What Makes a Fun Trip for a Frequent Traveler?

Most people think that having a job that enables you to travel frequently is a great and wonderful thing. You DO travel frequently, and you know the real truth. You have spent more time in airports and hotels in the last year than you can keep track of, and sometimes you go through stages where travel is just not fun anymore.

Here are some great ideas to make travel fun again!:

Use trips to make a difference. Volunteer.

If you have run out of things to see, look for ways to make a difference! Look for organizations that operate where you are traveling and contact them to find out about any opportunities during your stay. An internet search for the terms “volunteer” and the name of your destination should also yield some opportunities. You will feel good about the contribution that you have made, and as a bonus, you will meet local people and feel a connection to the place that you are visiting that you wouldn’t have felt if you just stuck to the normal tourist highlights.

Language immersion

If you frequently travel abroad, use your travel free time to immerse yourself and learn another language. Go beyond the translation book and look for a local tutor or other language learning exchange/conversation groups to deepen your conversational skills. Learning another language will improve your resume and it will deepen your travel experiences as you are able to converse with the locals to find out about hidden gems and little known cultural experiences!

Learn new skills

Take advantage of the activities that are unique to the area that you are traveling to learn some new skills. For example, if your business travel takes you to Thailand, make a point of taking an introductory Thai massage class to learn some new skills and impress your husband/wife when you return home. If your business travel takes you to Italy, book an Italian cooking class. If you look, you are sure to find something new to learn in every place that you visit!

Eat, eat, eat

Food is an obvious choice for something that will spice up a boring business trip. When you travel, look to immerse yourself in whatever the local cuisine is. No matter where you go, there will always be some unique culinary offering to indulge in. Getting past the bland, boring chain restaurants and into more unique, one of a kind local establishments will yield memorable meals that will feed your passion for travel once again. Not sure where to start? Check out http://www.chowhound.com or http://www.roadfood.com for some great ideas!

Use your network

The internet makes it easier than ever to connect with people and expand your network. Let everyone that you know (in person and on social media) in on your upcoming travel plans, and ask if they know anyone in the area that you will be traveling to. See if it is possible to connect with this person for networking. Ask if they want to meet and maybe show you around or take you to their favorite local restaurant. People love to show off the places that they live. You will gain some great local tips for what to do and where to go, and meet a new friend in the process.