Business, Pleasure or Both?

Posted by Kelley Lear on Aug 10, 2010 | 0 comments

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

While my last several blogs were pretty heavy tax technical content, and no doubt a bit dry.  I decided to lighten things up a bit. 

Are you like me? A person who (since the beginning of time, it feels like) has traveled for business, visiting amazing cities only to get in late, order room service and never set foot in the city? Do your friends and family look dreamy when you tell them you are going to Chicago, New York or San Diego…and think you have an exciting, jet-setting life? While filling out your “Reason for Travel – Business or Pleasure” on the hotel reservation website, are you secretly wishing you could check the box for “Pleasure”, instead of “Business”?  Personally, I think they need to add a new checkbox to that online form.  It should say “Both”.

I decided that life is too short to continue to travel for business and never take a few minutes to do something to enjoy the destination. It could be a hike in Estes Park in Colorado, Central Park in NYC, or perusing the National History Museum in DC.  I’m making sure to stop and smell the roses. It’s my goal to experience the wealth of knowledge and amazing opportunities that the road can actually bring to those who take the time to experience it.

To prove my point, on my last trip to Chicago for a recent Chicago Tax Club (CTC) meeting, I carved out an hour and a half to take in some of the city.  My trip was a typical “in and out” as I’d call it, as I was flying in the night before, attending the meeting and heading directly to the airport immediately after the last presentation to return home.  After quickly checking into a hotel on the Miracle Mile, I overcame that lazy alter ego sitting on my left shoulder begging me to order in some room service and get to work.

Instead, I threw on some running shorts and shoes and went for a jog on Lakeshore Drive.

Lakeshore is very runner, cyclist and roller blader-friendly, so I knew I was in for a great run. I headed North, with the lake on my right and all the skyscrapers to my left. Within minutes I’d forgotten all about the busy week and all the work that was looming in my inbox.

I ran past parks, recreation areas and a bar that was beckoning me to stop for a margarita. I’d always wanted to run in Chicago, especially on Lakeshore.  I ran for about five or six miles as the sun set and I needed to get back.  I felt completely invigorated as I reached the lobby of the hotel.  It was a small sightseeing trip, but was exactly what I needed—a little bit of pleasure on what was otherwise a very “business” oriented trip.

The next time you’re in Chicago, I’d really recommend a walk/run/bike/skate down Lakeshore Drive. It will open your eyes to the beauty of the city. If you’re looking for some other great activities, here are a few I’d suggest:

Art Institute of Chicago
This is a great way to spend a few hours of your time, particularly if you’re an art buff.
Shedd Aquarium
The Shedd Aquarium is full of incredible animals—it’s great if your family is joining you!
Museum of Science and Industry
There’s nothing like historical artifacts on industry! Just kidding—a little. This is another fantastic place to spend a few hours.

At Red Moon, we are always traveling to new places—keep checking back for more blogs from our series: Business or Pleasure. Tell us about some of the destinations on your list in the “comments” section; you just might see them featured the next time we profile your favorite city!

image credit: tylerdurden1, supervillan

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