12 Best Long Weekend Destinations This Summer

Without full-freedom summers like those of our school days, adults have one saving grace for our collective sanity in hot weather: summer Fridays. They are legit the best invention to hit the workplace since the water cooler and G-Chat. By the end of the summer, you barely remember what it’s like to work a five-day week (#Legalize4DayWorkWeeks).

Some of those long weekends are best used for catching up on sleep and completing mundane errands around the house. But there will be times when you’re going to want more. You’re going to need a change of scenery — an adventure, if you will.

The long weekend vacation is an art. You want a destination with a blend of local charm and a laid-back attitude. What you DON’T want is a location so jam-packed with activities that it will leave you feeling stressed when you inevitably can’t hit everything.

There’s a fine balance that must be struck.

Here are 12 long weekend destinations that check all the right boxes for those summer Fridays.

Bar Harbor, ME

No one would tell you to take a weekend trip to Maine in the winter…or fall…or even spring. But when summer hits this northeastern gem, the magic is palpable.

Bar Harbor has all the trappings of a classic beach town (local ice cream shops, quaint local boutiques), only it’s even more idyllic than what you’re probably accustomed to. Its rocky coast boasts an adorable lighthouse and amazing lobster, plus manageable prices to boot.

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Reno, NV

“The biggest little city in the world.” That’s Reno’s tagline, and it’s ready to defend that reputation.

With Vegas completely oversaturated in the American tourism industry, Reno is on the rise for the same traits of glitz and gambling, only with fewer tourists. Bonus: There’s a growing brewery culture in the city, so you can trade in those sugary casino cocktails for some craft beer.

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Point Pleasant, NJ

Seaside Heights and the Wildwoods get all the glory of the Jersey Shore. Yet if you want a little less fist pumping and a little more relaxing, head due north to Point Pleasant.

Time-travel your way back to the 1950s with a stay in a “Doo Wop Motel,” so-called because the décor is filled with golden-era kitsch.

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Upper Peninsula, MI

The upper Midwest is all about that Lake Life, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is the crème de la crème of Lake Life, with its myriad charming towns and wilderness adventures.

One day you can be kayaking through the Les Cheneaux area; the next you can explore Tahquamenon Falls; and then you can end the day with a dinner at one of the many marinas on Lake Superior.

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Willamette Valley, OR

There had to be a wine weekend included in this list, yet the Sonoma and Napa Valleys of California are so well-known they’re almost a given at this point. Trade in California’s vines for the burgeoning wine scene of Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

Given its proximity to hipster Portland, you’ll find many oenophiles exploring the wine trails on their bikes. It’s a good way to work off those Pinot Noir calories.

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Albuquerque, NM

Albuquerque tourism is booming, putting this modest city on the cusp of becoming the next great southwest metropolis.

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St. Louis, MO

There’s more to St. Louis than the famous arch (though let’s be honest, that’s pretty cool too). The “Gateway to the West” is chock-full of green space, with a fabulous botanical garden and its urban sculpture park, Citygarden.

And let’s not forget about that mouth-watering BBQ. Ribs are a must when you’re in St. Louis.

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Adirondack Mountains, NY

Here’s something you probably didn’t know: Adirondack Park is bigger than both Yellowstone and Yosemite in terms of National Parks. That’s 6 million acres of High Peaks, pristine lakes and practically unspoiled nature.

Try staying in the small town of Saranac Lake, or opt for the site of the 1980 Olympics, Lake Placid.

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Sedona, AZ

Red Rock is one of the coolest natural wonders in the continental US, and Sedona, Arizona, has them in spades. Among the most popular, and coolest, are the Pink Jeep tours of the Red Rocks. It’s bound to bring out the renegade inside you.

When you’ve satisfied your sense of adventure, you can unwind with a prickly pear margarita (a local specialty) or soak up the culture at one of the many lauded art galleries.

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Pacific Coast Highway, CA

Everyone needs a solid road trip to make a summer memorable. The Pacific Coast Highway is the gold standard of road trips. US 1 is hella scenic, with its cliffs and ocean views.

Within a long weekend, think of how many coastal towns you can visit. You can hit the Danish village of Solvang in the morning, and then stop for some fresh avocados in Santa Barbara in the afternoon — and that’s just day one.

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Quebec, Canada

You can’t have a productive long weekend in Europe without feeling like you missed everything. Look instead to our neighbor to the north, and try out Quebec for a weekend.

It has all the feel of a French village (French is the official language after all) — only at a fraction of the cost. Plus there’s always a festival for you to experience a taste of local culture.

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Maui, HI

I know, I know. A weekend in Hawaii is a SPLURGE. But sometimes you just have to treat yourself, and if you’re going to treat yourself, Hawaii is the place to do it.

Maui is the long weekend destination of your dreams. White sand beaches, clear water, amazing surfing. And when you need a break from all that sunlight, the island boasts some incredible spas to make you forget about all your tension and troubles.

I mean, put it this way: Would you ever regret a weekend in Hawaii? I don’t think so.

 Blair Thill

The 5 Decisions That Will Change Your Life Forever as an Entrepreneur

                   

                                                                                                                                              

Becoming an entrepreneur is a huge deal. It’s not a decision to be taken lightly. But because the choice to transform into a business ownerhas been so heavily glamorized over the past decade, many people feel surprised and guilty about the fact that it can actually be a pretty tough choice to make. There’s no doubt about it -- once you’ve made up your mind to take the plunge and live as an entrepreneur, your life will never been the same.

In particular, here are five decisions that’ll change your life forever as an entrepreneur:

1. The decision to become an entrepreneur.

The actual decision to join the rapidly growing number of entrepreneurs is a life-changer in and of itself. So many things come along with choosing to go it alone in business -- some good, and others not so much.

But one thing is clear: once you’ve made the choice to join the club, that’s something that nobody else can take away from you. Sure, you can choose to return to work for someone else as an employee, but you’ll never truly stop being an entrepreneur. Once you've had a taste, you’ll never be able to forget.

2. The decision to never stop improving.

A hallmark trait of entrepreneurs is their perpetual discontent. Most of the time, this is a good thing. As an employee, you’re performing to meet standards. As an entrepreneur, you’re continuously looking to make things better, to improve on the present and to slash the status quo.

You won’t be able to see things simply at face value anymore. The urge to figure out why and how to improvise or redesign what you’re currently experiencing will never go away. Entrepreneurship places an insatiable desire for “better” within you.

3. The decision to dive full time into your adventure.

Many of us who take the plunge begin by running a business on the side. This is the smart and safe approach, so to speak, and it’s not surprising that a large number of people take it. But the day will come when you’ve had enough, or an opportunity is brought before you that you simply can’t turn down. So you cut other ties that are holding you back, and choose to set sail into the ocean of full-time entrepreneurship. The new waters you now find yourself in will bring with them more stress, but also more freedom than you’ve ever imagined.

4. The decision to never give up.

Failing and giving up are two very different things. Events that you’ll perceive as failures will come. They’re the unavoidable part of every entrepreneur’s story. Yet, we still carry on.

Despite, as Edison said, “finding 10,000 ways that won’t work,” we keep looking for the one way that does. The decision to never give up changes your life forever, and will always make you different from those around you. Even if entrepreneurs die before starting a successful business, they simply ran out of time -- they never gave up.

5. The decision to give back.

One of the greatest things about being an entrepreneur is the opportunity to give back in a bigger way. Choosing to view the world based on who you can help is a life-changing decision. You notice the people that helped you see your calling. There are those that saw you through the first few tough times of your venture, friends, family and charitable causes. Even the people who are just beginning right now need a helping hand from someone who knows what it’s like going it alone in business.

It’s an amazing feeling to know you’ve arrived as a success, but as you’re told when you’re a kid, “it’s better to give than to receive.” Some of the most exciting times of my life have come from embracing the chance to change someone’s life as an entrepreneur, and I’m grateful for having been privileged enough to have the opportunity to do so.

Entrepreneurship comes with all different types of paths and all different types of challenges that are different from anything else you’ll experience as an employee. Almost any decision you can make in life can be changed, but there are some you’ll make in your entrepreneurial journey that mean you’ll never again be the same.

Choose wisely. With a single decision, you have the power to change your life forever.

Sujan Patel