Memorial Day weekend represents the start of the summer travel season, so it was disappointing to see gas prices hit $3.86 per gallon of regular this morning.

But don’t fret — you don’t need to travel halfway across the state or the country to find summer adventure.

Whether it’s spending an afternoon in one of Austin’s nearly 30 parks, or driving an hour to the Bluff Country, there’s plenty to do in southern Minnesota — and it’s all less than a tank of gas away.

Why not take up disc golf? Or bike, walk or inline skate down some of our miles of paved trails in town? Or take your bike to LeRoy and hop on the Shooting Star Trail. There are also several golf courses for all abilities and budgets in the immediate area.

There’s not much any individual can do to combat high gas prices, but with the right attitude about summer activities and travel, so look to local opportunities to save. Plus, staying in town over weekends has the additional benefit of also keeping Austin dollars in Austin. Local businesses are also being hit by rising fuel prices, so every dollar we can keep in town will ease the burden.