If you don’t have the time to take a full-blown vacation, a weekend getaway can help satisfy your wanderlust until you can get time off of work for a longer period. With any weekend getaway, though, it’s important that you know how to make the most of it to ensure it doesn’t end up being more stressful than relaxing. Here are a few tips to help you maximize your weekends away so that you look forward even more to the time between Friday and Monday.
Overplan
Whether you love planning almost more than the actual trip or you like to live life spontaneously, a weekend getaway is an important time to do some fairly thorough planning. With so little time to spend on the getaway, you want to ensure that none of the time you do have is wasted. Therefore, be sure you know important details like the opening and closing times of various attractions you want to see and whether or not a certain restaurant needs reservations to ensure you get to do everything you want to do.
Go with the Group
Although an individual or family getaway can be a lot of fun, there’s something about group travel that really helps to maximize a weekend getaway. In many cases, companies that offer group travel also organize all the details regarding the travel itself, including transportation, attractions, and accommodations. This allows someone else to do the hard work of planning and then enacting those plans once the weekend is underway. Plus, by going with a group, you get to experience the trip with new people, potentially making friends that will last for a lifetime.
Come Fly with Me
If you really want to make the most of your weekend getaway, it’s crucial that you have as much time at your destination as possible. If your destination is far away, it’s a good idea to consider flying instead of driving to that destination. In most cases, any destination that is six hours away or more will be easier and faster to get to by flying than driving. Then, once you arrive at your destination, you can use the time you save to enjoy more of the local attractions.
Set Realistic Expectations
When you’re headed into a weekend getaway, it’s important to keep in mind that no matter how much fun you’re able to have and how many sights you’re able to see, a weekend is not as long as a week. Don’t have overblown expectations for what you’ll be able to accomplish on your getaway, or you’ll risk being disappointed and stressed by the time it’s done. Instead, set realistic expectations that will prevent you from overbooking yourself so you can have some time to slow down and truly enjoy the activities you select.
Keep the Memories Alive
When you’ve returned home from your weekend getaway, the best way to make the most of it is to keep the memories alive. Whether it’s posting pictures on social media, reminiscing with those you took the trip with, or creating a photo album keepsake that you can enjoy for years, keeping alive the memories you make will allow you to continue to relive the wonderful experiences you had for a long time to come.
