The daytrips locals take around Avignon...

 Half day trips 

No need of a travel agent to take those easy half-day trips around Avignon : by local bus number 16 you can reach Villeneuve (lovely fortress and Renaissance monuments), or the green Barthelasse Island... For a picnic, the Montagnette and its olive and almond orchards beckons, only a few km. across river Durance by bus 57 to Barbentane. And a mini cruise on the mighty Rhône river for lunch or at sunset is very good value.

Full day excursions :

Like many citizens of Avignon,  you don't really need a car to take a break. You could travel south by train to Arles : monuments and museums,  photo galeries galore and the new Luma Art fondation, or to the North, to Orange, a city famous for its well preserved roman theater, arch, and very provençal ambiance. Or to the east, to lovely L'Isle sur Sorgues a city of canals and antiques dealers, and the nearby magical Fontaine de Vaucluse spring. To the west, a favorite of locals by bus is the trip to Pont du Gard, huge roman aqueduct, best seen  from under by paddling in the river on a hired canoë.

Where else ? Nîmes, a city that rivals Avignon in monuments and vibrant inner city shopping. Another favorite is mount Ventoux ( can't miss it, at 1990m it rises like a volcano on the Avignon skyline.)  Luberon hills with Sénanque abbey and Gordes,  Alpilles with van Gogh museum in Saint-Rémy and the lovely village of Les Baux... Camargue and the beaches of La Grande-Motte or Saintes-Maries are also much appreciated day trips for Avignonese... I'll be glad to show you how to get there with no fuss and on any budget.