I travel a lot for work. Here’s how I maximize my time in each city to turn every trip into a mini vacation.

I’ve learned how to make the most of my work trips.

Olivia Bardo

After starting a job that requires me to travel a lot, I’ve learned to make the most of each trip.
I turn every trip into a mini vacation by maximizing my evenings and mornings.
I try to extend my trip by arriving a day early and staying over the weekend.

When I started my new job, I was thrilled to discover the position would entail occasional travel.

I daydreamed about packing my bags and jetting off to new places, but quickly realized that most of my time would be spent in hotel ballrooms and windowless convention halls.

I struggled with the thought that I’d mostly get to see each city during the drive from the airport to the hotel. However, I realized it didn’t have to be this way.

Here are a few strategies I’ve developed to maximize my time and create mini vacations on every work trip.

I arrive a day early and knock out some of the touristy activities.

A view of the Pittsburgh skyline as the sun shines on a body of water with a bridge over it. — I’ve grown to love exploring new cities on my own.
Olivia Bardo

Traveling for work has taught me to feel comfortable exploring new places by myself. I like to arrive a day early to make sure I have time to see everything I want to.

Since I’m usually able to check into my hotel room early, I can drop off my bags and get right to exploring the area.

In Pittsburgh, I used this extra time to go on a self-guided walking tour of the city, stopping by the Andy Warhol Museum and Point State Park.

During my first day in Chicago, I made sure to hit all the biggest tourist attractions, including the Riverwalk, the Bean, and Lake Michigan.

I wake up early to make the most of my mornings.

A view of the Chicago skyline with clouds covering some of the buildings. — I take advantage of as much of the day as possible.
Olivia Bardo

Waking up early is a great way to work some more time into the day. Even if I can only get a few hours to myself on a trip, I at least try to visit an art museum, a popular restaurant, and a local coffee shop, exploring the surrounding area along the way.

Having a limited amount of time can sometimes pose a challenge — but a fun one. My fiancé was able to join me in Chicago, where we embarked on a quest to try as many restaurants featured on “The Bear” as possible.

One morning, we visited Kasama, the first Filipino restaurant to receive a Michelin star. Another day, we opted for an early lunch and ate at Mr. Beef, the sandwich shop that inspired the TV show.

I dig into my evenings and experience the city by night.

A view of a Chicago Cubs baseball game from the stands. — The evenings are great for taking advantage of the city’s various offerings.
Olivia Bardo

While in Chicago, I caught a Cubs game in the evening and watched the sunset over Wrigley Field.

Another evening, I wandered around the Art Institute and enjoyed a view of the skyline at a rooftop bar and restaurant.

If I’m not feeling up to leaving my hotel, I’ll do a quick internet search for some of the top restaurants in the area and order takeout. This way, I get to experience local flavors from the comfort of my bed.

I try to extend my visit and stay over the weekend.

An exhibit at Pittsburgh's Randyland, an eccentric outdoor art museum. — I didn’t have too much time in Pittsburgh, but I still made sure to check out Randyland.
Olivia Bardo

If possible, I try to stay in the city for an extra day or two to truly indulge in a mini vacation.

After a long week of conferences and networking, I like to relax during my remaining time and visit some places I didn’t have time for earlier.

My Pittsburgh trip was short, but before I returned home, I stopped at a local coffee shop and walked through Randyland, an eccentric outdoor art museum.

Even though traveling for work can be tiring and time-consuming, there are plenty of opportunities to make the most out of each trip.

Read the original article on Business Insider

This article was originally published by Olivia Bardo at All Content from Business Insider (https://www.businessinsider.com/turning-work-trips-into-vacations-according-to-frequent-traveler).

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