10 Ways to Make the Most of a Weekend Getaway

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Once you’ve found the ideal vacation spot it will be tempting to return to your preferred destination over and over again. While everyone should have “their place,” sometimes it is good to shake things up. Seemingly boring cities may actually have a lot to offer; camp sites that aren’t nestled high up in the mountains or hugging the coast can provide just as much natural beauty as their more crowded counterparts. If there isn’t much around you, challenge yourself to explore a new neighborhood of Boise or Montgomery or Cheyenne that you haven’t seen before. If this new adventure isn’t for you, you can return that much more confidently to “your spot” the next time you get away.

Americans are notoriously vacation-phobic. We live in perpetual fear of disappointing our bosses, afraid to ask for the slightest exception or extension when it comes to R&R. If you can get away with it, don’t be afraid to ask the boss if you can leave early. If you can’t get out of work a couple hours before quitting time, at least make sure you’ve got everything ready to go once you’re out the door. If you’ve got your bags packed, your tickets printed, and your booze on ice, you’ll be able to endure rush hour on the way to your destination instead of running around finishing last-minute pre-trip errands.

Don’t view the place where you’re staying as merely the spot where you will lay your head. There are so many websites and apps trying to offer you the best hospitality experience possible—you should take advantages of them. Don’t just look for the cheapest hotel; there are so many other variables you should consider. Is the place you’re staying in a cool and convenient neighborhood? Are there hotels that offer interesting décor or entertainment without premium prices? What do people have to say about the staff, particularly the concierge? If you are heading into your weekend hoping to get away with trying to save a few bucks instead of having a great experience, you might want to save up a little more money between getaways. Even if you are vacationing on a tighter budget, in the age of Airbnb, Expedia, Hotel Tonight, and all of the rest, there is no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy your accommodations.

The Yelp argument has become an all too common part of any vacation. After reading reviews and comparing star ratings, no one wants to end up at a bad spot. Too often, these arguments persist through the dinner hour until everyone is so exhausted that they just settle on a nearby place. Avoid Yelp fatigue by doing your homework beforehand. Yelp, Urbanspoon, and many other websites provide a wealth of information, and as you’re enduring the monotony of your job, you can daydream about the food that you’ll eat when the week is finally over and you are released from the tyranny of office lunches.

We all know that it’s a good idea to research your trip instead of stumbling blindly through your destination. While we are focused on finding great things to do, the Internet is equally helpful in finding things not to do. There is nothing wrong with spontaneity, but before you spend an afternoon on a walking tour, shopping spree, or outdoor excursion, it’s a good idea to give the thing a Google. One terrible afternoon is enough to through off your entire weekend, so proceed to tourist attractions with caution.

Don’t assume that every place has the same transportation infrastructure as your hometown. You can drive anywhere, but do you want to spend your entire weekend sitting in traffic? Sure, the area is bikeable, but if major destinations are miles apart, you’ll feel like you spent your whole weekend training instead of relaxing. If your bohemian lifestyle depends on Uber or Lyft, make sure wherever you’re going has the same 21st century mindset. Planning out how you’re going to get around on your trip is pretty boring, but it is well worth the time it will save.

Everyone loves to sound like an expert. Before you hit the road, put out the word on Facebook and Twitter. Odds are that you know someone who has been somewhere you could possibly want to go. Sourcing your network is great because you know the credentials of those giving you the advice. Trust your foodie friends when it comes to restaurants, your artsy friends when it comes to live music and art galleries, and, well, some of you know better than to trust at all.

The Internet has broken pretty much every concept down into list form. And though this has resulted in far too many lists involving corgis doing cute things, there have been some positives. There is a list out there for everything that a savvy traveler may want to know. You are only a click away from “The Best Brunches in New Brunswick,” “The Best Bars in Boston,” and “The Best Strip Clubs in Portland.” These lists are usually written by people who are in the know, but if you aren’t sure whether or not they’re to be believed, you can always Google the byline before taking the recommendation.

In the age of search engines and social media we have gotten away from the useful practice of talking to other human beings. Though online resources are helpful, sometimes the best bet is local word of mouth. How long is the line? Is this an okay part of town? What’s good here? These questions, and many more, may be answered faster on the street than via tweet. Furthermore, the people are an important part of any place, and if you deny yourself the chance to talk with the locals, you’ll miss out on one of the best parts of the vacation experience.

Let social media happen organically. It’s sad to say, but even the least plugged-in among us can easily fall into the habit of doing it for Facebook and not for the self. We all want to share the cool things that we’re doing with the world, but it is good to step back from time to time and ask yourself if this need to share is actually inhibiting our experience. On your next trip enjoy a sunset without taking a picture of it, visit a restaurant without tagging yourself there, or take in a tour without tweeting a snarky comment. When you wake up the next morning, you’ll realize that not much in your world has changed, except that you might have missed out on a couple favs, which is to say you won’t have missed out on anything at all.