The 9-to-5 grind might not be optional, but how you plan your paid time off (PTO) is.
By adding a few vacation days to a long weekend, you can carve out enough leave for a big trip or two. And since your time is precious, we’ve already worked out the best times and places to go so you don’t have to.
Key dates:
- New Year’s Day: Take off 30 to 31 December 2024 and 2 to 3 January for a 9-day vacation.
- Presidents’ Day: Take off 18 to 21 February for a nine-day vacation.
- Memorial Day: Take off 27 to 30 May for a nine-day vacation.
- Independence Day: Take off 30 June to 3 July for a nine-day vacation.
- Labour Day: Take off 2 to 5 September for a nine-day vacation.
- Veteran’s Day: Take off 10 and 12 to 14 of November for a nine-day vacation.
- Thanksgiving: Take off 24 and 26 to 28 of November for a nine-day vacation.
- Christmas Day: Take off 22 to 26 December for a nine-day vacation.
January – New Year’s Day
Let’s be honest – when the holidays end, we all could use another vacation. After spending so much time with friends and family, it’s only natural to crave a break that’s entirely within your control. If you take off 30 to 31 December and 2 to 3 January, you’ll bookend New Year’s Day and get a full nine days of leave.
Spend that time exploring national parks and relaxing on beaches in Costa Rica or perhaps meeting Buddhist monks in a Cambodian monastery – both of which will make for great stories when the inevitable ‘how were your holidays?’ question pops up at work.
February – Presidents’ Day
Presidents’ Day is a nice break in February – but you can make it even nicer by using four PTO days to get nine days off. Just lock in leave from the 18 to 21 February and you could be taking salsa lessons and cooking classes in Cuba. Or head to the Galapagos Islands to catch the breeding season – think sea turtles laying eggs and birds showing off their courtship moves.
May – Memorial Day
Start as you mean to go on this summer by turning four days of PTO into a nine-day adventure. By booking off the days after Memorial Day – 27 to 30 May – you’ll have more time to travel to a faraway place.
Would you like to spend a night camping under the stars in the Sahara Desert or retracing the steps of the Incas in Peru? Or maybe you want to experience a long summer day in Iceland? Well, now’s the perfect time to make it happen.
July – Independence Day
You can make your Fourth of July celebrations last a little bit longer by setting your OOO from 30 June to 3 July. With nine days off, you can visit some of the most iconic landmarks in the USA, like Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park, or head to Canada and discover the beauty of the Canadian Rockies. If Europe is calling, a trip around Croatia in July won’t disappoint either.
September – Labor Day
Put off saying goodbye to summer by leave-hacking Labor Day and turning a three-day weekend into a nine-day vacation.
The start of September is the perfect time to visit Italy – throw a penny into the Trevi fountain and cruise the canals of Venice with fewer crowds than peak summer. Or immerse yourself in local life by staying with a family in a Thai village. Don’t want to get your passport out? You’ve got Yosemite National Park on your doorstep, ready to be explored.
November – Veterans Day and Thanksgiving Day
November presents you with two opportunities for longer leave (and a chance to fend off those winter blues). Take off 10 and 12 to 14 November or 24 to 26 and 28 November– both options give you a solid nine-day break.
What can you do with nine free days in November, you ask? How about floating in the Dead Sea without getting scorched by the sun or pursuing the northern lights in Iceland? Or you can learn about history while you wander the ancient sites in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. You decide!
December – Christmas Day
You’ve made it through another year, so celebrate with a well-deserved break from the daily grind. With Christmas Day already off, add 22, 24 and 26 December for a nine-day vacation. Bring history to life for your little ones by exploring the pyramids in Egypt when it’s more temperate, or soak up the sun and live your best Bali beach life.
Inspired to maximise your time off? Join a small group adventure with Intrepid.
