While a getaway is meant to be an opportunity to get away from everyday life and stress, more times than not it’s actually hard to relax on vacation. Some vacations can be quite busy with many tours, events, activities, and plans packed into the itinerary. That’s why we’ve come up with a few easy ways to unwind, reset, and find your inner peace.

While it’s great to do and see as much as possible, it is still a vacation so, there should still be some moments of relaxation. Here we’ll take a look at some simple ways you can sneak little breaks into your trip so you can relax on vacation in between activities.

This will ensure that the vacation feels balanced and you go home feeling completely refreshed.

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How to Relax on Vacation When Things Get Hectic

Plan Dine-In Experiences – Sit Back and Take It All In

A great way to relax on vacation is by going out to a nice dinner. While you may be tempted to grab food that you can take on the go and eat while you’re busy engaging in activities or touring the destination, there’s no relaxation in that.

Planning to dine in at local restaurants will force you to sit down, take it easy, and just relax for that brief period. It can also be a wonderful way to get a better feel for the destination, engage with locals, and do a little people-watching.

Depending on the time of year and the destination, opting for outdoor seating can make the experience all the more serene so you can relax on vacation. Outdoor cafes tend to be a great option if you don’t want to spend hours at a restaurant, yet you’ll still get that little break to re-group and plan the rest of your day.

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Enjoy Some Online Gaming in the Comfort of Your Room

Another good way to decompress and relax on vacation is by gaming. Considering the vast majority of people own smartphones nowadays, there’s a good chance you have yours with you while on your trip.

So, why not use it to tap into a little fun while enjoying downtime in your hotel room? Online gaming can fill a few minutes to a few hours, depending on how much free time you’ve got.

You can use a site like Online Casinos, which lists some of the most popular games and has the goal of bringing all the action of the casino to your mobile device. Sites like Online Casinos feature a curated list of the best and newest online casinos and their welcome bonuses.

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Schedule a Spa Visit – Go Ahead and Pamper Yourself

Another fabulous way to relax on vacation is to book a spa visit. You can look into what spas are popular in the destination and if there are any special services the region or that particular spa is known for.

A spa visit can be a great option for the first day of your vacation to get rid of the stress from traveling or a wonderful way to end your trip as you prepare to head back home.

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Don’t Overstuff the Itinerary – Be Realistic with Planning

It can be very tempting to fill every hour of every day while on a vacation, but then you risk over-extending yourself. The vacation can be physically and mentally draining, and by the end, it will all feel like a blur. Those aren’t the memories you want to go home with.

Instead, try prioritizing the itinerary. What are the most important things you want to see or do? Then, schedule one or two per day. Outside of that list, you can have other activities that you can pepper in when the mood strikes and the timing allows.

If the destination ends up being that special you can always plan to visit again. It’s just not worth the stress to try and cram it all in. 

There’s also the fact you need to be flexible when it comes to the itinerary. There may be things out of your control that affects your ability to get to those items, so you need to be willing to go with the flow.

An added tip is to choose accommodations that are near the things you want to do. This will cut down on travel time to the various activities, which means more time to relax on vacation.

morning, wake up, relax on vacation

Get an Early Start Each Day – Make the Most of Your Time

People often worry about running out of time to do and see everything and lose the opportunity to relax on vacation so, a simple solution to combat that worry is to get an early start each day. Sure, it may be tempting to sleep in, after all, you’re on vacation, but the problem is that will cut into your schedule in a big way.

Giving yourself more hours in the day to fit everything in will make the pace more relaxed and enjoyable. If you find you’re not getting enough sleep, try going to bed a little earlier, but continue to wake up at a decent time each day.

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Permit Yourself to Do Nothing

The final tip for how to relax on vacation may be the most important of all and that’s to permit yourself to do nothing.

There is often the thought that you need to make the best of every single minute while on a trip and not take it for granted. And while that is true, doing nothing isn’t a bad thing.

Doing nothing allows you to absorb the moment and let it wash over you. It allows you to be at peace and slow down. These quiet moments may end up being the best ones you have while on vacation.

Of course, this begins by telling yourself it’s okay not to have a plan, it’s okay to do nothing, it’s okay to sit on the beach all day or at a museum for hours, it’s your vacation to make what you want of it.

Tell yourself, “it’s okay to relax on vacation!”

woman, girl, relax on vacation

It’s Time to Change How You View a Vacation

So, if you’re used to a holiday being non-stop activities and tours it may be time to re-evaluate how you view a vacation. If you’re going home exhausted and having a hard time remembering what you did during your time away, it’s clear you need to slow down and learn how to be in the moment. 

Relax on vacation, you deserve it.

Author

Christa Thompson is the Founder and Chief Editor of The Fairytale Traveler. She started traveling the world in 2003 when she attended a summer abroad study at the University of Cambridge in England. Since then, her wanderlust has been fierce. Her three passions in life are her son, traveling, and being creative. The Fairytale Traveler brand gives Christa the opportunity to do all of these things and to live intentionally every day. "It's never too late to believe in what you love and to pursue your dreams." -Christa Thompson

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