Why You Have More Vacation Days Than You Thought

I am saving up for a wedding with the man that I love and a European honeymoon trip. It is amazing to look forward to (20 months from now!), but it also means that I do not have a lot of extra wallet space for major travel right now, and due to certain circumstances, I have very few remaining vacation days this year. (Oh yes, the Monday through Friday weekly grind that I am still on outside of my wedding photography career.) But I do have a secret weapon in my arsenal: weekends.

Weekends do not seem like a lot of time. By Monday morning we’re left asking ourselves where the time disappeared to. Instead, think of it this way: if you have two days off every week that totals to 104 days a year to explore, travel, try new things, and do the activities that you love to do. Life is too short to waste those precious days. I hope that you are not living for the weekends (like I seem to be lately), yet when the weekend comes around I hope you do cherish it.

Two days is not enough for an international flight, but it sure is plenty to visit that local museum or tourist attraction you have always meant to visit sometime, but never got around to. Check out that cute little cafe you drive by every day on your way home from work. You can discover a new town or park in your home state. Take a short road trip to explore another state close to you. This can work for any budget and interest.

Most people associate travel with luxury vacations, but traveling is different, especially when you visit a new place as if you are a local. You don’t need the expensive hotel (consider a hostel, a friend’s place, Airbnd.com, couch surfing, your car, or just drive home for the night if you’re close enough). Skip the fancy restaurants and try a local market.

When Matthew and I were living in Maryland we were making very little money and our monthly expenses were high because we were between Baltimore and DC. On a very tight budget we explored all the local places we could from parks and botanical gardens to Ocean City and Cape May NJ beaches. We explored Baltimore, DC, Annapolis, Assateague Island, Jamestown Virginia, and numerous small towns near us. The weekends became our adventure days. Material things were not a priority to us: spending time together and experiencing new places was where we invested our time and resources. We saw free museums at the National Mall in DC, watched free outdoor movies in a wine garden in Ellicot City, took the train to DC for fireworks on Independence Day and watched free concerts in front of the Capital Building on a blanket with good friends. Here are some of the amazing experiences we had.

Since moving back to Connecticut a year and a half ago we have been to Boston, New York City, Cape Cod, Mystic, Rhode Island, and numerous other places. What I love about Connecticut is that we’re close to major cities, museums, parks, mountains, beaches, country fairs, the Connecticut wine trail, and so much more. If you’re bored, you’re not being creative enough with your time.

Don’t let rain or snow keep you stuck. Sometimes the world is at its most beautiful in the snow.

Tomorrow morning I take off on a train for Montreal. It cost a little over $50 each way after taxes and the train ride is only eight hours from Albany, NY. On saturday Matthew and I are looking forward to discovering Old Montreal and seeing a museum if it gets too chilly outside. We’ll eat and lodge simply before making the trip home on Sunday to be back to our normal week by Monday morning. On the train ride I will write or read one of the library books I borrowed this week. When the leaves are vibrant Matthew and I are planning a day trip to Kent CT just a little under two hours away to see Kent falls and the beautiful little village. Our autumn already shows  a lot of promise.

Cherish the simple details. 

If you find yourself wishing of far off places, but don’t have the ability to go away today, think outside the box. If travel and new experiences are a priority for you, you will make it happen. Love your weekends.