starting location that you entered, though, rather than waiting to pair that with an actual chosen destination, likely for revenue.
Why is it so popular?
Vacations can feel daunting and out of reach. Within Hours makes it easier to find one that doesn't necessarily require taking time off work or breaking the bank.
You can choose exactly how far you want and are able to go and find tons of places to explore just beyond your backyard.
How is it helping?
Not only will going on a trip closer to home help you and your budget, it can also help the environment in a number of ways.
Faraway vacations generally require flying, and aviation is responsible for 2.5% of all carbon pollution. Even domestic flights produce around six times more planet-warming pollution than driving and around 42 times more than taking a train.
Both driving and taking a bus or train are options when traveling only a few hours. If you drive an electric vehicle, even better, as they cut down on heat-trapping air pollution since they produce zero tailpipe exhaust when out on the road, and the electrical power from the grid is more energy-efficient and carbon-efficient than a gasoline combustion engine even when it's primarily produced by coal. A typical gasoline-powered car produces nearly four times more carbon pollution per mile than an electric one, depending on an area's electrical power mix.
You can lessen your environmental impact even further by seeking out and supporting eco-friendly resorts and travel destinations. Staying close to home also allows you to plan ahead and pack smart in order to avoid using single-use items.
So, staying within hours of your home as you take a break also gives the planet a break — a solid win-win.
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