6 Tips for Making the Most of a Short Trip
The quick one or two day trip can often lead to stress – how do you really take in everything in such a short time? Is it even worth it to stop? What’s the point? Sometimes our travel logistics, like long layovers, work plans, extended road trips or family realities, make short stops necessary. The good news is, short trips can actually be enjoyable. These 6 tips for making the most of a short trip set the right mood for an abbreviated stopover.
1. Pack as light as possible
This one should be easy enough – if you’re only going for a night or two, you don’t need that much stuff. Traveling with just a carry-on sized bag makes it so much easier to move around. Getting from the airport to your lodging won’t feel like such a burden if you aren’t battling a huge suitcase. Backpacks are honestly the way to go for a weekend trip – you’re light on your feet and you aren’t weighed down by too much stuff, plus you won’t have to worry about stowing bags somewhere if you need to check out of your accommodation. Think critically and pack smart.
Sometimes, these short stays at a location come on the back of a larger trip. If traveling by car, you can always pack a smaller bag for your one night stay and leave the larger bags in the car. If you’re coming by train or plane, challenge yourself to rewear outfits. Maybe you can do laundry at the location of your longer stay. Free yourself from having to spend time hauling things in, sorting through stuff, and making choices. Minimize and get out there to explore!
There are great options for weekender backpacks that could make this easy to achieve. I don’t have a backpack like this – we always just cram into our regular packs – but I think a bag like this would be so helpful.
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2. Research in advance
With such limited time in your location, you don’t want to spend an hour in the morning sifting through things to do, debating activities or routes. Take a look at those things before you arrive, choosing what you want to do and planning how you will get there. Waking up with the plans decided will allow you to enjoy without stress. Of course, it’s good to be flexible if you need to be, but starting from scratch can take time and energy that you want to spend in other ways.
Take advantage of those free online resources and podcasts and get an advance lay of the land – it will be worth it!
3. Stay close to the action
When you have a night or two in a location, it’s the perfect time to spend a little more on staying close to what you want to see. If you’re in a city, choose lodging that’s walking distance or a short trip on public transport from the biggest sites or in the neighborhood where you want to spend time. If not a city, choose a beautiful location that has hiking trails nearby or allows you to easily access the water. Not having to deal with commuting in will save time and allow for a longer day in that place.
4. Prioritize a favorite
This depends so much on your location, but it’s wise to decide on a priority before you arrive. Is there a museum that you just really want to visit, a site you want to see, a beach you want to relax on, or a hike you’re set on doing? If something is really rising up to the top, choose that thing and plan your day around it, letting go of other stuff that may be coming up second or third.
You’ll be much happier if you just go all in on the thing you really want to do instead of trying to short yourself on that thing and fit in a bunch of other stuff that wasn’t as important. This approach leads us into the next tip…
5. Set the right expectations
Half of the battle on a short trip is letting go of the idea that you will fully see or experience a place. You won’t. And honestly, you won’t even if you were to spend a whole week in a place. It takes serious time to do that, so let go of any notions that you can cram it all in in a weekend.
Instead, try to simply enjoy one or two days’ worth of exploring. Linger in what you’ve chosen to do, fully invest in those activities instead of rushing through and trying to get from one corner of the place to the other just to say that you did. Have a real experience instead of just marking off a check list.
6. If you’re in a city, get ready to walk
One of the biggest reasons for short trips is layovers, whether intentional or not. This often leaves us with 24 hours in a city, sometimes unexpectedly. If this occurs and we haven’t spent time researching, one of the best ways to really experience a city is to get out and just walk. Set yourself down in the city center and take in as many sites on foot as you can. Self-guided walking tours are readily available online for major cities. Stop as often as you want for a coffee or a snack or sit in a local park. You’ll see and discover a lot by just being out in the city.
I hope these tips for making the most of a short trip will be helpful the next time you find yourself with a day or two to spend somewhere awesome. Enjoy any time you get exploring this incredible world!
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