The average American worker only gets 10 days of paid vacation per year, so when it comes time to planning a getaway, you can’t afford to waste any time. If you’re looking to capitalize on every minute of your next vacation, here are three tips to make the most of your travel time.
Visit more than one destination
While you don’t want to spend the majority of your vacation rushing between a hefty list of destinations, it can be worthwhile to visit a few cities in the area you’re traveling to. For example, if you’re planning a getaway to Venice, why not spend a couple of days in Milan and Florence, too? You might even choose to squeeze in a nearby country, like Switzerland, Croatia or France, too. After all, how many chances do you get to visit Europe each year? If this is your once-in-a-lifetime getaway, make the most of it by crossing a few different destinations off of your travel bucket list.
But don’t overdo your itinerary
Although it can be worthwhile to visit a few destinations on your trip, you should also keep in mind that there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. If you pack your itinerary with to-dos from sun up to sun down, you’ll end up tiring yourself out and leaving no time to sit back and actually relax during your vacation. Make time to do the things you really want to do during your trip, but don’t feel pressured into having to do every single touristy thing in a destination. You can also take some of the stress off yourself by hiring a guide or going on organized tours – this way, you can sit back, relax and enjoy the experience while leaving details like transportation in someone else’s hands.
Leave distractions at home
You won’t be making the most of your travel time if you’re constantly distracted by work, emails and cell phones. While the thought of leaving your smartphone at home might send you into a small panic, turning your gadgets off during your travels will help you stay in the present moment without being distracted. Bringing work along on your trip is also a surefire way to distract yourself from the full experience of your destination, so turn off the cell phones and leave the work at the office so you can free yourself to be fully immersed in the travel experience.
(Main image: gtall1)
