Thinking about planning a weekend city break? Taking a city break can be super fun, but when you’ve only got a weekend to take the whole city in, you can feel like you’re on a time limit. What should you do? Where should you go? What could you afford to miss out on? You’ve only got about 48 hours to make the best of a new and exciting place, with lots of things to choose from, so you’ve got to be ruthless in your decisions!
Let’s try and cut down the planning for you and give you a general outline to use. You’re going to be rushing around otherwise, wasting energy and probably killing your feet in the process, and we don’t want to make your travels any worse! So, if you’ve only got a weekend to get around a city – the city you’ve been wanting to visit for years now – here are some ideas for what you shouldn’t miss while you’re there.
Take a Walking Tour
There’s no better way to orient yourself to a new city than taking a walking tour. Many cities offer free tours. You can even use walking tour apps to guide you to a city’s top attractions, depending on your interests: shopping, dining, historic sites, and more. Even a short tour will give you a better idea of what you want to see more of and what you can afford to leave out of your weekend city break.
Enjoy the Local Cuisine
If you’re off to a foreign city that’s known for its delicacies, make sure you stop off along the way to try out some of the local cuisine. It may be very different from the kind of food you’d typically cook back home, and even if there’s a takeout option near you, there’s nothing quite like dining with the locals. Plus the atmosphere that makes the food so unique and delicious in the first place will add to the experience. A quick check of restaurant reviews will reveal favorites and steer you towards some of the city’s best dining.
Add a Beach or Park to Your Weekend City Break
If you’re headed somewhere close to the ocean, make sure you hit the beach during your time in the city. Usually there’s a shortcut to the nearest sandune right from the city center, as most major cities are built near the ports and the water sources in the first place. You might just even be able to meander your way there on foot, seeing as most boardwalks and beachy features are very well signposted.
And if there’s no beach nearby, you can be sure there’ll be a famous park somewhere in the city. Make yourself a picnic in the morning and go and experience the greenery that breaks up the city skyline – it’ll be a relaxing and picturesque part of the day, while the city still hustles and bustles around you.
Discover the City’s Art
Whether it be street art and murals, contemporary art museums, or sculptures, a city’s art will give you a flavor of the culture and people who live there. Find a directory of art where you’re going, and enjoy viewing the art or snapping your photo with it. Take the time to ponder the messages the art is communicating and have some fun visiting art galleries, too.
Check Out Some Museums
A great way to get a feel for a city’s history and important events is to visit its museums. See beautiful classic paintings and artifacts from ancient history. Or hear the stories of past and current events that have shaped the city and its people. While on your weekend city break, checking out a museum or two might really round out your getaway adventure.
Stroll a City Market
It used to be that city markets were the center of everyday living. Many city markets are still like this, on a much grander scale. A city market will include local food fare, colorful exhibits, artisan crafts, and lots of people! It’s a great place to people-watch and pick up some souvenirs to take home with you.
Don’t Miss a Theater Experience!
And finally, if you’re visiting the inner city, and you’ve got evenings to fill, make sure you hit the theater. It’s a great place to really enjoy your time in, and it’ll make sure you come back home with a whole host of great memories – even if you don’t particularly enjoy musicals, grabbing a couple of ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ tickets will make sure you get the Broadway experience you’re hoping for! The class, the drama, the theater life and artistic culture, are all marks of a worthy and enriching getaway. If you’re off on a weekend city break soon, make sure you know the biggest and “bestest” hits!
Hope you enjoy your next weekend city break — be sure to make it memorable!
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Great post, thank you so much for sharing your Broadway experiences! Do you have a tip before buying tickets for a musical?
Thanks, Jane — glad you liked it. When I’ve bought tickets for Broadway musicals, I’ve researched the plots to see which I’m most interested in, or which are most appropriate for our family. Then I look for the best seats I can afford and order online.
Excellent post Tami! I prefer a lot to do like a gastronomic local tour! Go to the best places that people in the city recommend to me for eating and make like little reviews for my next trips!
Also very nice photos!
We love to take weekend city breaks. Although, I must admit we try to make it a long weekend if we can. A walking tour is definitely a great way to start and get some background on a city. These days, we are always looking for interesting street art on our city breaks. And we love to find the last minute ticket booth for theatre entertainment. Good tips on how to plan your weekend city break.
You nailed it Tami, because you can’t go wrong with indulging or trying the local cuisine and drinks on a weekend break. These are great tips and I like the mix between outdoor activities and indoor, theatre or museum visits. We always enjoy visiting the local markets and checking out unique street art as well. Appreciate the tips 🙂
This is helpful as I can get so overwhelmed in big cities and never seem to have enough time. I usually pick about 3-4 things to do and leave time to explore a bit. A lot depends on the season and the weather doesn’t it as well?
I should take your advice! I live so close to Seattle but never spend much time in the city. There’s actually so much to do there it’s amazing I haven’t done a theater show or visited any of the museums. With your tips there’s a lot more I didn’t realize I could do!
Oh I grew up in Seattle! You’re right — there’s so much to do there. One of my favorites was their comedy sports theatre near Pike Place Market.