Find Peace in a chaotic world: plan a trip centered in solitude and reflection.

By: Aaliyah Al-Mahdi

A girl gathering or family vacation is fun and often, it’s much needed but sometimes we need a little alone time even more. After spending a year mostly at home, one challenge to achieving relaxation is being comfortable exploring in potentially crowded spaces.

Luckily, solitude can be one of the best ways to find peace and reset our minds. Peaceful activities that promote solitude can include spending time by water or being in nature, practicing self-care or placing ourselves in a quiet environment like a public library.

Being near the water often prompts self-reflection and rejuvenation but you don’t have to make a trip to one of the coasts to reap the benefits of water. Plan a trip to a lake and, even better, visit a lake that isn’t as crowded as some of the bigger tourist destination lakes.

Explore the quieter side of the Great Lakes. In Wisconsin visit Newport State Park, Rock Island State Park or Simmons Island Beach. If you ’ re in Michigan, visit North Bar Lake, McCarty ’s Cove, Twelve mile Beach or Lake Huron Roadside Park.

Other secluded lakes to explore in the U.S. include Lake Dillon in Dillon, Colorado, which is a fresh water reservoir that offers stunning views of the Rocky Mountains. The Rangeley Lakes region in Rangeley, Maine that features six large lakes that offer peace and natural beauty.

If you plan to take a trip out west or live there and want to play in your backyard, hit Bigfork, Montana or check out Priest Lake, in Idaho. Get lost in beautiful flowers and plants by visiting some of the most spectacular botanical gardens throughout the country. Visit the United States Botanic Garden, in Washington, DC., the New York Botanical Garden, in New York City, the San Francisco Botanical Garden, the Atlanta Botanical Garden, or the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, in Coral Gables, Florida.

Many cities across the nation have botanical gardens, so check out your local scene too.

Ideas to relax inside

If you prefer to spend time indoors but don’t want to travel that far from home, look into planning a self-care weekend at a hotel near your home. Many four or five-star hotels offer massage or spa packages and that’s a perfect way to treat yourself.

Do you crave the quiet comfort of libraries? Plan a trip around visiting some of the most unique public libraries in the U.S. There are lots of libraries that are quiet sanctuaries for bookworms, but many also have unique architectural details. A few worth visiting are Ben May Main Library in Mobile, Alabama, a library that has ancient Greek design elements, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Geisel Library at UC San Diego is named for Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as "Dr. Seuss, " and the library ’s quirky, futuristic design is reminiscent of the beloved childhood author. Indianapolis's Central Library was originally constructed 100 hundred years ago in Greek Doric style, and has recently been renovated with a 10,000-square-foot glass atrium that provides expansive views of the city skyline.

Now that you have a few ideas of how to get out and spend some quiet time reflecting, carve out time and commit to a weekend or even a week—for yourself.