You don't have to go out of the country to have a great vacation - and you don't have to fork over a lot of cash either. You can easily have a wonderful family vacation without spending much more than gas money if you visit one of the hundreds of lakes right here in the United States. Getting in touch with nature can be a great way to bond with your significant other and/or your children, and an even better way to really appreciate the world around you. Here are three reasons why your next vacation should be to a lake — don't forget your bathing suit.
Get Away from the City
Do you ever get tired of sitting at your desk, typing away at your computer? Do you find yourself staring listlessly out the window, wishing you weren't stuck inside your cubicle or home office all day? Everyone gets a bit overwhelmed with city life sometimes. We spend a lot of time either on our computers or smartphones, or trying to commute through the clogged city streets full of pollution, which can be extremely stressful. A lake vacation is the perfect remedy for this, because most lakes are located in fields or forests surrounded by trees and very few people. You can breathe fresher, cleaner air; go swimming or fishing; or just sit in a chair on the banks of the water and enjoy being away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Get in Touch With Nature
Piggybacking on our last point, scientific studies have shown that spending all of your time in an urban environment can lead to a decrease in memory and self-control (not to mention a much shorter temper and attention span). Nature, however, can have the opposite effect. These same studies have shown that just being able to see a tree from one's hospital room window can help to speed up recovery after an injury or surgery, and that people are better able to focus if they can see some sort of nature in their vicinity. If all it takes is one tree to make you think and feel better, just imagine what spending a few days near a lake could do.
There Are so Many Lakes That Deserve to Be Visited
Some people might just think that the only lakes worth visiting in America are the five Great Lakes. While these lakes are great (and you should definitely visit them too), they are only a tiny fraction of all the lakes you could be visiting. There are more than 1,681 lakes in the United States alone, many of which are located on nature preserves or in national parks. Every state has at least one lake worth visiting, many of which are off the beaten path. These lakes are also usually less "touristy" than other destinations you could visit, making them the perfect place to have a peaceful, stress-free vacation.