10 Creative Ways to Travel More While Working Full-Time

I get asked so often, “How are you able to travel so much?” or “Do you travel full-time?” While I would LOVE to be able to do that one day (*manifesting it*), I currently work a full-time job that I balance with my travels. I’ll be the first to admit that it’s tough sometimes. However, it’s not impossible to find a balance that works for your lifestyle.

I know that it’s quite easy to feel guilty for taking time off and that there are sometimes situations where your employer isn’t supportive of you using PTO. This can make it tough to find a balance between wanting to travel while still keeping a regular day job. And while many people are willing and able to quit their jobs to become digital nomads, others simply prefer to have a home base while they pursue their career aspirations.

So how do we find a balance? The primary reason I started my blog was to inspire young professionals to make more time for travel and life’s adventures. I want to assure busy 9 to 5ers, like you, that it’s possible to explore often while working full-time.

Since entering the corporate world, I’ve come up with creative ways to incorporate travel into my life. I’m a firm believer that travel can fit into your lifestyle if you really want it to, and to me, it’s a necessity! I believe it truly starts with deciding what’s important to you and then making a plan to achieve it.

Keep reading below for 10 creative ways to travel more while working full-time.

1. Explore your own backyard

My first tip is to become a tourist in your hometown. If you don’t have much vacation time or want to ease yourself into travel, start by exploring neighboring towns and cities that you may have overlooked. Whether you live in the suburbs or in the city, there are surely places around you that are absolutely worth seeing. Check out your state’s tourism website for upcoming events near you. Follow local travel bloggers to see their recommendations. Ask family or friends for suggestions. I’ve been exploring New Jersey a lot more recently and found that I’ve gained a deeper knowledge and appreciation for my home state and the local community.

New Jersey has many beautiful hidden gems and being at home has given me the chance to visit more of them. If you live in the Greater Philadelphia area, check out this article for free things to do in Princeton, NJ.

A few ways you can explore your hometown or state include: doing staycations, day trips, joining food/cultural tours, visiting museums, or planning a weekend getaway.

2. Extend your weekends

Speaking of day trips and staycations, weekends are the perfect time to do so. One trick that helps me is saving up my vacation days and taking long weekends. This is, by far, one of the best ways to make more time for travel. To do this, I usually take either a Friday or a Monday off – and sometimes even both days. Since we already have weekends off, this helps to maximize my vacation days. I often find that a four-day weekend is all I need to explore, rest, and recharge. If you’re fortunate enough to get vacation days at work, you might as well use them!

Some of my favorite weekend and day trips I’ve taken were to Jersey City, Wilmington, and Norfolk.

3. Use budget airlines and red-eye flights

The key to getting the most out of weekend getaways is to stay close by or fly to your destination. One inexpensive way to do this is to utilize budget airlines like Frontier and Spirit. Budget airlines sometimes get a bad rap, however, if this works for you and your needs, definitely take advantage of the savings! Travel tip: Purchase your ticket at the counter to save money (you can also purchase a ticket for a future flight).

4. Take advantage of public holidays

Another great tip to maximize vacation days is to book your travel around public and national holidays. This is something to keep in mind when traveling abroad as well. There is a caveat, though. Keep in mind that traveling on the busiest holidays (Christmas, Thanksgiving) will most likely be pricier and more hectic. However, it’s possible to find a balance between price and convenience.

Stay on the lookout for travel deals and sign up for newsletters from your favorite airlines. I’ve used public holidays like Christmas break and Fourth of July week to travel to Ghana, Canada, Maine, Virginia, and many other places.

5. Take your vacation days

At first glance, this seems like a pretty obvious suggestion, right? Well surprisingly, many Americans don’t take their vacation days. According to one study, 768 million U. S. vacation days went unused in 2018, a 9% increase from 2017. That’s a lot of missed opportunities to rest, spend time with loved ones, or explore new places. I’m a firm believer in taking advantage of time off. After all, life is too short! Even if you don’t end up traveling, it’s always a good idea to take some time off to unwind and recharge.

6. Extend your business trip

If you have a job where you have to travel frequently, consider extending your business trips. Tack on an extra day for exploring a neighboring town or relaxing. Be sure to consult with your manager to see if this is an option for you.

7. Get a travel job

Want to travel the world, while being able to work from different locations? Consider a job in the travel or hospitality industry. Examples of jobs in these industries are hotel manager, chef, tour guide, state park worker, cruise ship worker, flight attendant, airline crew, and many others.

8. Work remotely

Since the pandemic began, remote work has become much more common. If travel is a priority to you, another option to consider is getting a remote job. A few remote job ideas are freelance writer, online English teacher, customer service, human resources professional, and virtual assistant.

If you’re currently working somewhere that allows for remote work, talk to your manager about working remotely. Being a remote worker allows you to work from anywhere, while still enjoying your passion for travel.

This remote work surge has also prompted hotels such as Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott to offer “Work From Hotel” programs. Who wouldn’t want to work poolside?! Be sure to look into those if they’re of interest to you.

One of my favorite resources for finding remote jobs is Andrea Valeria from Itsatravelod.com. She sources remote jobs from all industries and also provides courses and coaching to help you land your first (or next) remote job. I highly recommend following her on Instagram and signing up for her remote job directory newsletter. Other resources I recommend are LinkedIn, UpWork, and FlexJobs.

9. Buy extra vacation days

Some employers offer a program where you can purchase extra vacation days which really helps a lot! Check with your HR or benefits department to see if it’s available to you. I did this at my first corporate job and bought 5 extra days for the year. In addition, find out if there are other types of paid time off available such as Work/Family days, floating days, etc.

10. Plan Early

Be sure to look at the number of vacation days you have for the year and start planning early. Mark them down on your calendar and block off those days as tentative. Discuss your travel plans with your manager as soon as you can to ensure there’s coverage when you leave. Furthermore, if you’ve rolled over days from the previous year, don’t forget to use those too and stay up-to-date on company vacation policies. (Example: At my job, we have until the end of Q1 to use any days we’ve rolled over from last year.)

Final thoughts

I hope this list has inspired you to consider different ways to incorporate more travel into your life. Once again, it all comes down to making travel a priority and finding options that work for your lifestyle. And as I always say, you don’t need to go far to travel!

What strategies have you used to help you travel more with a full-time job?

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