How Free Time Can Improve Any Vacation

Creating a busy vacation itinerary is a natural thing to do. After all, you want to make the most of every minute. But there’s something to be said for carving out some holes in your vacation schedule where you don’t have anything in particular planned. From tracking down medication for a minor health emergency to sorting out an unexpected passport issue, freeing up some time now and then will give you the room to deal with any issues that may arise without throwing off your whole schedule.

Unscheduled time also opens the door to spontaneity. If you’ve already got every hour reserved, you’re less likely to visit a museum you stumble upon or take a local’s advice about a great day trip.

It doesn’t even have to be a black hole in your itinerary. You can note some things you’d like to do ahead of time, and if nothing else comes up, choose among your original activity ideas.

If you’ve only got a week somewhere, you may not be comfortable keeping some part of a day open, but if you’re staying for longer, it’s worth your while to carve out some open time throughout your trip.

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