As many hope to see things open up even further, there’s one woman on a mission to show how you can make the most of everything Central New York has to offer.
“Whether it's someone that has lived in their keys their whole life or someone who's brand new to the area, there are always new things that I am willing and want to share with them,” said Danielle Benjamin.
Benjamin started ‘Wanderlust on a Budget’ a few years back as a passion project, and it’s become so much more.
If you’re in the heart of New York State, she’s got you covered on things like local history.
“There's so many important places about the Underground Railroad, right here in Central New York,” Benjamin noted. “So I've visited personally quite a few of them and still have a long list to go, but sharing those stories that people just don't know about.”
From the unsung heroes of the area to the unseen spots in nature, she’s got those on her list as well.
“I try to get to at least a new place a week. Sometimes it's, you know, a full day trip, sometimes it's a quick after work. Adventure mode, it really depends,” she added. “I tried to do as much as I can but, you know, there’s only so many hours in a day.”
As difficult as it may be, some people are surprised to find how close some hidden gems are.
“I find all the time when I talk to friends or family about something I recently did," Benjamin said. "They're shocked, like, ‘wait, that's like five miles from our house, really?’ ”
But it’s constantly on the road, nights and weekends for Benjamin.
Some of her most publicly ‘acclaimed’ work has been putting local businesses on the map, for those who’ve kept open. It’s those people and folks who stumbled on to blogs and social media, like Wanderlust on a Budget, who have felt safer coming back out.
“Everyone was so unsure, it was a whole new thing. So it's just helpful for the community and the businesses,” said Benjamin.
Whatever reason people are taking notice, Benjamin sees no end in sight.
“This is what I absolutely love. I love, you know, learning new things, experiencing new things; whether that's new food, learning new languages, learning new cultures, you know, just getting out there and connecting with the community and learning and not being afraid to try something new,” said Benjamin.