The Thrill of Extreme Day Trips

Have you ever thought about taking a flight to a destination hundreds of kilometres away and returning on the same day? If so, you’d be joining nearly 240,000 members of the Extreme Day Trips Facebook group. Many people grapple with limited time and budgets yet still possess a strong desire to explore new places. In recent years, a growing number of adventurers have opted for extreme day trips, quite literally pushing the boundaries of what a day trip can entail.

While some ambitious day trippers have managed to travel as far as New York and Abu Dhabi and back in a single day, most tend to focus on more accessible European hubs. Although visiting a location for less than 24 hours may not offer the most relaxing experience, it often represents the only viable option for many eager travelers.

Euronews Travel spoke with the founder of the group, along with several active members, to delve deeper into the motivations behind these extreme excursions.

Why Do People Opt for Such Brief Getaways?

“I would define it as extreme mainly because of the way train transport operates in the UK,” explains Nat Bocking, a film technician from Suffolk. “Ironically, it can be more economical to fly to destinations like Billund for Legoland than to travel to Windsor, which is home to the UK’s Legoland.”

Train fares in the UK can often be prohibitively high for many travelers. Despite the environmental benefits of train travel, the stark reality is that flights abroad can frequently be cheaper than a domestic train ticket. For budget-conscious individuals, flying can often be the only feasible method to experience new locations and escape the mundanity of daily life, all while redefining what it means to be ‘extreme.’

“Before I joined the group, I realized that these flights were often less expensive than rail tickets. When I came across a Ryanair deal offering flights for just 1p each way, I thought, ‘What do I have to lose?’” Nat recalls, reflecting on his initial foray into extreme day trips.

Adventures Await

For the members of this unique group, embarking on a spontaneous journey to places like Switzerland for less than 24 hours is all part of the adventure—literally. Each trip becomes a story to tell, a cherished memory, and a testament to the thrill of travel.