Lunch adventures: how to do really cool things during your lunch break

I've always loved the idea of having a mini adventure each time you take a lunch break. With a car, this is doable. An hour is usually enough time to explore places that are 5-15 minutes away from you. You can go to a zoo if you're close, or a fair, or a park. I haven't figured out yet how to fit swimming into a lunch break as you have to shower afterwards (or just sit in a puddle of chlorine until dinnertime, I guess). I've even gone to places 20-25 minutes away but this is generally not advisable because you can only be there for an extremely short amount of time before you have to leave. 

Some ideas:
  • Prep lunch in advance, so you don't have to spend time making one or buying one. Then, you can eat it on the go. 
  • Don't take long trips to the restroom during lunch break. When I have to ðŸ’© I try to do it during a break later in the afternoon -- usually 1:50 PM with my modified Pomodoro (50 minutes on, 10 minutes off). 
  • Budget time for prep. Is parking going to be difficult? Will you need to bring extra crap? If so, maybe this isn't a good lunchtime destination. Will you be dusty afterwards? (Like me going to Wilkerson Farm during lunch today) If so, what's your plan to clean up after? For me, I changed my shorts and socks, and wiped myself down with a paper towel, planning to shower again before bed. 
  • Budget time for commuting back. Usually 10-15 minutes is a good amount. Then you can spend around 30 minutes at your destination. But even 5-10 minutes is often worth doing. 
  • I'm obviously a huge proponent of season passes, because you can be at a destination for 10-30 minutes and not feel like you've wasted your money. And of course, parks and walking trails are always free. 
  • Be realistic about what you can do. I had a nice lunchtime walk through Summerfest this June but the lines were crazy long and I didn't have time to ride anything, because I would've been late getting back to work. 
  • As a student, Saturday lunches can of course be a lot longer -- maybe 2 hours -- when you're not working. And they can provide a nice buffer between study times. Though often I just end up pushing through and being free by like 4-5 pm instead. But then again, that's when places start to get crowded. During the summer I blow this off and just go to water parks until lunchtime, then work in the afternoon. 
Happy lunching! 

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