The Travel Bug

It starts with a feeling resembling restlessness. It starts in your toes. You don’t know why, your feet begin to shake and you jump up from the couch. You begin to panic a little, wondering what on earth is happening to you, and you find yourself pacing the kitchen, clawing your hair and itching your arms. You find yourself on an airline website researching trips to Bolivia. Why Bolivia? You don’t really know, but what a deal! And heck, in the spirit of adventure, one-way ticket it is! You find yourself on a travel website buying all of the necessities for a seven-day trek through the mountains of Switzerland. “I guess I need hiking boots, and those socks, and wow those socks too, and holy moly buy four get one? Add to cart! Wow, what a deal on that mosquito net! Do they have mosquitoes in Switzerland? Oh well, add to cart!”

It’s only when you decide to check out and pay for all of the items in your cart, or pay the fee for an extra checked piece of luggage, that you emerge from that altered stage of consciousness. “How long have I been here? Where am I?” That large price tag pulls you out of your reverie and you find one flaw in your grand travel plans: you’re a college student, and you don’t have any money. You sigh, unpack your suitcase and crawl into the typical fetal position of the thwarted vagabond. It’s called the travel bug, dear friend. And you have a raging case of it.

I studied abroad in Ireland this past semester, which was not only the world’s most beautiful place in and of itself, but it offers excellent access to traveling throughout Europe. Whenever my friends and I would get a little itchy, we’d peruse destinations of the cheap but sketchy RyanAir. We impulsively bought plane tickets while sipping chai-tea lattes in Galway coffee shops, and planned on figuring everything else when we got there. Paris, London, Prague and Scotland were all just a short flight away.

Now that I’m back home in the landlocked Midwest where plane tickets are expensive enough to drain the little savings I have left, I’ve found the travel bug to be worse than ever. In order to stop the scratching and sleep better at night, you have to get a little creative, in my experience. You might even have to compromise a little, but you’d be better off to build up that bank account for your next epic adventure. Here are some shorter travel ideas for us Madisonians. Note: you’ll need a car, or a friend or who has a car, or a good thumb for hitchhiking (not recommended by the author).

Click to view destinations on google maps

1. Devil’s Lake State Park: Here you’ll find a plethora of fun outdoor activities from hiking to kayaking. You can bring a picnic with friends and chill out by the lake or, for more active travelers, take the trail that loops the entire lake (takes a typical hiker about three hours). To escape the crowds that flock to the Lake, visit nearby Parfrey’s Glen and Pewit’s Nest; both beautiful hikes near the park that wind you up through deep gorges and gurgling streams.

Pewit’s Nest

2. Chicago: If you’re more of a city type of traveler, you’re not far from one of the largest cities in the country. Van Galder and Megabus will take you there for reasonable prices. If you’ve never been to Chicago before, you’ll probably want to check out the Bean in Millenium Park. I’m actually not sure why this is such a big deal, but it seems like a customary thing for Chicago travelers to witness. Close by is Navy Pier, which offers a whole plethora of activities from films, fireworks, a circus and shopping. Also check out the Art Institute of Chicago for some state of the art, uhhh, art. The Shedd Aquarium is a popular destination, boasting about 32,600 animals.

The Bean

3. La Crosse: Head to the river town located two hours west of Madison. If you have a little extra cash, splurge on a paddlewheel trip with the La Crosse Queen. It’s $15 for a sightseeing cruise and a little more than double that for a dinner cruise. You can also excursion to Grandad’s Bluff Park. Drive or cycle up a winding road to the top, picnic on some tables dispersed through the air and hike the wooded trees around the bluff that overlooks the river and the city.

4. Visit Dr. Evermor: Stop by this strange but awe-striking collection of “folk art” on the way to Devil’s Lake on Highway 12. Dr. Evermor uses old trash and large discarded metalworks and puts them together to make magical pieces of art. While walking through the metal wonderland, you are constantly struck by the materials Dr. Evermor uses to make a bird, for example. There’s a trumpet, some old wind chimes, a hubcap and some old gears and gosh-darn-it that’s a masterpiece! You’ll also see Dr. Evermor’s Time Machine constructed out of at least three gazebos, the majority of a train and enough metal to put braces on every kid in North America. You could wander the place for hours or stop by the questionable thrift shop next door. You’ll find some great deals on old wine glasses, but you’ll also find great deals on boxed cereal that expired three years ago.

Dr. Evermor’s Forevertron

5. A more ambitious trip will take you to Hayward, Wisc., one of the biggest tourist destinations in the upper Midwest. Drive five hours north and you’ll reach the quaint little town surrounded by countless lakes. Find someone who knows someone and stay at their cabin or pitch your tent/drive your RV to Lake Chippewa Campground. You’ll find countless recreational activities at your fingertips from canoeing, kayaking, tubing, water-skiing and fishing. You could even attend the annual Lumberjack World Championships if you venture there at the end of July. The town is most famous for a large fish statue that is part of the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame, so that should be first on your list.

Hayward’s Giant Fish

There are many more destinations in the upper Midwest, believe it or not, but I’ll leave you to find those for yourself. That’s part of the fun of traveling, right? Keep in mind that there is no cure for the Travel Bug, only treatment. No matter how much you travel or wherever you go, your itch will only be satisfied for a short while. The length of treatment depends on the individual. Above are some minor topical solutions I recommend for monthly/weekly use. Just remember you’re not alone out there; no one is immune to the travel bug.