Once you’ve decided to join your spouse on business travel, you will need to figure out how you will spend your time while he or she is working. You have lots of options depending on your travel style and level of independence. With many tag-along trips under my belt, here are my picks for the best things to do on a business trip with your spouse.
The best things to do on a business trip with your spouse
Theoretically, the sky’s the limit when it comes to finding activities to do solo while travelling. However, individuals have varying comfort levels when it comes to what they will and won’t do on their own. Some people are very uncomfortable dining alone in an upscale restaurant, for example, or seeing a play or concert by themselves. Others would never dream of doing those things without a partner. If you hesitate to venture out alone while travelling, tagging along on a business trip is going to be a challenge. You can’t wait around in your hotel room. You need to get out there! Fortunately, there are many things you can do that feel less “solo.”
Take a tour
Culture tour in Sofia, Bulgaria
City and niche tours have exploded over the past decade or so. Whatever you’re interested in (history, art, food, culture, architecture) you will likely find a corresponding tour in the place you’re visiting. Do your research ahead of time and look beyond the usual walking tour. I love walking tours too, but if you aren’t into that, there is a lot more out there. The great thing about doing a tour is that you’ll be with other people. It’s an opportunity to meet others (locals and fellow travellers) and to be social with low risk.
Examples of tours I’ve done on my own include:
- A botanical park running tour in Bangalore, India
- A brunch tour in Columbus, Ohio
- A culture tour in Sofia, Bulgaria
- A cycling tour about Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana
Enjoy lunch and do some people watching
Lunch in Ostuni, Italy
If you’re new to dining alone or have never been comfortable with it, keep at it! It gets better the more you do it. You can find some tips to make it easier in this post. Lunch is often an easier meal to handle alone because there are more single diners around, namely those on lunch breaks from work. Find a spot offering local cuisine with a busy vibe and open design (patios are the best). From your perch, indulge in the age-old pastime of people watching. People watching when travelling is one of my favourite things to do because it offers an interesting perspective on culture and fashion. The great thing about dining alone is that you have no distractions. You can eavesdrop and observe life around you inconspicuously.
Go (local) shopping
Shopping is an easy solo activity, but it can also be a shallow experience if you’re mindlessly hitting the international brands that are ubiquitous in every global centre. Another approach is to get off the beaten path and explore local shops unique to the spot you’re visiting. Using your dollars at local shops also makes a deeper impact on your destination’s economy, something particularly important to me when visiting developing countries.
Indulge in “me” time
Running Hong Kong Harbour
You may be different, but I need some downtime from full-on exploring all day. Often work travel involves staying at a hotel, and if we have a choice, I make sure there is a pool. I love swimming, but the only time I do it is when I travel. Steve (whom I affectionately call a lizard) only swims if the ambient temperature is above 30C and the pool is heated. Even then, he’ll swim for about 5 minutes max. So, it’s the perfect solo activity for me.
If you’re a runner, hitting a local trail or park is also a perfect solo activity. I’ve gone on at length about why running and travel go well together. You see different things running than you do walking, driving, or even cycling.
I’m not a spa fan, but if you are, getting a massage or manicure could be the perfect solo travel indulgence.
Get some work done yourself
I’m able to tag along on Steve’s work travel as often as I do because I can do a lot of my work remotely. Touching base with the office, keeping up with email, or even working on a project might allow you to take an extra day or two away on your tag-along trip. Getting some work done rather than spending my whole day being a tourist while Steve is tied up with business also makes me feel a bit less guilty.
If you tag along on your spouse’s business travel, I’d love to hear how you choose to spend your solo time. Drop me a line in the comments.
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