It's important to know your goals on a business trip and to identify and achieve those goals in mind. But along the way, something rather amazing happens when traveling at work. You may be able to go to some very amazing places and get opportunities to see things you would never have been looking for if you had your intelligence about you while traveling.
Not all business trips have to be about business. There are times when you have completed your work and you can enjoy some local colors, sights and good food as part of your visit to the area. The first resource you can take advantage of to find out what is really great to enjoy in the city or town you are visiting are the locals. If you go to a distant city to do business with a partner or vendor, they are often more than happy to show the status of the land and what is fun to see and do in the city.
If you can secure a local's evening in your destination city, you can get an amazing tour of the area and see things that tourists may never find. It's not hard to attract a local to be your guide. If you have a money account account, you can arrange to buy your guide dinner on a company dime. They get a good meal for free and you can get a guided tour of the area. The first crayfish I ate in Boston happened when someone took me to the office I was working with to see the sights and find the best crayfish in town. I got a great meal and enjoyed the local chases of one of the great cities in the country.
But don't be afraid to be a tourist if you're in a great city and want to see the big sites. If you're in New York and want to tour the Statue of Liberty and take a boat ride around the island, by God, you're just doing it. It can be a good memory of your visit to the city, and after all, you worked your business goals while in the city, so you are entitled to some relaxation.
One of the best ways to get some free time to enjoy local events and attractions is if you are there on Friday but your work should continue on Monday. Most companies prefer to pay for two nights at a hotel and meals instead of flying home and coming back. So you can keep your rental car and have two days just to be a civilian for a while and really explore local chases.
To find those unique events in the city that many don't know, read the local newspaper and look for those small local cultural or art newspapers like Village Voice in New York. These papers will carry details of the ongoing festivals throughout the region, and what is happening in the city's clubs and theaters as well. You may find a regional celebration not far away that you can be a part of and pretend to be local for a few hours and have a lot of fun along the way.
If you have a few days to explore, don't be afraid to travel a little to see some things that aren't far away. On the East Coast, a trip to Highway I will take you through some of New England's most scenic cities you can imagine. You can stay and take a whale watching tour if you wish. If you already have a rented car, it's usually not an expense to use it to see the state or go to the nearby coast where you do business. At most it may cost you a tank of gas and for this you may get it, so see one of the great sights of the country.
Take advantage of your business trip to see the world, enjoy some fun and as the song says "stop tattooing the smell of roses along the way". If you do, you'll come home with successful business to deliver to your company and a nice collection of new memories that will have to be kept for a long time to come.
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