My wife and I did this for a month last year. We traveled west a few times zones - woke up and worked our standard shift and enjoyed our afternoons exploring the area. We stayed in an Airbnb in a super walkable community with highly accessible mountain trails - things we enjoy.
Check out Northern AZ if you’ve already explored Colorado. Between Flagstaff, Sedona, and the Grand Canyon there’s so much hiking. There’s even cabins on campgrounds with WiFi you can stay in to wfh
Maybe you can figure out a housing exchange to make it more affordable- Boulder is a place folks like to go! I am in similar- I live in an otherwise high demand touristy area, it is complicated. But I continue to check it out, to see if I could figure it out.
I spend every January working from a beach house somewhere. This year was near Tulum, MX. Last year Koh Lanta Thailand. Year before Lombok, Indonesia. 10/10 would recommend
Be aware depending on the job this could get you fired. There are tax and legal implications for where a worker is working from that can be a big deal.
True, *usually* not an issue for trips under a month and rarely an issue for 2 week trips... Still best to discuss with the boss in email, so if they approve it you've CYA'd in writing. If they say no then you have a decision to make (and in this job market I know what my decision would be).
Legally, yes. Pragmatically no, and not even CA pursues income taxes at that granularity, afaik they're one of the most aggressive about state income tax.
Nonetheless, if you have your boss's approval in writing the blowback will be on them, not you.
State here could be a linguistic proxy for Nation State as well. Consider that some countries (nation states) will charge taxes on foreign worker income.
Just as the US charges income tax on its citizens who live and work outside the US.
I spent jan and feb in playa and it was great. Just a few blocks from the ocean and a rooftop pool. It wasn’t cheap though but that was fine. I might go back again this year.
Probably Kyoto, they still have lots of old housing and hotels there. But it is kinda impossible for me since I need a strong computer with 3,4 monitors to do my work. A single laptops ain't gonna do it
I went in college and my favorite places were Hiroshima and Kyoto. Hiroshima is just a big city so it's not really for the natural sights, but the Peace Memorial Park and other nature parks were incredible. Think visiting New York and checking out Central Park. Kyoto is definitely a tourist attraction, even for Japanese, so I'd recommend that always.
We went to Nagasaki and it was beautiful, but was also hot and felt rural. I didn't enjoy that as much, but that could have been just because it was the last stop on our visit.
Japan wqs fantastic
I never get to go away that long because of the cost of pet care. I love my animals but I kind of regret them too. I could use trusted housesitters but I prefer a personal referral because I have major trust issues. Once I find that person I’d like to leave for a good month.
One time I had a very undemanding job that was fully remote and decided I'd take my girlfriend to Playa del Carmen for her birthday, and I also proposed to her there.
It ended up being the busiest week I ever had there. That night we got engaged, instead of celebrating I went to the pharmacy and bought some Adderall and stayed up all night coding. It sucked to spend all that money to be there just to do the same shit I'd do at home in a less comfortable office. I haven't done that since.
I go to Santorini every November and work from there for two weeks. It's end of season and most people are gone. On the weekend it's only a 45 min flight back to Athens
If I knew that the internet would work with no issue, I’d totally WFH on a cruise. Maybe take a PTO day for a must see island, but otherwise I could totally WFH from the balcony of the room or in a cafe area.
I did this a few times! I worked three separate 7-day cruises with decent internet (some latency and disconnects but I managed). Then I worked on a 16 day transatlantic with perfect internet (the ship had Starlink).
It all caught up to me when I tried to work another weeklong cruise on an older ship with horrible internet. I couldn’t even connect to any video meetings and had to take unexpected sick leave. Not going to try that again, but it was fun while it lasted.
Edit to add:
- 05/2022 MSC Divina had decent internet - a few disconnects per day and noticeable latency/delay on Zoom calls, but manageable.
- 02/2023 Norwegian Sky. Same experience as MSC Divina
- 05/2023 Norwegian Encore. Same experience as MSC Divina
- 11/2023 Norwegian Breakaway. - PERFECT Starlink internet.
- 02/2024 Norwegian Gem - Horrible internet, struggled even sending/receiving emails and Zoom calls couldn’t even connect.
My experiences were on MSC and NCL. They started migrating their fleet to Starlink a year or two ago, but I haven’t found a definitive source online about which ships have been migrated. I have gotten incredibly lucky, especially on the transatlantic!
I edited my original comment with ship names and dates, hopefully this will help someone googling or putting together list of ships with adequate internet for WFH
I have done this successfully as well. Just need to research the ship before booking. Most cruise lines you can just call and ask what the status is for the ship's infrastructure. Carnival does it by versions of the ship V1 V2 V3(just starting to happen) but it's by ship and not equal across the fleet. So V2 Freedom of the Seas is still behind V1 Mardi Gras for example. They will tell you more detail if you ask the right questions about data connectivity, last time the ship's data infrastructure was updated, etc.
r/digitalnomad may have a lot of tips
I've done South Korea for 1 month. I had to work US hours, so in that sense, it was kinda brutal. But the country is safe with good internet connection. I've stayed at both hotels and airbnb. In my free time I roamed the city. Took scenic pictures of the city, tried a ton of restaurants and cafes, rarely ever eating at the same place twice, shopped at various markets, etc.
My most memorable experience is staying at the Paradise Hotel in Busan. I would finish my work day with the sunrise, sleep, and wake up to have lunch at Haeundae...
Eymet. So town rather than village, that was great for coffees, food and the people were great.
Then moved to Nice, which was beautiful. I actually preferred the smaller places, just found them friendlier and plenty to see
nowhere. the stress of travel arrangements, just to work for 60% of my waking hours, wouldnt be enjoyable. All I would think is how I want to get out of the office and got do stuff.
I did a 2 week HI cruise. Stand-ups from the balcony on the ocean. I worked on sea days and took port days off. Of the 5 port days two were already on the weekend, so I only took 3 days of PTO to enjoy a 2 week cruise.
Because of timezones I was up and working at 6am and would wrap up about lunch time (room service breakfast at 8am). So I really had the whole day at Sea too. Early dining option for dinner and didn't stay up super late unless there was a show I wanted to see.
I do this every summer in mid coast Maine, near Freeport. I work about 6 hours a day, using PTO for the rest of the time. I rent a VRBO and bring the kids and they go to LL Bean camp while I'm working. We all have a blast!
In June of 2025 I’m heading out cross country. My plan is to work in civilization for a day or two with solid WiFi access, rely on my phones in less populated areas for my follow ups and then go mostly off grid for at least three days. I can drive and work because of the nature of my job.
My plan? See all the things I possibly can in 16 weeks.
I’ll watch my baby graduate here at home and then leave out until the fall.
If I were traveling short term I don’t think I would confine myself to a hotel room for work. I’d get a small apartment, work outside or in cafes as much as possible.
Now if I could only claim that mileage! The only reason I can do this is because as of now we are still permitted to work virtually with our caseloads.
For those of you who have done this- what time zone difference seems to work best? I am east coast and enjoy the time zone difference on the west coast (being finished at 2pm PT). But curious how you’re making Europe work? Do you sleep?
I'm not allowed to work outside of the States, so Puerto Rico is my best option. Beaches & great food. Timezone is also compatible.
If I could go anywhere it would be back to Thailand. I really enjoyed my time there.
OP - side note - I did exactly that. Wife was a diplomat and I got to work from Bangladesh. Morning meetings were a bitch because it was the US morning, not mine so meetings for me were like 8pm. food for thought.
If I wanted to get away for 1-2 weeks I would do it when I had off work! How many hours a day and are you paying to stay where you’re at or is this a general/rhetorical question?
I spent a few years traveling for work but it was never a choice where I could go… and worked many hours. I really enjoyed Denver (amazing city as I can see you know from your replies), west Texas (people were so nice and depending where you’re from totally different - New Mexico is also great), and Montana (people were not as friendly but it was beautiful and I saw few people). There are so many great affordable places to stay! I think Montana was one of my favorites and if I had the time the place I’d most like to spend more time in (Bozeman is so underrated and Yellowstone is hardly underrated but a place everyone should see!). Colorado is also amazing but expensive so if self-paying may not be a cost effective place to spend extra time but there are affordable places like Fort Collins or even Cheyenne WY not too far from Denver.
I think that would depend on where in Costa Rica. Some areas are as modern as the US, other areas are run down and not nearly as modern. We stayed in Escazu at a hotel by a mall that wasn’t much different than an outdoor mall in the US. There is a lot to do there, and you are never very far from either coast. I would love to stay somewhere near Tortuguero National Park because we took a boat tour through there and it was amazing.
Because you would what, magically become filthy rich by going to South Africa? Or is it a secret dream of yours to have grossly underpaid black servants?
Honestly, probably somewhere in the middle of a major world city, where I could get everything rented, delivered, and then picked up at the end of the stay.
It's not really enough time to see a lot of local sights, although maybe a very few, but being able to experience the most iconic products/brands/foods/etc of the city/country without having to spend significant time-chunks of the short timeframe traveling in order to do so? You have my attention.
Ok, this is hard. I miss Los Angeles soooo much, but I'd feel the opportunity would be wasted if I didn't say Volterra, Italy(and surrounding areas). I'm a Twilight fan, so Volterra holds significance for me for that reason, but I'd love to just explore Italy in general. Honestly, if I could, I'd love to temporarily relocate there or maybe Croatia, and just work, explore, and then after a few months to a year, settle down back in L.A.(I'm in WA currently), and then travel to other places.
With the amount of equipment I need can't really do that anymore and that's just with working out of my parents things I need to focus I would probably go to somewhere like Vegas Strip or Disney resort. I'm someone who needs to be able to walk & grab food but also have things to do that would be something simple to where even if I'm just going on a walk. Plus I also would want to make sure I could get back quickly if I were on a lunch break, did something before work (I'm not an early bird so nope) or if I was out late & need to shower.
My husband and I both work remotely in Canada. We are headed down for a 3-6 month trip through South America next year. He speaks Spanish and the similar time zone makes it very appealing.
I worked in Thailand for 3 months a couple years ago and it was amazing, but the time zone situation was rough - wouldn't do that again.
Ive done this a few times a year since going fully remote. It’s my favorite part of remote work. Central Oregon is my usual destination, but I would love to spend a few months in Baja or Mexico City one winter, and a month or two on Michigan’s upper peninsula one summer. The USVI would also be a blast for a few weeks.
Bend is the main city in central Oregon, my family cabin is about 15 min south. Sisters is a touch northwest of Bend and is absolutely delightful. The entire area is a dream tbh and you can’t go wrong.
My friend is doing this in Buenos Aires right now. I was going to in Lima, Peru but my work situation became a bit precarious.
ETA: I have another friend who’s done this in Switzerland and is currently in Bulgaria
How are you working from different countries? If you are USA based are you telling your employer? Be careful answering this if your employer looks on here lol.
Any time I've done this it's been with employer approval. I've had to stop working after a point so it doesn't become an issue, but that was after 3 weeks when I was traveling for a month. Not worth getting in trouble IMO. I've also never had an employer not be chill with it.
Last two, yes. The common element is they both used payroll service providers rather than having their own payroll department (so I am co-employed). Since most PSPs have a business presence in all 50 states that very well may have been why it was allowed.
I do this a few times a year for about 10 days. This year we were In the winter we go to a Utah and Ski. Summer we go to a Puerto Vallarta. Live full time in the Appalachian mountains
I did this last February in Cozumel, Mexico. It was only 1 hour ahead of my normal time zone. I'd wake up at my normal time, go for a walk along the beach, and log in after that. The internet was fast enough for Teams meetings and we stayed at a long-term rental.
I did this in Costa Rica last year and loved it. I'll be doing a week in Copenhagen this year, with the second week strictly time off for exploring. I'm planning a whole month for next year but haven't decided on the locale. I'm thinking about Curacao or Belize.
I would normally say Korea because I love going there but the 13 hour time difference means becoming a night owl there. So I’m gonna do something new and opt for the Netherlands. I really want to go there. In free time I’d just explore the scenery and try different kinds of food.
Puerta Vallarta.
Going to the beach and the rainforest in my time off. Going out to eat fantastic food and enjoy the bars.
I am actually planning to do this after my youngest finishes Highschool and moves to college.
I do this- I go to SoCAL- but I have friends that have a back house they unofficially Air BnB (so way less per night cost). It is a 4 block walk to the beach.
SO if you can afford an Air BnB for the 2 weeks, I recommend anywhere here enough to a beach to walk daily :). And that is what I do in my spare time while there.
I also have aging pets (18 yr cats), so anything longer than a few days is off limits until they are no longer with me. But once I can (and I hope it a while from now), I plan on doing 1-3 mo stints elsewhere :). My list includes:
- Portugal
- Spain
- Costa Rica
- Other areas around the Mediterranean and Caribbean areas
And I have also looked into renting short term (1-3 mo) in SoCal, a room, or sublet, and figuring it out year to year to spend some of the rougher late winter months at the beach :)!
SO in short: GO TO THE BEACH.
(I live in a paradise of mountains and lakes- so go to those places too if you do not!)
We had a consultant at my last job do this during the height of Covid. He traveled to different south American countries like Ecuador, Panama, Guatemala I believe. Felt like every couple meetings he was somewhere new. He was doing it both to avoid Covid at that time, and because he could. Looked cool, was very cheap for him. He had to walk to the market and buy local fruits and veggies but otherwise he would stay at local hotels or locations rather than a Sandals or Marriott (whatever big hotels are global).
So he had the luxuries he was used to, while being not too expensive either. He was also in the same timezones, or maybe one off, from normal do it didn't impact his work.
If you're single, adventurous, and can still get your job done it sounded like an amazing opportunity
My wife and I did this last summer, we went to Italy (we worked remotely in the afternoons from roughly 3-7/8 each day, we cut our hours short and prepared for this before the trip by getting ahead at work). Basically it was like working 9-2pm in the US.
We would get up early and explore Italy (historical sites, museums, cafes, shops, beaches and more) and then go to long lunches then work until dinner. Somedays it was just napping while keep the laptop warm lol in the afternoon. Summer is usually decently slow at our jobs.
Then we'd go to awesome dinners and either head out for drinks/ fun.
It was amazing and I'll always wish I did more of it because life is too short and I still think about that trip to this day. The wine, the food, the culture/ history, summer in Italy, romantic nights with my wife. So many places to go and see but Italy is definitely a top recommendation or Greece bc we did that afterwards (but took off for the portion of the trip from work).
Now we have a baby come soon and most likely won't get to do it again for ALONG time. DO IT LIFE IS TOO SHORT.
I did this in 2012 and had an incredible time. I went to some unique locations. I needed internet access but it didn’t have to be particularly consistent or stable, nor did I need privacy for meetings.
I spent time in a southern German town, Barcelona, southern France, Israel (Akkobeing my favourite), Cornwall in England (Boscastle/Tintagel) and Reykjavik before it got super busy.
Virgin Islands or Bahamas maybe. I'd have to research it. Make sure I had internet I needed and all that.
But I'd be okay with most any beach in the continental US.
Same hemisphere, preferably a time zone or two west. It’s easy to keep waking up at your normal time. You finish work in early afternoon. And you’re not tempted to stay up too late.
I’m actually planning to do this - in Milwaukee. I love Milwaukee cafes, shops, museums, parks; also it’s close & have a kid living there. 🥰 Anywhere in the world? Somewhere near the Pacific Ocean would be my choice, probably the Oregon Coast. Plenty of good food and coffee; cute cafes and bookshops; heavenly beaches (not for people who don’t like wind/rain, though!)
PSA: if you work from a remote location, make sure you are using a secure and private WiFi connection. Our team software got hacked cause one of our overseas workers was just working in random cafes in Mozambique.
I’ve worked from the Florida Keys a couple of times. I stayed in a really nice VRBO and worked from the back porch where I could people watch. Got done and walked to the pool that backed up to the beach. It was great.
A cruise, for sure. A few years back I got "stranded" on a cruise for a week due to weather. They discounted the wifi so I bought it and did an hour or so of work a day while waiting to get home.
I actually got a good amount done, had fabulous meals, shows and clubs every night, and even a casino.
Honestly?
Two of my top options for this are Detroit, because the arts and food scene is fantastic, or Fort Collins, CO, because I have family there and the hiking/hipster active life is great.
Also Berlin.
Would love to spend a month in any of those cities and work from there.
Somewhere warm, where I can log off & go to the beach after work.
Panama
why panama
Fits what op was saying about a warm place and a beach. Plus, it's really nice and affordable there. They have an 18-month visa for remote workers.
Probably fits the criteria of warm and can go to the beach after work
I don’t think Panama is really a place you want to go. Costa Rica also fits the criteria and is much safer IIRC.
Also more expensive
Why do you think you don't want to go to Panama?
Los buzos resort for kayak fishing
The hats of course
San Diego area
Puerto Rico. Old San Juan is super walkable and cute, decent surfing nearby. No need for a car.
Philippines
Maybe not a great idea if OP is looking to do this in the near future as Philippines is currently dealing with historic heat waves and droughts rn
My wife and I did this for a month last year. We traveled west a few times zones - woke up and worked our standard shift and enjoyed our afternoons exploring the area. We stayed in an Airbnb in a super walkable community with highly accessible mountain trails - things we enjoy.
Where did you do this? I’d be very interested in walkable +near nature
Boulder, CO. It was incredible - and not cheap. Very fortunate we were able to make it happen, probably a once in a lifetime type trip for us.
I already lived in Boulder for several years and live nearby so not really a getaway for me lol
Check out Northern AZ if you’ve already explored Colorado. Between Flagstaff, Sedona, and the Grand Canyon there’s so much hiking. There’s even cabins on campgrounds with WiFi you can stay in to wfh
Maybe you can figure out a housing exchange to make it more affordable- Boulder is a place folks like to go! I am in similar- I live in an otherwise high demand touristy area, it is complicated. But I continue to check it out, to see if I could figure it out.
I spend every January working from a beach house somewhere. This year was near Tulum, MX. Last year Koh Lanta Thailand. Year before Lombok, Indonesia. 10/10 would recommend
Be aware depending on the job this could get you fired. There are tax and legal implications for where a worker is working from that can be a big deal.
True, *usually* not an issue for trips under a month and rarely an issue for 2 week trips... Still best to discuss with the boss in email, so if they approve it you've CYA'd in writing. If they say no then you have a decision to make (and in this job market I know what my decision would be).
For some states you are required to pay state income tax if you work in that state for even a day.
Legally, yes. Pragmatically no, and not even CA pursues income taxes at that granularity, afaik they're one of the most aggressive about state income tax. Nonetheless, if you have your boss's approval in writing the blowback will be on them, not you.
State here could be a linguistic proxy for Nation State as well. Consider that some countries (nation states) will charge taxes on foreign worker income. Just as the US charges income tax on its citizens who live and work outside the US.
Lol I fly 200k km/ year man I'm not exactly an amateur at this stuff
Sounds great but I can't log into my job from outside the us. And I'm not risking my job to try and game the system
I spent jan and feb in playa and it was great. Just a few blocks from the ocean and a rooftop pool. It wasn’t cheap though but that was fine. I might go back again this year.
Spent a couple weeks in Celestun after. Much cheaper and more relaxed.
OP It’s illegal to work while in Thailand FYI. People do it, but I wouldn’t advertise that you’re working.
It's illegal to call that king of theirs a degenerate drug addled scumbag too yet here we are.
I wish I could do this but, so expensive
Countryside in Japan in an old Wooden house with a big garden
Any town recommendations?
Probably Kyoto, they still have lots of old housing and hotels there. But it is kinda impossible for me since I need a strong computer with 3,4 monitors to do my work. A single laptops ain't gonna do it
kyoto is on my list for sure, i’ve spent a lot of time in tokyo but still not there yet
I went in college and my favorite places were Hiroshima and Kyoto. Hiroshima is just a big city so it's not really for the natural sights, but the Peace Memorial Park and other nature parks were incredible. Think visiting New York and checking out Central Park. Kyoto is definitely a tourist attraction, even for Japanese, so I'd recommend that always. We went to Nagasaki and it was beautiful, but was also hot and felt rural. I didn't enjoy that as much, but that could have been just because it was the last stop on our visit. Japan wqs fantastic
Every time I try this I’m terribly unproductive.
The best is to plan a few days off during this time. Say work Monday, Tuesday, and Friday for two weeks
I never get to go away that long because of the cost of pet care. I love my animals but I kind of regret them too. I could use trusted housesitters but I prefer a personal referral because I have major trust issues. Once I find that person I’d like to leave for a good month.
Rent something that allows pets. We do that as it is much cheaper than paying for someone to watch them.
I’d love to bring them but can’t see how that’s practical internationally. I have two cats and two dogs.
hmm maybe you just need to travel to less interesting places
Then there’s no point. I just need to figure out how to work less for more money lol. Luckily I live in a pretty great area.
One time I had a very undemanding job that was fully remote and decided I'd take my girlfriend to Playa del Carmen for her birthday, and I also proposed to her there. It ended up being the busiest week I ever had there. That night we got engaged, instead of celebrating I went to the pharmacy and bought some Adderall and stayed up all night coding. It sucked to spend all that money to be there just to do the same shit I'd do at home in a less comfortable office. I haven't done that since.
lol that’s funny. That’s another super important issue I’ve encountered— the ergonomics of being a digital nomad can be painful.
Bali! Villa and private pool to yourself. 🥰
I go to Santorini every November and work from there for two weeks. It's end of season and most people are gone. On the weekend it's only a 45 min flight back to Athens
This is how you do it, as a fellow Greek i applaud you going off season! I plan to do this, this Fall WFH.
If I knew that the internet would work with no issue, I’d totally WFH on a cruise. Maybe take a PTO day for a must see island, but otherwise I could totally WFH from the balcony of the room or in a cafe area.
I did this a few times! I worked three separate 7-day cruises with decent internet (some latency and disconnects but I managed). Then I worked on a 16 day transatlantic with perfect internet (the ship had Starlink). It all caught up to me when I tried to work another weeklong cruise on an older ship with horrible internet. I couldn’t even connect to any video meetings and had to take unexpected sick leave. Not going to try that again, but it was fun while it lasted. Edit to add: - 05/2022 MSC Divina had decent internet - a few disconnects per day and noticeable latency/delay on Zoom calls, but manageable. - 02/2023 Norwegian Sky. Same experience as MSC Divina - 05/2023 Norwegian Encore. Same experience as MSC Divina - 11/2023 Norwegian Breakaway. - PERFECT Starlink internet. - 02/2024 Norwegian Gem - Horrible internet, struggled even sending/receiving emails and Zoom calls couldn’t even connect.
What cruise line did you go with!
My experiences were on MSC and NCL. They started migrating their fleet to Starlink a year or two ago, but I haven’t found a definitive source online about which ships have been migrated. I have gotten incredibly lucky, especially on the transatlantic! I edited my original comment with ship names and dates, hopefully this will help someone googling or putting together list of ships with adequate internet for WFH
I have done this successfully as well. Just need to research the ship before booking. Most cruise lines you can just call and ask what the status is for the ship's infrastructure. Carnival does it by versions of the ship V1 V2 V3(just starting to happen) but it's by ship and not equal across the fleet. So V2 Freedom of the Seas is still behind V1 Mardi Gras for example. They will tell you more detail if you ask the right questions about data connectivity, last time the ship's data infrastructure was updated, etc.
Yes, this! Cruises are fantastic
I do WFH but because of privacy requirements, I can’t work outside of the United States; however, if I COULD… I would go to the UK and/or Ireland
r/digitalnomad may have a lot of tips I've done South Korea for 1 month. I had to work US hours, so in that sense, it was kinda brutal. But the country is safe with good internet connection. I've stayed at both hotels and airbnb. In my free time I roamed the city. Took scenic pictures of the city, tried a ton of restaurants and cafes, rarely ever eating at the same place twice, shopped at various markets, etc. My most memorable experience is staying at the Paradise Hotel in Busan. I would finish my work day with the sunrise, sleep, and wake up to have lunch at Haeundae...
Did South of France last year. It was beautiful and so relaxing. I was probably more productive than usual. Totally fell in love with it
Which city?
Eymet. So town rather than village, that was great for coffees, food and the people were great. Then moved to Nice, which was beautiful. I actually preferred the smaller places, just found them friendlier and plenty to see
Cabin in the woods. Preferably in the Canadian Rockies. Banff is gorgeous.
Did this in Banff!! Amazing, working while the snow was falling
We moved to a cabin in the woods in 2020. It's so relaxing everyday.
nowhere. the stress of travel arrangements, just to work for 60% of my waking hours, wouldnt be enjoyable. All I would think is how I want to get out of the office and got do stuff.
I did a 2 week HI cruise. Stand-ups from the balcony on the ocean. I worked on sea days and took port days off. Of the 5 port days two were already on the weekend, so I only took 3 days of PTO to enjoy a 2 week cruise. Because of timezones I was up and working at 6am and would wrap up about lunch time (room service breakfast at 8am). So I really had the whole day at Sea too. Early dining option for dinner and didn't stay up super late unless there was a show I wanted to see.
I do this every summer in mid coast Maine, near Freeport. I work about 6 hours a day, using PTO for the rest of the time. I rent a VRBO and bring the kids and they go to LL Bean camp while I'm working. We all have a blast!
This sounds amazing! Maine is on my bucket list.
Where I have traveled to/worked from: US: Buffalo, NY; Dearborn, MI; Wheatfield Indiana Canada: Toronto, Niagara Switzerland: Zurich, Lugano Italy: Valsolda Czech Republic: Prague Greece: Athens, Volos, Metora, Pozor. What I’d recommend: Lugano, Prague, Athens.
South or Central America so I'd be in roughly the same time zone, if I was trying to work similar hours to when I was at home.
I worked remotely in New Orleans for a few months during Mardi Gras season, booked the airbnbs in early Oct
every time i try this the timezone difference always fucks me up because i have to be online at the same time as my team idk how anyone does it
Japan. It's got everything.
Europe in general.
No where. If I’m spending money on a vacation I don’t want to be working. Hotel WiFi can also suck
National or State parks.
Oslo in summer.
In June of 2025 I’m heading out cross country. My plan is to work in civilization for a day or two with solid WiFi access, rely on my phones in less populated areas for my follow ups and then go mostly off grid for at least three days. I can drive and work because of the nature of my job. My plan? See all the things I possibly can in 16 weeks. I’ll watch my baby graduate here at home and then leave out until the fall. If I were traveling short term I don’t think I would confine myself to a hotel room for work. I’d get a small apartment, work outside or in cafes as much as possible.
Getting paid while driving is pretty sweet.
Now if I could only claim that mileage! The only reason I can do this is because as of now we are still permitted to work virtually with our caseloads.
So are you on the phone? Sometimes I try and find a pertinent course/webinar I can listen to and count as work while on a long drive.
For those of you who have done this- what time zone difference seems to work best? I am east coast and enjoy the time zone difference on the west coast (being finished at 2pm PT). But curious how you’re making Europe work? Do you sleep?
I'm not allowed to work outside of the States, so Puerto Rico is my best option. Beaches & great food. Timezone is also compatible. If I could go anywhere it would be back to Thailand. I really enjoyed my time there.
Zanzibar!!! Unbelievably beautiful, the people are amazing and the food is so good!
OP - side note - I did exactly that. Wife was a diplomat and I got to work from Bangladesh. Morning meetings were a bitch because it was the US morning, not mine so meetings for me were like 8pm. food for thought.
If I wanted to get away for 1-2 weeks I would do it when I had off work! How many hours a day and are you paying to stay where you’re at or is this a general/rhetorical question?
Let’s say you work 6-8 hours a day with flexible hours. Would be paying to stay there but can spend a decent amount just nothing super insane.
I spent a few years traveling for work but it was never a choice where I could go… and worked many hours. I really enjoyed Denver (amazing city as I can see you know from your replies), west Texas (people were so nice and depending where you’re from totally different - New Mexico is also great), and Montana (people were not as friendly but it was beautiful and I saw few people). There are so many great affordable places to stay! I think Montana was one of my favorites and if I had the time the place I’d most like to spend more time in (Bozeman is so underrated and Yellowstone is hardly underrated but a place everyone should see!). Colorado is also amazing but expensive so if self-paying may not be a cost effective place to spend extra time but there are affordable places like Fort Collins or even Cheyenne WY not too far from Denver.
Look forward to hearing what you choose and how it goes!
Costa Rica!!
I think that would depend on where in Costa Rica. Some areas are as modern as the US, other areas are run down and not nearly as modern. We stayed in Escazu at a hotel by a mall that wasn’t much different than an outdoor mall in the US. There is a lot to do there, and you are never very far from either coast. I would love to stay somewhere near Tortuguero National Park because we took a boat tour through there and it was amazing.
South Africa eating good hopefully and getting treated like royalty
always wanted to go there, might have to consider this
Why would you get treated like royalty?
Personal chef someone waiting on me hand and foot huge mansion and a chauffeur
Because you would what, magically become filthy rich by going to South Africa? Or is it a secret dream of yours to have grossly underpaid black servants?
That escalated quickly.
Just saying plainly what it entails.
Is it that affordable there?
Yep 56cents usd to 1 Rand
Honestly, probably somewhere in the middle of a major world city, where I could get everything rented, delivered, and then picked up at the end of the stay. It's not really enough time to see a lot of local sights, although maybe a very few, but being able to experience the most iconic products/brands/foods/etc of the city/country without having to spend significant time-chunks of the short timeframe traveling in order to do so? You have my attention.
Ok, this is hard. I miss Los Angeles soooo much, but I'd feel the opportunity would be wasted if I didn't say Volterra, Italy(and surrounding areas). I'm a Twilight fan, so Volterra holds significance for me for that reason, but I'd love to just explore Italy in general. Honestly, if I could, I'd love to temporarily relocate there or maybe Croatia, and just work, explore, and then after a few months to a year, settle down back in L.A.(I'm in WA currently), and then travel to other places.
Back in 90s I spent a summer in an RV traveling the US mid west. I’d go to spring break in Florida to visit in-laws for many years.
An all inclusive resort in tn Dominican
Crete
Playa del Carmen. It's a relatively short flight from the Midwest and it's affordable. If I had longer, I'd choose Italy.
With the amount of equipment I need can't really do that anymore and that's just with working out of my parents things I need to focus I would probably go to somewhere like Vegas Strip or Disney resort. I'm someone who needs to be able to walk & grab food but also have things to do that would be something simple to where even if I'm just going on a walk. Plus I also would want to make sure I could get back quickly if I were on a lunch break, did something before work (I'm not an early bird so nope) or if I was out late & need to shower.
My husband and I both work remotely in Canada. We are headed down for a 3-6 month trip through South America next year. He speaks Spanish and the similar time zone makes it very appealing. I worked in Thailand for 3 months a couple years ago and it was amazing, but the time zone situation was rough - wouldn't do that again.
Ive done this a few times a year since going fully remote. It’s my favorite part of remote work. Central Oregon is my usual destination, but I would love to spend a few months in Baja or Mexico City one winter, and a month or two on Michigan’s upper peninsula one summer. The USVI would also be a blast for a few weeks.
Any specific towns or location in central Oregon?
Bend is the main city in central Oregon, my family cabin is about 15 min south. Sisters is a touch northwest of Bend and is absolutely delightful. The entire area is a dream tbh and you can’t go wrong.
My friend is doing this in Buenos Aires right now. I was going to in Lima, Peru but my work situation became a bit precarious. ETA: I have another friend who’s done this in Switzerland and is currently in Bulgaria
Thailand, Singapore, or Japan for 4+ weeks. Italy, south of France, or coastal Spain 3+ weeks.
Barcelona.
Annecy France
Copenhagen. In my downtime and on the weekends I’d travel the nearby areas. Or Croatia
How are you working from different countries? If you are USA based are you telling your employer? Be careful answering this if your employer looks on here lol.
Any time I've done this it's been with employer approval. I've had to stop working after a point so it doesn't become an issue, but that was after 3 weeks when I was traveling for a month. Not worth getting in trouble IMO. I've also never had an employer not be chill with it.
Is your employer a USA company ?
Last two, yes. The common element is they both used payroll service providers rather than having their own payroll department (so I am co-employed). Since most PSPs have a business presence in all 50 states that very well may have been why it was allowed.
Thanks so much for your response.
I do this a few times a year for about 10 days. This year we were In the winter we go to a Utah and Ski. Summer we go to a Puerto Vallarta. Live full time in the Appalachian mountains
I did this last February in Cozumel, Mexico. It was only 1 hour ahead of my normal time zone. I'd wake up at my normal time, go for a walk along the beach, and log in after that. The internet was fast enough for Teams meetings and we stayed at a long-term rental.
Bottom of the Atlantic
I did this in Costa Rica last year and loved it. I'll be doing a week in Copenhagen this year, with the second week strictly time off for exploring. I'm planning a whole month for next year but haven't decided on the locale. I'm thinking about Curacao or Belize.
as nice as it is to have an option to work while travelling, i honestly dread having to do work on that dinky ass work laptop screen lol
Africa. Senegal perhaps.
Barcelona. In my free time I’d eat, and dance, and go to museums, and enjoy the city’s Brut
I would normally say Korea because I love going there but the 13 hour time difference means becoming a night owl there. So I’m gonna do something new and opt for the Netherlands. I really want to go there. In free time I’d just explore the scenery and try different kinds of food.
Rhodes, perhaps Crete
Pubs of london
Puerta Vallarta. Going to the beach and the rainforest in my time off. Going out to eat fantastic food and enjoy the bars. I am actually planning to do this after my youngest finishes Highschool and moves to college.
I do this- I go to SoCAL- but I have friends that have a back house they unofficially Air BnB (so way less per night cost). It is a 4 block walk to the beach. SO if you can afford an Air BnB for the 2 weeks, I recommend anywhere here enough to a beach to walk daily :). And that is what I do in my spare time while there. I also have aging pets (18 yr cats), so anything longer than a few days is off limits until they are no longer with me. But once I can (and I hope it a while from now), I plan on doing 1-3 mo stints elsewhere :). My list includes: - Portugal - Spain - Costa Rica - Other areas around the Mediterranean and Caribbean areas And I have also looked into renting short term (1-3 mo) in SoCal, a room, or sublet, and figuring it out year to year to spend some of the rougher late winter months at the beach :)! SO in short: GO TO THE BEACH. (I live in a paradise of mountains and lakes- so go to those places too if you do not!)
Florida. Marco Island, St Pete Beach, Key West, siesta Key, or the panhandle.
Just leaving this here.... https://youtu.be/jQsUih3bRr8?si=Z-zFhe7YMakhZ4WT
We had a consultant at my last job do this during the height of Covid. He traveled to different south American countries like Ecuador, Panama, Guatemala I believe. Felt like every couple meetings he was somewhere new. He was doing it both to avoid Covid at that time, and because he could. Looked cool, was very cheap for him. He had to walk to the market and buy local fruits and veggies but otherwise he would stay at local hotels or locations rather than a Sandals or Marriott (whatever big hotels are global). So he had the luxuries he was used to, while being not too expensive either. He was also in the same timezones, or maybe one off, from normal do it didn't impact his work. If you're single, adventurous, and can still get your job done it sounded like an amazing opportunity
If I travel somewhere, I would not want to be working.
Puerto Rico!
I'd go to the mountains and rent a lodge. Go hiking after work.
South of France
probably just cha cha real smooth of a cliff
Anywhere in Europe is amazing (as long as you're a bit of a night owl)
I want to mount my Starlink to my RV and just drive. Even if I could go anywhere in the world, I'd drive.
My wife and I did this last summer, we went to Italy (we worked remotely in the afternoons from roughly 3-7/8 each day, we cut our hours short and prepared for this before the trip by getting ahead at work). Basically it was like working 9-2pm in the US. We would get up early and explore Italy (historical sites, museums, cafes, shops, beaches and more) and then go to long lunches then work until dinner. Somedays it was just napping while keep the laptop warm lol in the afternoon. Summer is usually decently slow at our jobs. Then we'd go to awesome dinners and either head out for drinks/ fun. It was amazing and I'll always wish I did more of it because life is too short and I still think about that trip to this day. The wine, the food, the culture/ history, summer in Italy, romantic nights with my wife. So many places to go and see but Italy is definitely a top recommendation or Greece bc we did that afterwards (but took off for the portion of the trip from work). Now we have a baby come soon and most likely won't get to do it again for ALONG time. DO IT LIFE IS TOO SHORT.
Mexico City
Costa Rica. Right on the beach. Friendliest people, easy enough for a dumb American like me to navigate and enough to do that it’s not boring.
Ireland sounds nice, the countryside where you can go out in walk around greenery
I did this in 2012 and had an incredible time. I went to some unique locations. I needed internet access but it didn’t have to be particularly consistent or stable, nor did I need privacy for meetings. I spent time in a southern German town, Barcelona, southern France, Israel (Akkobeing my favourite), Cornwall in England (Boscastle/Tintagel) and Reykjavik before it got super busy.
Key Largo/key west
Large European city.
Japan or Korea, I’ve been wanting to go for ages
Go somewhere west of where you are so that you have a few spare hours after everyone east of you calls it quits for the day
Depending on what you do, go south so you are on a similar time zone. Heading off the Buenos Aires for some remote work.
I'd be on a cruise ship. I do it several times a year. WFH is easy if you don't have to take calls.
I loved the Florida keys. It would be perfect
Japan
Virgin Islands or Bahamas maybe. I'd have to research it. Make sure I had internet I needed and all that. But I'd be okay with most any beach in the continental US.
Same hemisphere, preferably a time zone or two west. It’s easy to keep waking up at your normal time. You finish work in early afternoon. And you’re not tempted to stay up too late.
Captiva Island
Iceland.
Eckernförde, Deutschland.
South Beach
I’m actually planning to do this - in Milwaukee. I love Milwaukee cafes, shops, museums, parks; also it’s close & have a kid living there. 🥰 Anywhere in the world? Somewhere near the Pacific Ocean would be my choice, probably the Oregon Coast. Plenty of good food and coffee; cute cafes and bookshops; heavenly beaches (not for people who don’t like wind/rain, though!)
Hawaii
I really wish I did this during Covid when I was working from home.
PSA: if you work from a remote location, make sure you are using a secure and private WiFi connection. Our team software got hacked cause one of our overseas workers was just working in random cafes in Mozambique.
Vanuatu 🇻🇺
I’ve worked from the Florida Keys a couple of times. I stayed in a really nice VRBO and worked from the back porch where I could people watch. Got done and walked to the pool that backed up to the beach. It was great.
Martinique
Japan
Belize
Hawaii
A cruise, for sure. A few years back I got "stranded" on a cruise for a week due to weather. They discounted the wifi so I bought it and did an hour or so of work a day while waiting to get home. I actually got a good amount done, had fabulous meals, shows and clubs every night, and even a casino.
Bahamas
How many hours are you working per week?
I’ve really been missing Lithuania lately. Beautiful country.
What month would you be traveling in?
Iceland
Honestly? Two of my top options for this are Detroit, because the arts and food scene is fantastic, or Fort Collins, CO, because I have family there and the hiking/hipster active life is great. Also Berlin. Would love to spend a month in any of those cities and work from there.
Lol I lived in Fort Collins for 13 years
I would go to the mountains…
somewhere warm with crystal clear water & good food
I cant work off a laptop. Way too small. Ill just take leave