Unless you’re heading to Japan for the JALO Conference this month, you probably won’t be doing much traveling for business before the end of the year. However, this is the perfect time to start planning which conferences to attend in 2016.

When I went to Arizona for the 2014 NAPO Conference, I made a point of visiting the Grand Canyon and some of the highlights of Scottsdale and Phoenix. I’m glad I did, because it made my trip even more memorable.

I’d love for you to have an experience similar to mine, so I invited Kacey Mya Bradley to share her knowledge and passion for travel to help you as you make your plans.

Those who don’t travel on business often assume that those who do are sightseeing, exploring, and relaxing in addition to their work, when the truth is that spending a few days in San Diego at a conference usually translates to just spending a few days at a conference.

If you travel a lot on business, you know how taxing it can be. Early morning flights, living out of a suitcase, dinners with clients and prospective partners, and exhausting trade events are all part of the deal.

What a lot of traveling businessmen and women don’t always consider is that business travel doesn’t have to be all business. It’s possible to meet all your business goals, while also making the most out of your travel experience. Here are a few ways that you can put the ‘travel’ back in ‘business travel’ that won’t add to your stress level or take away from your wallet (too much!).

Build in an Extra Day

Who says a three-day conference has to last only three days? If your trip is at the beginning or end of a week, extend your stay! Add to your work-life balance by booking an extra day or two either before or after your meeting or event. Spending downtime exploring your surroundings will not only deepen your travel experience, but can help you decompress and de-stress after, or in preparation for, a big business trip. Try planning a sightseeing or tourism itinerary, researching local cultural happenings or events, or connecting with friends, family, or associates who live in the area to make the most of your trip.

Additionally, don’t be afraid to schedule a layover in a place you’ve always wanted to visit—whether it’s domestic or international. Leaving a day early and stopping over in a bucket-list city will give you a chance to do some exploring, and often flights that connect are cheaper than ones that are non-stop, which is good for your business’s bottom line!

Think Outside the Hotel

It’s easy to fall into the convenience trap of staying in the same hotel where your meeting or conference is being held. If you’re headed to an interesting city, consider staying in a hotel a few blocks away, or even renting a house or apartment in the city for a few days. Even making this small change will open up a bunch of possibilities for your trip. Take a detour one day when walking to or from the conference. Explore the neighborhood where your rental is.

Getting outside the box of the business hotel will let you check out some popular places to visit, find little-known restaurants and bars, or even discover local events that you otherwise wouldn’t have known about, and make the most of your surroundings.

Choose Your Destination

When it comes to clients, you can’t always pick where your trips are going to take you. However, where industry events and trade shows are concerned, there are often a slew of events hosted in cities across the country. When planning your attendance at an industry event, take a look at all the options, and choose which conferences and trade shows based on the cities and areas you want to explore. If you find the perfect destination, you could even hop in the car and make a road trip out of it! You never know what kind of unexpected experience you might find on the way!

Business and pleasure don’t have to be mutually exclusive. By incorporating these ideas into your regular business travel, it’s easy to balance both in a single trip. By using your opportunities to their full advantage, you’ll not only broaden your travel horizons and add to your experiences, but your work will be more fun, more exciting, and probably more effective.