Have you been able to take your business to the next level?
You’re 12,000 feet in the air, with the plane door open and the wind whipping through the cabin. Within seconds, it’s time to exit the plane, and suddenly you find yourself soaring through the clouds, depending on a parachute for a safe landing. Once you hit the ground, you set up your laptop, tap into the drop zone’s Wi-Fi network and complete a few business transactions. Then you get ready to do it all over again.
For entrepreneur Peter Shankman, skydiving is all in a day’s work while traveling for business. He even packs his own parachute on every trip he takes.
Business trips are no longer just about the hotel you stay in and where you eat. They’re becoming a chance for hard-working entrepreneurs to take a break between the power lunches and million-dollar deals and enjoy the locales they visit. According to a National Household Travel Survey, Americans make more than 405 million long-distance business trips per year, which account for about 16 percent of all long-distance travel.
Whether traveling near or far, business travelers should take the opportunity to get to know more than just the hotel lobby. Here are 10 unique ideas–some practical and some on the wild side–to spice up your next business trip.
1. Join a running tour.
If running is your passion, don’t feel restricted to the treadmill in your hotel’s gym. Instead, opt for a race or an organized running tour.
2. Discover the city’s nightlife.
After dealing with lost luggage, several layovers or a stressful business meeting, the only thing on your mind might be letting loose for a few hours. Sites like AOL Local specialize in finding nightlife in a variety of cities. Type in your destination and the site will list upcoming events and specific search results for the city’s best bars and dance clubs.
3. Schedule an intense workout.
“The first thing I do on a business trip is ask ‘Where is the nearest gym?’” says Michael Wood, chief fitness officer for Koko Fitness, Inc.Wood, who travels about 30 percent of the time, says he always makes a point to visit the outdoor gym in Santa Monica, California, whenever business brings him to the West Coast. Sal Fichera, fitness consultant and founder of Forza Fitness, agrees that hotel gyms simply don’t cut it.
4. Take a leap.
Shankman carries his skydiving gear, commonly referred to in the industry as a “rig,” in his carryon every time he boards a plane. In the past two years, Shankman has already visited about 30 drop zones across the world while traveling for business. “My logic is that you’ve got to throw something fun into business trips, or they just become hotel room, meeting room, airport, back to back to back. And that sucks,” he says.
5.Attend a play or musical.
If you’re forced to travel for work during the holidays, why not get into the season by taking in a performance of The Nutcracker or a Christmas choral concert?
Spas often offer massage techniques related to the location. For example, Hawaii is known for the Lomi Lomi massage, a traditional Hawaiian massage passed down through generations. A massage or spa treatment can not only ease your jet lag, but might also teach you about the culture of the area you’re visiting. LiAnne Yu, strategic director and cultural anthropologist of research-based innovation consulting firm Cheskin, says making time for the spa is a necessary part of her business travel. Yu recommends consulting with your hotel’s concierge to find hole-in-the-wall spots in more exotic destinations. Some of her favorite spa experiences include a massage by a blind massage therapist in China and a head massage using almond oil in India. Map out your spa schedule ahead of time with the help of websites like Spavelous, where you can find a list of local spas by city or zip code.
7. Visit an art exhibition.
Peruse the local newspaper or its website for a calendar of events for local art exhibits. The Los Angeles Times includes this information in its Calendar Live website, where it features a search engine to help you find an exhibit in Southern California cities on any given day. If business brings you to Colorado, the Denver Art Dealers Association lists showings at local galleries. For trips abroad, look up your location on Artspan’s Calendar of Art Events page to find a nearby event.
8. Tour a historical home.
For history buffs, try to fit a tour of a historical site into your busy schedule. If you’re in Boston for a meeting, make a day trip to Plymouth, Massachusetts, to travel back in time at Plimouth Plantation, where actors recreate a small farming town built by English colonists. Near Rhode Island? Visit The Breakers in Newport, the former elite summer home to the Vanderbilt family. If you’re looking for a haunted tour, the 1692 witchcraft tours by Salem Historical Tours are sure to send a chill down your spine.
9. Sample the local flavor.
There are certain times of year that various locations become synonymous with a particular food. During the summer, the Sandhills of North Carolina are known for producing perfect peaches.
10. Cheer on the home team.
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