Those who travel (overnight) for work

[sam_gordon]

Wondering what you do in your downtime.

My current job has me traveling about 25% of the year. I'm by myself. At the work site for most of the day, take off around 4-5, depending on how things go.

If the weather is decent, I'll try to find a park and go for a 1-2 mile walk. If it's not good, I try to find a mall and do a couple laps.

Most sight seeing things are closed (or closing soon) by then. Plus, I'm cheap unless it's something I'm REALLY interested in.

The rest of the time is sitting in the hotel watching Netflix or other streaming.

I'm not a big drinker, so sitting at a bar isn't my idea of "fun" (at least by myself). I don't dance (cue HSM fans), and am not nearly as athletic as I should be (no longer golf... I sucked when I WAS playing).

Anyway, what do you do to kill evenings?

 

[Schneewittchen37]

I only travel a few times a year for work, but regardless, I'm an avid reader. At home, after my evening walks, I read until bedtime.

I have a Kindle Fire and library cards for 4 different county library systems in my area. I read about 60 books a year, mostly borrowed ebooks.

Horror, sci-fi, thrillers, historical romance. It's all trash, garbage or smut. I'm very well read though.

 

[BrianL]

I used to travel for work more and enjoyed my evenings to myself. I would usually rent a car, so I would just explore, find a good place to eat, often a favorite that I don't have here, and jsut go into shops or even a mall. I once even went to a movie. I would just kind of do whatever.

 

[The Mayor]

I’m retired now but when I did work I traveled about the same 25% of the year like you do. Most travel in the US was visiting the same customers in the same cities. Most evenings was either dinner with customers or dinner with my reps. Sometimes that entailed going to a professional sporting event. When I did have time alone I would venture out to see the sites if they interested me. I hated sitting in the hotel room. I didn’t really like spending my own money when traveling but did occasionally. St. Louis Arch, night our of Alcatraz. Things that I wouldn’t necessarily see otherwise.

When I traveled overseas I would leave a day earlier to do some sightseeing. Places like Singapore, Dubai, London, Scotland, South Korea, India. I knew I most likely wouldn’t be traveling there for vacation so I got out to see what I could.

If the places you are traveling to have some interesting sites to see I’d recommend getting out when you can. Especially if you know you won’t be visiting otherwise.

 

[jimmymc]

I try to book hotels with included breakfast and eat a cheap lunch so I can use a lot of my per diem for nice dinners. But after that, I usually watch movies or TV in the room. Maybe I'll go to the pool if the hotel has one. But my travel days for work tend to be very long, like 7a to 6p, so I'm happy to relax and go to bed early.

 

[easyas123]

Well I guess it depends on where I am going. I am on the BOD for our insurance (Captive) Company so 2 times per year I go to the 2 day meets and they are often at resorts that have plenty to do. Once or twice per year I go to Risk Management conferences, and those are usually at resort or vacation type locations. I love to take a book, head to a decent restaurant and enjoy a nice meal, a drink or two and read my book. Or do the same by the pool or take a nice, long walk around the area.
Depending on what I've got going on I also go from our MD offices to our NC office once or twice a month for 1-3 days at a stretch. We have a corporate house down there, I have my own room & bathroom w/ a balcony to hang out in.
If I end up going someplace I haven't been before I'll rent a car and check out the area.

 

[soccerdad72]

The only work travel I tend to do these days are conferences, and those usually have some sort of evening activity built into them - plus, that's time when I connect with colleagues I don't often see.

In the past when I did a lot of work travel, I was usually with a team, so most nights consisted of a team dinner then back to the hotel, so there wasn't a ton of downtime. When I had it, I usually just worked out and then watched some TV or read.

 

[OctavioHo]

When I travel for work, downtime can be a bit tricky. I usually try to explore local parks or malls if the weather's decent. Otherwise, it's Netflix time in the hotel. Maybe try checking out local events or markets for a change of pace.

 

[AppleDumpling]

Use the hotel pool and/or gym. Read, catch up on social media, phone calls to family or friends, play games, watch tv or movies. Go to a public space in the hotel or a coffee shop with a book or laptop; you may meet some fellow travelers to chat with.

Another suggestion: try geocaching. My family got involved with it years ago, and now look for them whenever we travel to a new place.

 

[PollyannaMom]

DH used to travel a lot for work, and he would read, save up series to binge-watch, walk if there were safe parks, and explore new places to eat.

Always check the website of the towns you'll be visiting, too. - Sometimes there are local festivals and stuff going on.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I have a few times, by myself. I am so dull... I just sit in the hotel and watch TV, do computer, or mess with phone. I will go to the pool if they have one. If there is a group of coworkers in the same hotel, we will go out to eat and maybe hang out in the lobby (or commons area) visiting for a while.

 

[JLTraveling]

I never have, but my dad used to a lot. He always used it as an opportunity to see something new. Went to the Grand Ole Opry when he overnighted in Nashville (even though he hates country music). One time when he only had a half day of business, he decided to visit as many nearby big cities as possible....and suddenly realized he had a meeting in 8 hours and he was 8 hours from the city he was supposed to be in lol. There's always something going on, somewhere interesting to be. What do you like? Live music? Cultural events? Bars? Restaurants? One of my best friends is addicted to escape rooms, so he'll do those anywhere he can find them. Whatever you're into, look for it wherever you are.

 

[tvguy]

Downtime was rare when I traveled. Worked a lot in Los Angeles one summer, and the company gave us the option of catching a 6 am flight Monday morning and hitting the ground running, or flying in Sunday night......off the clock, so without pay........but they would pick up the tab for dinner and a movie and of course an extra night in the hotel. Everyone opted to fly in the night before and didn't care we weren't getting paid. But if our work trip started on any other day but Monday, we did the 6 am flight and we pretty much were working 12-16 hour days so no downtime.
There was one week were I literally made three round trips from Sacramento to Los Angeles in one week because they needed me back in Sacramento for two afternoons.

 

[LoveDaisy]

Downtime is rare when I travel. We do conferences and I am on duty from 6 am until the last event wraps up, which is usually a vendor paid dinner, entertainment, sporting events, etc. If I have an off night I usually grab dinner and do a ghost tour if it is offered. They are a great way to hear about the history of an area.

 

[Pink Partridge]

I was able to travel for work during a time in my life when my children were self sufficient. Husband would tag along sometimes and work from hotel. Then we would go out at night. It was a great kickoff to our Empty Nest Years.

But I would appreciate that rare "alone trip. Never underestimate the luxury of it being just you for a few days.

--Use per diem to try a new cuisine in a new city

--Take in a local live band (in my case, I would love when the local symphony would be having a show)

--Use the time to actually unwind. Read. Rare mindless television

--Get under the covers, relax and call an old friend that you haven't spoke to in a while

--I hate a hotel gym. Even the nicest ones. So I like your idea of walking at an indoor venue if weather is bad. Otherwise, I am all about a local park

--I do like small town micro-brews. So I will always try to visit one

 

[lovesmurfs]

I travel frequently. Mostly I'll catch up on work in the evenings with the TV on in the background (we stream at home, so it's fun occasionally to watch live TV). I'm taking classes, so I do class work as well.

It's boring, and you're right -- there's really usually nothing to do. I refuse to use the hotel pool if I know there are some of my colleagues or bosses are around. I do try to use the fitness center (treadmill), though.

Sometimes I'll search to see if there's any cool out-of-the way restaurants for dinner -- Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives sort of places.

 

[Pink Partridge]

I refuse to use the hotel pool if I know there are some of my colleagues or bosses are around.

Same

 

[sam_gordon]

The festival idea is a good one. I'll have to keep that in mind. I am glad to know I'm not the only "boring" one. Lol. When picking restaurants for meals, I do look for local places that I can't get at home.

 

[hertamaniac]

I traveled extensively during my career. Most times, it was at metropolitan cities which allowed me go exploring. I would usually walk around the cities and try a local eatery. Rarely, did I go to a bar.

If the hotel has a pool, it usually got used, but the hot tub was almost a 100% guarantee to end my night.

I was fortunate to have a liberal travel schedule which allowed me a day or two on either side of my business meetings to use the rental car for the more touristy sites.

I miss the traveling.

I don't miss the Atlanta airport.

 

[Travel60]

Retired now but I used to work for large international accounting firm. A lot of travel. I'm not a drinker/partier so I would usually just go out to dinner with team or by myself then back to hotel. Workout/TV/read. When I was planning wedding, I decided to make my own wedding dress (at the time the petite wedding dress options were few and horrible). I would take a sleeve or bodice piece with me and sew on the baby pearls at night in hotel.