The Best Vacations When You Have Limited PTO

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Finding time to take a vacation can be hard. Life is full of things that you have to do, big and small, and there’s rarely enough time to get everything done. When it comes to fitting a vacation into the limited paid time off you have from work, it can be challenging to visit your dream destination.

 Luckily, there are some excellent vacation options that only take a few days, and are a great option for anyone with limited PTO. These are a few of the best vacations for anyone looking to get the most out of a short trip.

A staycation

Sometimes the best short vacation doesn’t have to involve going anywhere at all! Exploring your city, town or local neighborhood can be a wonderful change to explore the things you just don’t have the time to do normally, and can sometimes turn up some surprising things you never knew existed! Try a new restaurant, head to your area’s best attractions, even book a night in a hotel – seeing a different side of places you think you know can be a delightful experience.

A short cruise

Cruise vacations might seem like they are only for longer trips, but you can also take a short cruise to a number of excellent destinations. Destinations like the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands are easily reachable from a number of locations on the East Coast of the US, and cruising down to Mexico from California is also a superb option that only needs a few days.

A camping weekend

Getting out of the city and into the great outdoors is a lovely way to spend a weekend, and can be a really breath of fresh air (literally!) and a much needed break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Wherever you are, chances are you are only a short drive away from some gorgeous scenery and exciting wildlife, and the best way to experience it is to camp. So pack up your tent and hiking boots, make sure you’ve got exactly what you need to make the ultimate smores, and head out for a natural adventure and a few nights under the stars.

A city break

A long weekend is the perfect amount of time to explore a new city. Two or three days gives you the opportunity to check out the best sights and most exciting experiences, try the local cuisine, and get a good feel of the culture and vibe of the city. Grab a cheap flight to somewhere like New York, Chicago, San Francisco or New Orleans, and spend the weekend walking as much as possible, checking out museums and galleries, and getting to know the exciting cities only a few hours away from home.

A few days at the beach

You might think that a beach vacation is out of reach on a shorter trip, but there are plenty of gorgeous paradise beaches within easy reach wherever you live in the US. You can find gorgeous stretches of sand without leaving the country, in Florida, California and even New York and Chicago! Places like Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and Baja California in Mexico are all within easy reach as well.

 Only have a limited amount of paid time off? Don’t despair! You can still make the most of your time and have an amazing short break with this guide. So what are you waiting for?