Don't Waste Your PTO This Summer: 12 Ways to Make the Most of Your Time Off

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Paid time off is one of the most valuable benefits many people receive, yet so much of it goes unused or is spent catching up on chores. Before you know it, summer is over, your inbox is still full and you’re left wondering where the season went. This year, make your PTO count. Whether you’re planning a weeklong getaway or just taking a Friday off here and there, these ideas will help you make every hour feel worthwhile. 

1. Take a Midweek Break Instead of a Long Weekend

Long weekends are great, but they’re often packed with crowds, higher prices and busy roads. Instead, consider taking weekdays off. You’ll enjoy quieter attractions, a more relaxed atmosphere and cheaper accommodations. For ideal vacation destinations like San Diego and Napa Valley, hotel prices are 37% lower on Monday than on Saturday. 

Even if you stay close to home, those slower weekdays make it easier to truly disconnect. It also means you’ll only have one or two days at work before and after your break, making the transition much less stressful.

2. Plan Around Experiences, Not Destinations

It’s easy to get caught up in choosing the perfect place to visit. However, the most memorable vacations usually come down to what you do rather than where you go. 

Instead of asking yourself where to travel, ask what you want to experience. Maybe you want to learn how to paddleboard, hike to a waterfall, attend an outdoor concert, take a cooking class or spend a day kayaking. Building your itinerary around meaningful summer activities often leads to a more rewarding trip than simply checking another destination off your list.

If you’re looking for a getaway that combines relaxation with adventure, consider booking a cruise. Summer cruises take you to coasts around the world, so you’ll wake up in a new destination without the hassle of constantly packing and unpacking. A tropical escape or a surf and yoga retreat is the perfect place to unwind and return home feeling refreshed. Also, there’s no shortage of onboard entertainment, dining and summer activities to enjoy between ports. 

3. Actually Disconnect From Work

One of the biggest mistakes people make is staying half-connected to the office. Answering emails by the pool isn’t relaxing. Neither is checking your work chat every hour. 

Before your time off begins, delegate urgent responsibilities, set an out-of-office message and let colleagues know when you’ll return. Give yourself permission to unplug completely. Your work will still be there when you get back, but your vacation won’t.

4. Turn Everyday Adventures Into Mini Vacations

You don’t need a passport to recharge. Many people overlook attractions in their own city or neighboring towns because they assume they’ll always have time to visit them later. Instead, spend a day being a tourist in your own city. 

Visit local museums, botanical gardens, beaches, scenic trails, wineries, farmers markets or historic neighborhoods. Try restaurants you’ve always meant to visit, or book a night at a nearby hotel just for the experience. These simple summer activities can feel surprisingly refreshing without requiring extensive planning or travel expenses. 

5. Schedule Time to Do Absolutely Nothing

Your vacation doesn’t need to be packed from sunrise to sunset. In fact, leaving open space in your schedule often creates the most enjoyable moments. Sleep in, read a book outside and watch the sunset without checking your phone. Spending time doing nothing can actually improve your problem-solving skills and enhance creativity. 

Modern life rarely gives you permission to slow down, which is exactly why downtime is so valuable. Sometimes the best use of PTO is giving your mind a chance to rest. 

6. Learn Something New

Summer is an excellent opportunity to develop a skill you’ve been putting off. Maybe you’ve always wanted to try photography, painting, gardening, surfing, pickleball or woodworking. Taking a class or dedicating a few days to learning something new gives your vacation purpose while keeping your mind engaged. 

The best part is that you’ll return to work with a new hobby that continues long after summer ends. Many educational summer activities offer opportunities to meet new people who share your interests. Plus, hobbies are a great way to combat physical exhaustion and mental drain, helping you return fresher. 

7. Spend More Time Outdoors

After months of spending most days indoors, summer offers the perfect excuse to reconnect with nature. Go hiking through a national park, bike on local trails, picnic at the lake, or try paddleboarding or canoeing if you’re looking for something more adventurous. 

Even something as simple as eating breakfast on your patio or taking an evening walk can improve your mood. Fresh air, sunshine and movement work together to reduce stress and help you feel more energized. Additionally, spending time in nature can improve your sleep, which is especially beneficial if work-related stress leaves you restless. 

8. Create Memories With Family and Friends

People rarely look back on vacations and remember answering emails or finishing household projects. They remember conversations around a campfire, laughing over board games, watching fireworks, building sandcastles with their children and sharing meals that lasted for hours. 

Prioritize experiences that bring you closer to the people you care about. The best summer activities aren’t necessarily the most expensive, but the ones you share with others.

9. Cross Something Off Your Personal Bucket List

Everyone has experiences they’ve been saying they’ll do “someday.” Maybe it’s seeing a sunrise from a mountain peak, attending a music festival, taking a hot-air balloon ride, visiting a national park or going on a scenic train journey. 

Why wait? Using PTO to accomplish a personal goal makes your vacation feel meaningful and gives you memories you’ll likely treasure for years. 

10.  Volunteer for a Cause You Care About

Giving back might not be the first thing that comes to mind when planning time off, but it is rewarding. Volunteering can help you find a sense of purpose and reduce stress. Whether you help at an animal shelter, participate in a community cleanup, mentor young people or volunteer at a local food bank, you’ll return home feeling good about yourself. 

Many organizations offer one-day or weekend volunteer opportunities, making it easy to fit them into your schedule. You can even combine volunteering with other summer activities, such as joining a beach cleanup before spending the afternoon by the water.

11.  Use Your PTO to Get Ahead on a Personal Goal

Time off doesn’t always have to mean escaping responsibility. It can also be the perfect opportunity to focus on something you’ve been wanting to accomplish but never seem to have time for. 

Perhaps you’ve been meaning to organize your home, launch a side hustle, train for a race, write a few chapters of a book or tackle a DIY project. Dedicating a couple of uninterrupted days to a personal goal can be far more productive than trying to squeeze it into evenings or weekends. 

12.  Protect Time for Yourself

Not every vacation has to involve other people. If your schedule has been filled with work, family responsibilities and endless obligations, your PTO can be an opportunity to focus entirely on yourself. 

Book a spa day, spend hours reading at the beach, take yourself to lunch or go for a long drive with your favorite playlist. Solo summer activities can be surprisingly restorative because they allow you to recharge on your own terms, without worrying about anyone else’s schedule. Spending time alone allows you to find peace and focus on yourself without worrying about others.

Make This Summer Count

PTO is an opportunity to reset, reconnect with the people who matter and create experiences that leave you feeling happier and healthier. This summer, don’t settle for running errands or spending your entire break scrolling through your phone when you have a world of possibilities.