I do a fair amount of business travel, all of which right now is in the U.S. Over the years I’ve learned that with just a little bit of personal effort I can see more than just the inside of a conference room and definitely eat more than the usual catered turkey sandwich.

It’s easy to go back to the hotel after a day of meetings and catch up on email. Let’s face it, I probably wouldn’t do that at home, so why would I do that while traveling?  Business travel can wreak havoc on your mind and your body—there’s no doubt about that. If I can get out a discover something completely different than what I’m working on at work I can go back to the hotel or office at home and think more clearly. It also can let you feel like you got a little bit of personal benefit out of the personal inconvenience business travel often if not always imposes on you. There’s little that glamorous about it. You end up working longer days than you typically would, inevitably end up leaving something important at home (belt, hair brush, shoes, underwear), and there’s always that guy—THAT GUY!—in front of you on the airplane who reclines his seat right on top of your lap top nearly crushing it.

So this section of my blog will hopefully inspire you to do add something different to your business trip. Do a little exploring the next time you travel for work. Besides, no one’s giving you extra loyalty points for staying in the room.

Check out these cities that provided ample distraction for me either before or at the end of my business travels. Some obvious. Others are hidden gems.

• Troy, New York Coming soon
• Listen to me: Always take the binoculars Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge (Captiva Island, Florida) From my other blog, The Accidental Birder
• Sanibel Island’s Bailey Tract is not a bad Plan B (Captiva Island, Florida) From my other blog, The Accidental Birder
• The Mill District in Minneapolis, Minnesota – Coming soon
• Who Can Turn the World on With Her Smile? Visiting the Mary Richards statue in Minneapolis, Minnesota
• It’s about the journey: An afternoon visit to Oak Park, Illinois
• Birding San Diego and chasing some lifers (California) From my other blog, The Accidental Birder

Do you have a favorite place you’ve visited for fun while on a business trip? Tell me below where it says to Leave a Reply. Go ahead, it’s easy.