Everyone loves jet lag, right? Well, maybe not! But experienced travelers know that it could actually a good thing. When you know how to use it to your advantage, that just lag might just make you unstoppable. Instead of fighting jet lag, here’s how to make it work for you!
Getting an Early Start
Even if you’re not usually a morning person, traveling back in time (into westerly time zones) will make you one! Getting an early start to your day will help you see more, do more, and possibly have a better trip than you would if you expected to adjust to your new time zone quickly.
One of the best ways we get a head-start on our travels is to plan a road trip in those first few days. For example, we planned to drive all the way aroud the Big Island of Hawaii over the course of several days, so we took the opportunity to get an early start on the first leg of that road trip. Along the way, we got to hike to the green sand beach all by ourselves, then arrive early enough to spend several hours at Volcanoes National Park as well!
More here: How to Choose the Best Hawaiian Island for You
Getting Photos with No People Around
When you’re up early, you can get some truly epic and amazing photos! The most popular sites get crowded as the day goes on, so if you’re already up early, use that time to see some sites all on your own. Whether you want to get epic photos of the Trevi Fountain in Rome, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, or the Sydney Opera House, waking up early can be a definite advantage!
More here: The World’s Most Underrated Destinations
Get the Trails to Yourself
Steve and I love to hike wherever we can, but the later the day becomes, the most popular and scenic trails can get super busy. Highly trafficked trails are less enjoyable, at least for Steve and me, because there’s always a group that wants to use their outside voices to have a conversation amongst themselves. And sure, hiking trails are outside, but there’s something to be said for the peace and quiet of the outdoors, too! If you’re like us, you’ll love having a popular hiking trail all to yourself.
More here: Hiking Hawaii: Mau’i
Truly Enjoying that Sunrise
Not a morning person? Here again, jet lag will make you one! If you’re never up early enough for a sunrise viewing, you might finally find out what the fuss is all about. Steve and I have seen sunrises all over the world, and I have to say, it’s one of the most romantic things to do with someone you love. It’s especially nice when you’re not so sleepy that you can’t enjoy it!
Keep reading: 10 Things to Do at Uluru
Being First at the Buffet
Don’t you hate getting to the buffet right before it closes? The good food is almost gone, the eggs are dry, the bread is stale, the cheese is hard… It’s just better when the food is fresh! When you’re jetlagged and awake bright and early for a few days in a row, you can get to that buffet when it opens and the food tastes as it should!
Want more? Check out my World Foods Page for the best food we’ve eaten all over the globe!
Getting the Hotel Gym to Yourself
Okay, so not everyone cares about this, but we do! It’s totally awkward to use a tiny hotel gym with someone you don’t know. But if you can get there at 3:30 or 4:00am thanks to jet lag, you’ll most likely get it all to yourself for the duration of your workout. It’s the little luxuries that make travel so exciting.
Find more about staying healthy in your travels on my Health and Wellness Page!
Starting Your Day Refreshed
This is the best part. I love to wake up and be ready to start my day! Even as a morning person, I’m not always refreshed when I wake up. I might be exhausted come early evening, but it’s worth it to me if I feel good at the start of my day. How about you?
Want more? All my best tips, trick, hacks, and more on my dedicated Travel Tips Page!
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I really enjoyed this read, and definitely resonate with every point although I’d never really thought about using jet lag to my advantage. I agree that in many places the early morning gives you so much opportunity to experience things in a way that you otherwise wouldn’t. I laughed a little at the part about people being noisy outdoors – I thought it was just me who got a bit annoyed at this, I just visited Bamford Edge in The Peak District and felt frustrated I could t watch the sun set with everyone talking so loudly 😂😂😂.
Hahaha! My husband and I are definitely fans of using our indoor voices outdoors. 🤣 I’m so glad you liked the post and that it resonated with you! It’s good to know there’s someone else like me out there!