How to Make the Most of Limited Travel Time

Last Updated on May 26, 2023 by Deanne

Some people view international travel as a once-in-a-lifetime vacation. Or a wait-until-retirement experience. Others believe they need to save up vacation time so they can spend 2-3 weeks or more traveling abroad.

But the reality is you don’t need that much time.

At Scenic and Savvy we firmly believe if you have a passion for travel, you don’t have to plan an epic international vacation that will only happen once. Waiting until retirement can be risky because you never know if you’ll still be healthy and physically able to travel during your golden years.

Before we had children, Ryan and I took a 2-week backpacking trip around Europe two separate times. But once we started a family we couldn’t be away from our kids for that long. Now we limit our European trips to less than one week at a time.

[See International Travel: Should You Bring the Kids?]

Properly planning ahead allows us to maximize our money and time abroad making short jaunts super memorable. Our 3 days touring Amsterdam and London is one of our favorites.

Here’s how we made the most of our limited travel time (and how you can too):

Find cost-effective ways to travel.

Traveling overseas may sound extravagant, but it doesn’t have to be. Savvy planning helps save money on your trip allowing for more trips abroad. Try some of these cost-saving ideas:

1. Capitalize on already scheduled work trips.

Overseas travel becomes a lot less expensive when someone’s airfare is already covered by his or her employer. On our trip, Ryan’s flight to Amsterdam was paid for, as was his lodging during the work week. However, I flew in at the end of the week when his meetings were finished, so we were on our own for lodging. Not a big deal. We researched budget accommodations to check in to, and ended up finding a great deal at Amsterdam’s #1 rated hotel on Trip Advisor. Which brings me to point #2…

2. Research ahead of time for good deals.

We always scour websites for deals when planning our travels as well as read traveler’s reviews on TripAdvisor. Finding a great deal on Amsterdam lodging was a big win for our pocketbook. We needed a convenient and safe location, but also wanted value. Mauro Mansion, the #1 rated hotel at the time, checked all of our boxes. They were offering a great deal – so we booked it. The hotel definitely did not disappoint, and the fresh-squeezed orange juice in the morning was an added delicious bonus!

3. Travel during shoulder season.

Our short adventure to Amsterdam and London took place in October. Airfare was much cheaper than during the peak summer months and I’m sure that’s also why our lodging was inexpensive.

Traveling in the fall we had beautiful weather to experience the sites – not too hot and not too cold. Taking advantage of shoulder season travel is smart when planning any kind of trip, but especially an overseas holiday where costs can add up. 

4. Combine experiences and adventures.

Ryan had been to Amsterdam for work before, but this trip made the most sense for us to extend into a vacation. The Chicago Bears (my husband’s favorite football team) were playing a game in London that weekend. Months earlier we half-joked about traveling over there for it. Now that his work trip to Europe coincided with that weekend we decided it was an experience we couldn’t pass up.

Maximize your time on the ground by sleeping in the air.

Flying out on a Thursday night, I was able to sleep on the plane and meet up with Ryan Friday morning awake and ready to go. Now, I realize a plane is not the easiest place to catch some zzz’s. It can be loud and uncomfortable but it’s so worth it to try.

• Wear comfy clothes.
• Bring earplugs, ear buds, or noise-cancelling headphones to drown out noise or play soft music.
• Take an over the counter sleeping pill or have a glass of wine to help you drift off.

Snoozing on the plane saves precious time when you arrive so you can start making memories the minute you touch down. This is important for quick overseas excursions. Once you arrive you’ll likely be excited to start exploring and you won’t notice your lack of a perfect night’s sleep.

Plan itinerary in detail ahead of your trip.

The key phrase here is “in detail.” Many people have an idea of what they want to do once they arrive and have their lodging already arranged, but a lot of valuable vacation time can be wasted deciding what to do first, waiting in lines and researching good restaurants. For super short trips, this should be done ahead of time.

Having a detailed itinerary of things to do and places to dine doesn’t mean you can’t mix things up once you arrive. But our best travels have been when we’ve done our research and everything falls into place (and not by accident.)

Touring Anne Frank’s house in Amsterdam was one of our top must-see’s. Researching before our trip that it’s best to order tickets online and therefore skip the 1-1 ½ hour wait in line upon arrival was a huge win for our limited-time itinerary. (NOTE: Now the Anne Frank House ONLY sells tickets online. 80% are released 2 months in advance, 20% the day of – often selling out.)

I re-read the Diary of Anne Frank before the trip in order to really take in the experience. I was glad I did, there were details I had forgotten that were very moving to see in real life.

We also checked out the Van Gogh museum. Ryan and I are not big on museums, but we do enjoy seeing famous paintings, sculptures, etc. in person. We don’t usually spend a lot of time at a museum, though. We stroll around a little, making sure to see the 1 or 2 pieces we came to see and then move on.

That’s another way we maximize our vacation time – not bothering with experiences that don’t interest us. That may sound obvious, but some people believe they need to visit all the places or experience things just because they’re popular. We feel it’s better to spend time on what’s important to us and skip the rest.

After meandering around town enjoying the views of canals, houseboats, unique buildings and charming churches, we had dinner in Leidseplein (Leiden Square) – a vibrant area with outdoor seating, good food, cool pubs and lively atmosphere. We checked out some low-key pubs near our hotel before calling it a night. A scenic canal cruise the next morning rounded out our time in Amsterdam and then it was off to London!

Sometimes it pays to spend money.

Flying from one country to another in such a short trip may sound extravagant and foolish, but it was actually the opposite.

Coming from the States, we’re not used to having so many other countries nearby. Hopping the short flight from Amsterdam to London allowed us two exciting nights and 1-½ eventful days in the bustling city of London – including the Chicago Bears football game. The cost for the flights came in at less than $100/person. Very much worth it to save time and create an unforgettable trip that we’re still talking about years later.

Make it memorable.

Our first night in London we walked around Piccadilly Circus, ate a delicious Italian meal and rocked out to “Jersey Boys” at Prince Edward Theatre. We’ve been to London before and always make time to take in a show. This was truly an entertaining one!

In the past we’ve used the half-price ticket booth in Leicester Square to buy show tickets (which I recommend if you have ample time and don’t care which show you see.) But knowing we didn’t have time to wait in line, we bought our tickets online before our trip.

Our next morning began with such a unique experience.

We wanted to tour the historical Westminster Abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage site where every English coronation has taken place since 1066, but our one full day of sightseeing happened to be on a Sunday. The Abbey is closed to general admission on Sundays. That is, unless you attend an actual church service.

What’s even better than touring Westminster Abbey remembering the history that’s taken place there the past 1000 years? Experiencing an inspiring church service, sitting in the centuries-old raised wooden seats, watching the processional pageantry, hearing the organist and choir fill the rustic walls with sweet music, and following along to a Christian liturgy that reminded us a lot of our church back home.

We could have said, “Oh well. The Abbey is going to be closed when we’re there. Let’s pick something else.” But instead we created a most memorable highlight of our trip.

After church we walked to the Churchill War Rooms Museum. I know I said Ryan and I don’t generally enjoy museums, but this one quickly became the exception. What an interesting underground marvel! We spent a couple of hours there discovering Winston Churchill’s hidden secrets beneath the streets that kept him safe from German bombings as he devised plans leading the Allies to victory during World War II.

Leaving the War Rooms, we strolled through London’s neighborhoods enjoying the beautiful October weather. Having lived in London the summer after I graduated college, I visited many interesting sights back then, but seeing famous London landmarks never gets old. We walked by Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, stopping at an outdoor café for a chocolate-filled croissant. Then I took a trip down memory lane as we visited my old neighborhood in Bayswater. The exciting memories of living abroad rushed back with every step I took, as we simultaneously created more memories to reflect on years from now.

Just do it.

Would we still have traveled to London to see the Bears game if not for Ryan’s work trip? Maybe. Maybe not. I did have it penciled in my calendar just in case. Either way there comes a time when you just have to decide to take the plunge. Order your passport. Book the ticket. Start making dream travel memories now.

That’s certainly what we did as Ryan and I cheered on his Chicago Bears with thousands of other NFL fans at Wembley Stadium just outside of London.

What an experience!

My favorite city. Ryan’s favorite team. And to our surprise – our favorite band, the Goo Goo Dolls, performed a pre-game concert! That crazy coincidence was the icing on the cake of our short and altogether unforgettable European adventure.

We flew home first thing Monday morning. Yes, it was a fast trip – but oh, so worth it! Our savvy planning created an active, but not rushed, itinerary allowing us to explore beautiful surroundings, experience unique “firsts,” and create exciting memories that are literally lasting a lifetime.

What are your tips for making the most of short trips? Comment below. We’d love to hear from you.