Think you don’t have time to travel? Think again. By getting a little creative with your scheduling, you can start fitting more trips and adventures into your busy schedule. Here are four tips to help you find time to travel.
Travel during long weekends
Holidays like Labor Day and Memorial Day mean a three-day weekend for most people. And when holidays fall on a Tuesday or Thursday, you just might find yourself with a four-day weekend on your hands. Rather than staying at home, why not use the opportunity to take a short trip? Three or four days can be plenty to explore a smaller city that’s long been on your bucket list.
Explore nearby locales on the weekend
If you only have the weekends to travel, don’t think that it’s impossible. Instead, plan trips for destinations within a few hours of your home. You can fit day trips or overnight trips into your weekends, and you don’t have to travel that far from home. Is the beach a two-hour drive away? Then, pack the swimsuits and sunscreen and head out for the day. Live within driving distance of a larger city like Seattle or Chicago? Then why not spend a weekend there exploring the town? Don’t limit your travel to big trips or international destinations – there’s plenty to explore in your backyard.
Use your vacation days
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average full-time U.S. employee gets 8.1 vacation days per year – so use them! Your best strategy? Use your vacation days in combination with a holiday or long weekend, which can turn a three-day weekend into a nine-day vacation by using just four vacation days between two weekends.
Take advantage of business travel opportunities
If your job calls for business travel, take advantage of the opportunity. See if you can extend your stay by paying for lodging through the weekend, giving you time to explore the destination after business is taken care of.
What are your best tips for making time to travel?
(Main image: Doug Waldron used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)
