In my younger years a 24 hour trip in general seemed pointless. A lot of times the effort of planning (and stressing out) goes well beyond the actual time you spend vacationing. But, it turns out that your mind can change about a lot of things when you’re closer to 30 than 20 and your family and friends are no longer a quick car ride away.
For most of us life is busy and PTO is limited. Sure we can not get sick or not take a day off for MONTHS so that we can have a week long trip, but most of the time that’s outside of our control. My biggest aha moment was when I took a 5 day trip to London & Paris instead of the two weeks that every YouTube video recommended. My thought then, as it is now, is yes I could wait until I had enough time (and money) to take a 2 week European vacation, or I could take the trip of my dreams whenever I had the opportunity. What I think of now is less about the amount of time that I spend in one place and more about having the opportunity to do something new or outside of my norm with the time I’ve been given.
TAKE THE TIME
When you start to think about what you can do with a full 24 hours there are actually more options than you would think. Probably the easiest way to do this is by taking a roadtrip. I live in the Midlands of South Carolina so whether you want to visit the beach, the mountains, or a charming small town there’s something within driving distance. Even if you grew up in a place like Indiana, like me, where a short beach trip is not even a thought, a quick google search of “Destinations within 3 hours of ______” may uncover some hidden gems.
On the other hand, don’t rule out 24 hour trips by plane. Sometimes this is a little less accessible depending on where you live. (My town has a closely regional airport, but when I lived near Indianapolis the airport was an hour away and was a whole trip in itself.) If that’s something available to you, searching for non-stop flights can immediately narrow down your cities and help make that decision.
PLANNING YOUR ITINERARY
*This is my personal preference*, but if the trip is < 48 hours, I DO NOT WANT TO JAM PACK THE ITINERARY. I know, there are special circumstances, but getting up at 8 am and walking until my feet fall off are not my idea of fun (ask me how I know). So the first step is determining what type of trip you want to have. (From here I’m assuming we’re taking a slow 24 hours).
- When I went to Austin, TX for a work trip and had 24 hours to spend on my own, I 100% based what I would do around where and when I wanted to eat. The easiest way to experience a destination, especially if you don’t have much time, is by eating at local restaurants. Also, you just have to eat no matter what so it’s the easiest thing to plan. By making your restaurant plans first it gives you a head start on filling up your day.
- I have another disclaimer. I’m a museum person. I don’t spend time reading every placard, but I’m a museum person nonetheless. And not just museums, but all of the arts including galleries and live music. Right next to food this shows a lot about the culture of the city and what they find valuable and worth displaying. To really get a sense of the city try looking for smaller museums outside of the typical “museum of art” that more likely contain pieces from local artists.
- Factor in down time and walking and waiting in line. Depending on the place you visit (and season) the amount of time you spend at each stop will vary. The best trips that I’ve taken have factored in time to go back to the hotel, sit in a park, or just slow down and take in the scenery. Don’t underestimate how much this can make or break your trip.
DON’T OVERTHINK IT
The most important part of any trip is simply taking it. The things that will actually matter 6 months, a year, or five years from now are how well you enjoyed yourself and not whether you spent the extra $10 on an Uber vs taking public transportation. There’s no perfect time to do anything so make the most of doing what you can, when you can. Even if it’s just a day.