Have the Beer. Take the Walk. Ask the Locals.

Travel is already demanding. Flights are long, schedules are tight, and your body usually knows you’ve crossed time zones before your brain catches up. That’s why traveling in comfort isn’t a luxury—it’s strategy. If you can pitch in and go first class, even for one leg of the journey, do it. One good flight can reset your whole trip. You land rested, fed, and less annoyed at the world. That matters more than people like to admit, especially when work is waiting on the other side.

Comfort buys you energy, and energy is what lets you actually enjoy where you are.

That same logic is why Airbnb is such a solid move, especially when you’re traveling with friends. Hotels are fine, but Airbnbs give you space. A kitchen. A couch. A place to decompress without sitting on your bed scrolling your phone. When you’re with people you like, that shared space becomes part of the trip. Late-night conversations. Morning coffee before call time. Music playing while everyone gets ready. Those moments don’t happen in a hallway with an ice machine.

And here’s the thing a lot of people forget: you might never come back to this city.

Work has a way of shrinking your world down to venues, hotels, and transportation. Load in, do the job, load out, repeat. But even when you’re working hard, you owe it to yourself to step outside that loop. Walk somewhere unfamiliar. Sit in a square. Eat at a place that isn’t recommended by an algorithm. Order the local beer. Stand at the bar. Talk to someone.

Go to the pub.

Pubs are where cities slow down. You don’t need a plan there. You just show up, grab a drink, and let the room do the rest. Conversations happen. Laughter carries. You learn more about a place in an hour at a good pub than you will on a bus tour.

And yes—smoke some local weed if that’s your thing. Responsibly, obviously. Local stoners are some of the best unofficial tour guides you’ll ever meet. They know the parks, the viewpoints, the late-night food spots, the places that don’t show up on lists. They’ll tell you where to go, what to skip, and what’s actually worth your time.

Travel isn’t just about getting through the job. It’s about collecting moments while you’re there. Spend a little more to be comfortable. Share space with friends. Say yes to going out, even when you’re tired. You can work hard and still live a little.

The city doesn’t owe you anything. But you owe yourself the experience.