This summer, for the first time, I was able to go on vacation and not do any work for my business. I set everything up ahead of time and pulled the plug. Usually, I take my work with me, and when there’s a lull in the family activity, or a training I have to do, I withdraw to a quiet place and “work.” So this summer was different. And I enjoyed it thoroughly.
And so, instead of a training article, as a business diversion for you today, I’d like to share a part of my vacation that you might enjoy hearing about, and a business tip. We like to travel on backroads on our road trips, and it’s fun to find unusual places to stay overnight. Two places we stayed on this recent trip have become my favorites. I love old architecture, and both of these are classic structures that I am thankful weren’t torn down to make way for more modern ones.
One is a century-old inn still in operation on Lake Cazenovia (just east of the Finger Lakes) in upstate New York. It’s on Route 20, which we like to take across the state because there’s no traffic and it’s beautiful. The Brewster Inn has sumptuous rooms and a wonderful (and pricey) restaurant right on the lake with great food. The entrees were creative, and the food was scrumptious. And of course, the view was a real treat with the lake at sunset. See the photos I took of it here.
The other one is a century-old inn still in operation in downtown Urbana, Illinois. It had standard rooms, but the multi-room restaurant was like an old library. Shelves and shelves of books that were mostly donated covered every wall from about five feet up to the 15-foot-or-so ceiling. One wall had large photos of famous writers. This restaurant also had unusual dishes that were quite tasty. (Both inns’ restaurants had superb desserts!) See photos of the Hotel Royer here.
So now you have a peek into my life outside of my business, and the business tip is to try taking vacations without having to work. And don’t wait 14 years to do it (like I did)!
The photo at the top of this post is a view of a Finger Lake that we only saw because we were on a back road that had a detour. You never know what you will find when you take the “roads less traveled.”
