Leave hacking – it’s not as scary as it sounds, we promise.
For the uninitiated, leave hacking is a strategy for maximising time off work by combining stat holidays and vacation days. The best part? It means more time for big trips.
So, request your leave, book your vacation and make 2025 your best year yet.
Key dates:
- New Year’s Day: Take off December 30 and 31, 2024, and January 2 and 3, 2025 for a nine-day vacation
- Family Day: Take off February 18 to 21 for a nine-day vacation (New Brunswick, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan and BC only)
- Good Friday: Take off April 14 to 17 for a nine-day vacation
- Victoria Day: Take off May 20 to 23 for a nine-day vacation
- Canada Day: Take off June 30 and July 2 to 4 for a nine-day vacation
- Labour Day: Take off September 2 to 5 for a nine-day vacation
- Thanksgiving Day: Take off October 14 to 17 for a nine-day vacation
- Remembrance Day: Take off November 10 and 12 to 14 for a nine-day vacation
- Christmas Day and Boxing Day: Take off December 22 to 24 for a nine-day vacation
January – New Year’s Day
Did you promise yourself last year that this winter would be different – that you’d break up the cold and dark days with a sunny escape? If so, the first week of the year is the perfect time for it. By utilising the New Year’s Day holiday, you can enjoy nine days OOO with just four vacation days.
Start 2025 with a hike in Uganda during the dry season and see endangered gorillas in the wild or get up close to the Iguazu Falls on a short break to Brazil and Argentina. It’s a great way to tick off those resolutions!
February – Family Day
February fatigue is real – the novelty of a new year has worn off and spring still feels far off. But you can change your perspective by booking some leave. If you live in a province that celebrates Family Day, take February 18 to 21 off for a nine-day break.
Honour the holiday by staying with a host family in the northern region of Morocco, or travel by bullet train across Japan and see the country’s best bits.
April – Good Friday
Extend your Easter vacation by taking off April 14 to 17 and enjoy nine days away from the office for the price of four.
With so much time on your hands, you can head to Jordan and float in the Dead Sea or follow in Inca footsteps in Peru. Prefer to stay closer to home? Try glamping under the stars after exploring Utah‘s red-rock landscape.
May – Victoria Day
May long weekend means one thing: summer is here. Be the envy of all your colleagues by taking off May 20 to 23, making it a nine-day vacation.
With this extra leave, consider switching your cottage getaway for Croatia, where you can cruise the Adriatic Sea and island hop with fewer crowds than peak summer. Or spend the night on a boat in Halong Bay as you venture north through Vietnam.
July – Canada Day
You only need to use four vacation days – June 30 and July 2 to 4 – to get nine days off around the Canada Day long weekend.
Celebrate Canada Day in style by spotting wildlife overseas during the cool, dry season. You might see sea lions and hammerhead sharks in the Galapagos, or watch wildebeest and zebras crossing the Grumeti River in Tanzania.
September – Labour Day
Say goodbye to summer with one last adventure by transforming Labour Day weekend into nine days of vacation – just take off September 2 to 5.
In September, you could get familiar with the many beaches in Costa Rica, dive into the history of ancient Greece by visiting the country itself or check out the pyramids in Egypt as the weather cools.
October – Thanksgiving Day
Sometimes you need a trip away from the everyday to know you’ve got it good. Be thankful this Thanksgiving by using four vacation days for nine days away.
Where you practice your gratitude is up to you. But our suggestion? Munch on meat tacos and sip margaritas in Mexico, ride a rickshaw around India‘s Old Delhi or walk through California’s best national parks.
November – Remembrance Day
If you’re in a province that gets November 11 off, beat the winter blues by booking off November 10 and 12 to 14 too. With Remembrance Day in the middle, you’ll get a nine-day vacation.
Choosing the right country for a mid-November getaway is key. Cooler evenings in Morocco mean you can sleep comfortably under the stars in the Sahara, while Iceland‘s longer nights improve your chances of seeing the Northern Lights. Even traditional summer spots like Italy offer something special in the off-season.
December – Christmas Day and Boxing Day
If you don’t have to work over the Christmas period, don’t! With just three vacation days, you can enjoy nine days off – perfect for some well-deserved R&R to end the year.
Give the gift of a cultural experience by taking the whole family to a Maya homestead in Mexico or by wandering around Central Europe‘s winter markets. Prefer your own pace? You could explore Thailand solo before joining a group around the temples and relics of Ayutthaya.
Inspired to maximise your time off? Join a small group adventure with Intrepid.
