Tips for long business trips

[wealthviahealth]

I will soon be leaving for my first 2+ week long trip for work. ( longest trip previously was about 5-6 days)
As mentioned in other posts, I will be traveling through out California and will be staying in different hotels and perhaps a few
airbnbs.  I will be flying there and will fly between nothern ca and southern but will otherwise be driving and using public transportation.

I am wondering what tips more seasoned business travelers have for a trip of this length. I,e packing, things to bring that some might not think of, maximizing downtime, food allowance, laundry etc..

[takeahike]

Pack light of course.
Clothes: items should be able to be used in 3 different outfits or it's extra weight.
Laundry: pack a small baggie of dry detergent, you can either hand wash undies/socks or use the detergent in laundry facilities, a clothes line is nice to have if you really want to avoid laundromats, many airbnbs will have something for you tho
Keep snacks along for the travel times, bars, nuts, etc
Bring a water bottle
When in California, visit trader joe's for precooked foods if you have a fridge, a salad, chicken breasts, hard boiled peeled eggs, etc. They have stuff if you want to avoid fast food and expensive eating out. This works great if all you have is a fridge and microwave.

[daveydinner]

I have to go to Taiwan every year for two weeks and I've learned to love lightweight wool layers. Socks, undies, undershirts, etc. It's expensive up front, but I'll never go back to anything else. They don't absorb moisture and start to stink like cotton or synthetics. They keep you dry and comfortable on long drives and awkward occasions where you're overdressed and hot... no sweat pools on your dress-shirt.  your colleagues will thank you.

I also found noise-cancelling headphones to be a godsend for long flights, but it sounds like you're doing more driving.

[wealthviahealth]

Pack light of course.
Clothes: items should be able to be used in 3 different outfits or it's extra weight.

Great reminder. I am often tempted to pack a lot of different outfits but always end up finding this more stressful.
Trips like this are the perfect opportunity to take a minimal approach since people wont be seeing me where the same exact outfit over and over again. These outfits will be laundered of course :)

[FabricStache]

Check the weather before you pack.  Right now it's hot in Southern California.  It'll be in the 80s soon.  Nights are a bit brisk.. this coming from a California person.  If you're in the SF area it does get cold when the fog rolls in.

There's a lot of great free things to do depending on what cities you're in.  Ocean, mountains, forests, deserts.  You'll need to pack appropriate clothing/shoes for outdoor activities.  People watching Hollywood, Santa Monica is free.  Maybe you even want to coordinate to meet up with other MMMs.

Check out Yelp for cheap hole in the wall places to eat near your hotel or office.  You can get a fresh, filling good meal for less than the ingredient costs you to buy at the grocery store.

[lpep]

If you're a coffee drinker, you might want to bring some instant coffee. There's nothing worse than having to leave a hotel in the morning just to get coffee.

Also, if you're into exploring - geocaching is a nice way to get to see the local area.