Mastering Microvacations

Microvacations and weekend getaways don't have to be complicated! Learn how to plan the perfect 2-3 day family trip that actually refreshes you.

Melissa shares her proven formula for stress-free microvacations: finding affordable non-stop flights, choosing hotels with breakfast included, and picking compact destinations where you can maximize fun without the exhaustion of over-planning.

Episode highlights:

• The microvacation formula: short flights, easy logistics, compact destinations
• Best hotel chains for family weekend getaways (with points strategies)
• Top microvacation destinations from the Midwest
• Why shorter trips can be better than longer vacations
• Real examples: NYC, Chicago, and Florida beach weekends

Perfect for busy families juggling sports schedules, school commitments, and limited vacation days. Discover how to squeeze more travel into your year without breaking the bank or burning out.

00:00 Introduction to Micro Vacations

00:19 What is a Micro Vacation?

00:38 Keys to a Successful Micro Vacation

01:01 Affordable Flights

01:27 Choosing the Right Hotels

01:56 Ideal Destinations for Micro Vacations

02:40 The Benefits of Micro Vacations

03:15 Recap and Final Tips

03:53 Conclusion and Additional Resources

Resources:

All about the Southwest Companion Pass

Hyatt Regency Coconut Point

Hyatt Regency Lost Pines

Hosted by Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone.

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Transcript

0:02

Hey everyone, it's Melissa here from Family Travel Unpacked, and you're tuning in to Quick Tip Tuesday. Today I wanna talk about something that's become a game changer for our family: micro vacations. It's a new buzzword in the travel world, but not really a new concept at all. So what's a micro vacation? It's a tiny trip, usually two or three days that helps you recharge your batteries or take a break from the grind of routine and busy schedules. We often squeeze them in between the larger trips that we take two or three times a year. Honestly, sometimes it's all we can manage because of soccer tournaments, musical theater, and work commitments. One of the keys to a successful micro vacation is making sure that the logistics are straightforward and just work things like nonstop flights of two or three hours. You're not crossing too many time zones, hotels that include breakfast, so you aren't scrambling to figure out every single meal of the trip. When you keep those basics in mind, you can feel like you're on vacation from the moment you land. Let me share how we make this work. First. Affordable flights, we use points whenever possible, especially on Southwest, since we have the companion pass. But even if you're paying cash, look for those short, non-stop flights from Columbus. We can get to New York City, Chicago, or tons of Florida destinations in just a few hours. The nonstop part is key. When you only have two or three days, you don't wanna waste half of them sitting in airports dealing with connections. We've done it and it's no fun. Second, hotels with breakfast included. This is huge for us. When you're trying to pack maximum experience into minimum time, not having to think about breakfast every morning is a gift. Plus, with kids, knowing they can fuel up before you head out, takes away so much stress. We love Embassy Suites or Holiday Inn Express Properties. For this, they're everywhere. The breakfast is salad and they're usually reasonably priced. Hyatt Places is an even better option if you're using points that you transfer from your Chase Sapphire card. Third pick destinations that are compact and easy to enjoy in bite-sized pieces. New York City is perfect for this. You can walk Central Park, hit a couple museums, see a Broadway show and eat amazing food all in a long weekend. Everything's accessible by Subway or walking. Chicago is similar. You could check out Navy Pier, millennium Park, the Art Institute, and stuff yourself with deep dish pizza everything is really easy to get to. You're not spending half your trip just driving between activities. Florida beach destinations might be the easiest of all. Plant yourselves at a resort with water slides, hit the beach and that's your whole weekend. Heck, you can even order DoorDash for dinner if you don't wanna go out. Simple relaxing. Perfect. Now here's what I think people underestimate about micro vacations: even though it's just a quick break from routine, everyone comes back feeling that sense of adventure. We did a long weekend at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, arrived Friday afternoon, left Monday evening, and it was just enough. The kids got to enjoy the water slides. We spent an afternoon at the beach and everyone came home refreshed. Could we have stayed longer? Sure, but we also didn't wanna burn through all my husband's vacation days. The trip didn't break the bank, and sometimes shorter really is better. You leave while everyone's still having fun, and before anyone gets bored or overtired. So let's recap the micro vacation formula. Start with affordable flights. Use points or watch for deals on nonstop flights under three hours. Choose hotels with breakfast included so you're not scrambling every morning. Destinations that are compact where you don't need a car for everything are perfect and skip the over planning. You've only got two or three days. Pick just the few things that you really wanna do and leave space for spontaneity. These little trips have become some of our favorite family memories. They're easy to plan, easy to execute, and they give you just enough of a break to reset without the exhaustion that sometimes comes with those big, complicated vacations. That's it for today's tip. Head to the show notes for details on the Southwest Companion Pass and some specific hotel recommendations. You can always find more info thefamilyvoyage.com. Send this episode to someone you are trying to convince to join you on your next micro vacation, and be sure to hit follow in your favorite podcast app so you never miss a new episode. Until next time, happy travels.