Business travel=vacation?
 

I love to travel and often need a "break from my life", which is what travel provides me. However, due to lack of vacation time and funds this year, it is looking like most of my travel will be business-related. Anyone have any ideas on how to make a business trip a little more vacation-like?

Well, start by tacking on a extra weekend to the business trip to explore the area. You'll have to pay for the hotel on your own (most likely) but at least your airfare was covered.

Also, can you select what hotel you stay at or does your company dictate this? Where you stay makes a big difference in making the trip feel like more of a vacation. Definitely sign up for all of the hotel rewards programs and try to stick to one brand. You'll earn preferred status much quicker. For example, with Starwood, you earn Gold level after 10 stays.

Do you know where your business trips are located yet? We can give more specific tips if we know, such as free attractions in the vicinity etc.

Thanks for the response--I will definitely post here when I know where I'm off to. I should have mentioned my lack-of-leave was due to a maternity leave last year, so with a little one at home I'm not real keen on extending my trips much. The rewards program is a good idea, thanks. I do usually book my own room.

Try to book at evening appointment at a spa near your hotel.

When I was a new mom and had to travel for business I always considered it a mixed blessing. I valued the opportunity to sleep through the night, to not have todo laundry or cook meals but I missed my little ones.

I can relate to not wanting to add time on to the trip. Chances are it will place too much stress on whomever is caring for your child while you are away.

So my advise to you is to make the most of the time you have while away. On the first night away do a workout in the hotel's exercise room if available, order room service, buy a trashy novel, put your feet up and watch all that tv you've been missing. And get some sleep!

On the second night, see if there is a museum that is open after work hours - I found a lovely museum in Memphis this way, go to a movie (I personally love going to the movies by myself), stroll around if you are in a safe, pleasant area. Find a great book store to check out, a spa with evening appointments is a great idea. Shop for a gift to bring home for baby.

Its a great chance to do pamper yourself with small indulgences.

Thanks! These are great suggestions and you are absolutely right about the sleep issue. It has been so long I think I've forgotten how to relax...the thought of room service with a nice glass of wine makes the cross-country flight, and being away from the baby, seem a bit easier to take.

Definately agree with the suggestion to join as many hotel and FF clubs as possible. If you have the ability to select the credit card you use, or have a corporate card with a membership program, use those as it'll let you rack up points even faster.

Depending on your bosses view of the situation, you might be able to get them to agree to the occassional Saturday night stay on the Company's dime. When I was single, I used to work for someone who had no problem letting us expense a weekend hotel stay if we were able to save significantly more on our airline ticket than the cost of an extra night or two. On some routes I used to regularly fly, the cost of a ticket with a Saturday night stay could be substantially less than the cost of ticket for me to fly in and out midweek.

I can't combine the two and it must be some mental block.

I can do fun things while I'm on business travel but I can't vacation while I'm on the same trip.

Everythings different from my mode of travel to accommodations.

Flying for business and flying for a vacation trip are two totally different things for me. It's a mindset I guess.

When I've faced the same issue, I've found that scheduling some museum time to be really refreshing.

Notable visits have been the Field Museum in Chicago, and the art museum in Kansas City.