Sometimes, the best trips are short haul. A quick in and out of a new place on a cheap flight you scored last minute. Usually these trips aren’t too ambitious. You fly to a city relatively close by, or explore the countryside; if you’re in New York, maybe you check out Providence; if you’re in Toronto, maybe you check out Detroit; or if you’re LA-based, you can make your way south to Tijuana or across the desert to Vegas.
Here’s how to make sure your next weekend-escape is a good one:
Go where the locals go
Whenever possible, talk to locals prior to the trip. Ask them where the best sports are and then follow that advice. You're in town for a short amount of time, so everything's got to be worth your while. You also want avoid long wait times for tourist centric attractions. There’s nothing worse than only seeing the tourist-face of a city when you’re in town for such a short while. The city specific subs of reddit.com are a treasure trove of discussion and news about what's going on and where to go. Also, check out the event listing pages of any giving city to see if there’s anything worth checking out while you’re in town. Experiences like concerts, shows, parties, are a great way to anchor your nights.
Pare Down Your Pack
If you’re in place for two or three days, you don’t want to mess with a bulky bag – worse yet, you don’t want to bother with a checked bag. Paring down your wardrobe will keep you light, mobile and unburdened by wait times at the luggage carousel. Every hour counts on a weekend trip. Try packing versatile clothes that stay fresh for a long time, like our Merino wool t shirts or underwear. Because of Merino wool’s natural elasticity, you also don’t have to worry about your clothes wrinkling. You’ll probably even be able to get away with a single pair of Merino wool boxers and socks.
Pin Your Trip
Pinning restaurants, monuments, bars and other locations of interest on your Google Maps prior to travelling will get you started off on the right foot. You don’t want to spend precious time in your hotel room agonizing over what restaurant to go to. Doing a bit of research in advance, aside from being a fun way to amp yourself up about the trip, just gives you more time to experience a place. Planning lets you pack a lot into the few days you’re away.
Passes Are Your Friend
If you’re not driving, buying a weekend transit pass (if in a mass transit city) at the outset of your weekend means that you don’t have to fumble in lines for single-ride tickets. If you're a real pre-planner – getting this pass mailed to you means you can hit transit as soon as you land or arrive. If the city you’re in doesn’t do weekend passes, chances are they do day passes, which will work just as well. Also check to see if there are any attraction passes you can pre-purchase as well. Some cities will give you a discount if you hit multiple museums, restaurants or galleries.
Pull The Plug
That’s right – if you want to really experience a place in a short amount of time, the easiest thing you can do is unplug. No one’s saying you have to go on a full digital detox, and you can keep a phone around for directions and whatnot, but prying yourself from the endless scroll of social media, and the constant push notifications of the 24-news cycle will save your attention for better things, like being in the moment and actually feeling like you got away from it all.
