Take a weekend trip without having to plan
If you have a long weekend coming up, take advantage of it! It probably isn’t all that often that three days of a clear schedule presents itself, so do yourself a favor and plan a trip. Getting out of your usual setting is a great way to reset and recharge for daily life, and it doesn’t take that much planning to have a great time. If you’re stumped on where to go, the ideas below can help you get started.
Plan a “foodie” trip. If you love food, then you probably have many of the must-try restaurants in the region on your radar. So visit a bunch of them, all on one road trip, and take the time to appreciate the local culture along the way. Hit some hole-in-the-wall places that aren’t much to look at but have outstanding food as well as more upscale places. They don’t all have to be restaurants, either. Include places like roadside stands and food trucks that might be known for doing a particular cuisine really well. Scour review sites before you leave and try to get up to speed on the background of all the spots you’re targeting to make sure you get the most out of each stop.
Tour some wineries or breweries. If wine is more your thing, there’s no reason why you can’t do the same thing as a food tour, but with wineries. Taking the time to see how each winemaker goes about crafting your favorite bottles is one of the many joys of being a wine aficionado. You’ll often find that wineries offer workshops as well as tasting classes and other events, which will go a long way towards helping you make the most of your trip. If you’re more of a beer person, look into the so-called “beer trails” in your area, which are suggested routes designed to make sure you hit each brewery in a particular region.
Visit your family. There’s nothing like reconnecting with your family. Even if you see them regularly, spending a few days in their company is a great way to not only remember the old times, but to make new memories as well. Plan to do an activity that everyone loves, like going to a sporting event or having a board game competition, for example, or just hang outside for some fun in the sun. Perhaps you all can pitch in and cook a meal together, order takeout, or visit a favorite restaurant — whatever you do, just make sure you’re doing it together.
Create a “mini” bucket list. Most of us have a bucket list of some sort, but few of those things can actually be accomplished over the span of a long weekend. Try making plans for a weekend of adventure by making a junior-level bucket list: things you would like to try in your region that you haven’t before. It could be as simple as trying a hiking trail you’ve been meaning to check out for years followed by a hard-earned cocktail at a new place that’s gotten some great reviews. It can be incredibly life-affirming to discover things that are interesting, even exciting, not too far away from home.
36 Hours [New York Times]