From sunrise to sunset, every day is ripe with promise and full of possibility. It would be fair to say that — for travellers in particular — each second represents not simply the passage of time, but an opportunity to get a true sense of place.
This ethos has always been part of the traveller’s story, but today, we find it’s driving the current surge in the popularity of one whirlwind fad. With the clock ticking and not a moment to spare, let’s seize the day by delving into the world of extreme day trips and explore how travellers and destinations alike can capitalise on one of 2025’s most notable travel trends.
A trend with traction
Forget skydiving or bungee jumping; extreme day trips are quite literally just that: journeys that can be undertaken in a day with no overnight accommodation needed. Most commonly undertaken by air, these trips often involve early morning departures and late-night returns, allowing travellers to range as far from home as possible between sunrise and sunset.
For European travellers, this puts the far edges of the continent within easy reach, making it a snap to visit iconic landmarks or dip a toe into local culture. The extreme day trip phenomenon began way back in 2019 but by mid-2024 had gained considerable traction thanks to social media. Now in 2025 the craze for extreme day trips — largely driven by good flight connections and cheaper fares — has truly taken off (if you’ll excuse the pun!). As a phenomenon, it taps right into the desire of today’s travellers to have unique, shareable experiences in limited timeframes and — even better — on limited budgets.
Destinations that have airports with frequent flights between certain cities are extreme day trip gold."
While influencer tips for extreme day trips abound, here are some practical pointers to help you make the most of this trend:
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Before you book (more on that below), get familiar with flight schedules. If you’re lucky, your departure airport might offer flights to a range of cities across multiple carriers. This means that you might have a wider choice of destinations at a variety of price points.
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Book ahead for optimal flight times and prices. That being said, you’ll likely find that an early morning departure followed by a late-night return will give you the maximum amount of time to enjoy your chosen destination.
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Plan ahead. What do you really want to do and see when you get to your destination? Where are those points of interest in relation to the airport? Can you jump the queue by pre-booking any of your must-do experiences (tours, etc.)?
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Budget. Yes, you are saving cash by not having to book overnight accommodation … but don’t forget to factor food and transport costs into your budget.
Tapping into a trend with creative content
For destinations, extreme day trips are yet another way to attract and engage with visitors. To make the most of this niche trend, Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) should not only understand what extreme day trippers are looking for when they plan their journeys but consider how their destination can meet the criteria of this subset of travellers.
For example, destinations that have airports with frequent flights between certain cities are extreme day trip gold. If the destination you represent falls into this lucky category, then it’s time to get strategic; use the dynamic power of the Simpleview CMS to create content along the lines of ‘experience X in a day’ itineraries or bespoke landing pages that speak directly to the high-energy, whirlwind experiences that this group of travellers crave. Next, consider refining this content to address the points we mentioned above to show how your destination slots perfectly into the extreme day trip trend. Highlight your points of interest, your outstanding food, your unique culture — anything that might make you as a destination attractive to this subset of travellers.
Going even further, if you know that your destination has frequent flights to and from a particular place, it might be worth creating a marketing campaign to target these inbound travellers in their home city, thus capturing their attention before they’ve even left the ground.
Extreme day trips in action
Among our European clients, the trend for extreme day trips has been gaining traction for some time, with many already actively creating content that’s perfectly suited to meet the demands of whistlestop itineraries. While Visit Liverpool has gone down the classic ‘bucket list’ route, Discover Northern Ireland and Visit Belfast have suggested themed itineraries to excite and inspire travellers who want to make the most of their time in their destination of choice. Visit Manchester offers up a TV and film-themed itinerary while Visit Andalucia suggests that — for time-pressed travellers to this part of Spain — the region is best explored via a day spent in the city of Jaén. For extreme day trippers headed to Norway, the sheer variety of content on VisitNorway.com is a real treat. With just a quick scan or scroll, day trippers can cram experience after experience into every hour of their journey in every corner of the country — from Oslo to Bergen and beyond!