How to Choose a Weekend Getaway When You Don't Know Where to Go?

If you were to message in your friend’s WhatsApp group today, “Guys, we need a break, let’s go somewhere,” you would likely get everyone to agree. Everyone needs a break, but the difficult part is deciding where to go. One person suggests a trek, another wants a beach, someone else offers their own empty home for a casual house party, while someone else presents a beautiful property with a pool, a garden, indoor games, and more such amenities.

Now, the easier way to choose a weekend getaway is to stop looking at only the destination. Start with the kind of break you want.

How much time do you have? How far are you willing to travel? Do you want to explore, eat, trek and sightsee, or simply slow down for a couple of days? Who are you travelling with? A couple, friends or a family with young children can have very different ideas of a good weekend.

Read on to know how to go about planning one:

Decide the Kind of Weekend Getaway You Want

When planning a getaway with your friends or family, consider what they are actually expecting from this break. Is it a simple break? If you’re travelling after a long time, plan a rather relaxed getaway instead of driving between tourist points and restaurants. Choose a luxury private stay where you can sleep late, have a long indulgent breakfast, take a dip in the pool and spend the afternoon/evening doing nothing much, just chilling with your gang.

But on the other hand, if your idea of relaxing is going to a viewpoint, getting pictures clicked, and eating at a new restaurant, you can choose a destination like that.

For example, Lonavala works well for a more activity-filled weekend with viewpoints, forts, waterfalls and trails nearby. But something like Pali or Malshej Ghat works for travellers who want landscapes and outdoor experiences.

How Much Time Do You Actually Have?

The best way to start deciding upon a destination is to consider how much of your time you will spend on getting there. A good place can take 4-5 hours to reach but with evening traffic, meal stops and someone saying, “arey, we are almost there”, a large part of your holiday disappears.

For a Sat-Sun break, a shorter drive on the city outskirts makes sense. You can stretch this radius if everyone is ready to just reach there and chill for the remaining time. So once you reach the final place to stay, you don’t leave until check-out. For plans like this, it is best to opt for fully-serviced private villa getaways.

Choose The Landscape You’re Craving

Once you know how you want to spend your time, think about what you want to wake up facing. If you’re venturing out in the winters, both mountains and beaches are good times to explore. But within them too, you will find different versions of a getaway. Some are better suited for sightseeing and activities, while others are better when the plan is simply to enjoy the scenery and slow down.

A coastal weekend also doesn't have to be only about water activities. Beach walks, local food, and sunsets can easily fill your weekend getaway plan. For nature and a little adventure, parts of the Sahyadris offer opportunities to trek, waterfall rappelling, naturalist walks, etc. Instead of just choosing any popular destination, think which view will make your weekend getaway different from any other?

Every landscape has an ideal season to go to. Read: The Best Time to Visit Maharashtra's Hill Stations, Beaches and Countryside

The same place can give a very different experience depending on who you are travelling with. This is also where the choice of accommodation matters. A group of friends can enjoy a villa staycation very comfortably, but if you’re with elderly members or pets, you have to choose specific properties that have rooms on the ground floor, baby-friendly spaces or a kids’ pool and allow pets on the premises.

A family with toddlers may need shorter travel times, easy access to must-see spots and kid-friendly activities around the destination. If you choose a villa, select one that offers the best views even without stepping out.

Any place you choose should fit the group, rather than expecting the group to adapt to the destination.

By now, you should have a much clearer idea of what you and your group are looking for. Depending on the number of nights, travel time, and what you want to do, you can choose a destination.

For some quick recommendations:

• For two nights, Lonavala, Alibaug or Igatpuri gives more room to build an itinerary.
• For a quieter nature-focused break, Bhandardara, Malshej or destinations further near to Konkan side.
• If you just want more stay-focused weekend getaways, check out Karjat, Alibaug, Lonavala or Khandala.