One traveler insists there’s a perfect number of days you should spend in any given city

Planning a great vacation often starts with figuring out how many days is long enough in a new place to see the sights and get a sense of the culture. While some people love taking their time to soak in the local vibes, one traveler in r/unpopularopinion prefers a much faster pace. They insisted that three nights is plenty of time to explore new destinations:

I travel 3 to 5 times a year most years. These range from 3-day weekends to 17 days in Europe. The last 15 years or so, I’ve been staying 3 nights in a city, then getting in the car, on a train, or on a plane and exploring a new city.

I’m curious if anyone else just gets bored after 4 days? You’ve seen most of the best things to do in a city. You’ve visited the museums and shopped and ate/drank at a bunch of places. Come day 4… Ready for new experiences. The most boring vacation I ever went on was 9 days on a single beach in a hotel on a Hawaiian island.

An added bonus is, there is a reason to come back 5 and 10 years later. You’ve done “most” of the best things, but you find day-trips or a hidden museum you want to add for a next time.

In the comments, redditors share their own vacation strategies and philosophies.

It depends on the city

Many redditors point out that the three-night limit might work well for a small village, but sprawling metropolises require much more time to explore.

The “slow travel” movement

Other travelers prefer a slower pace that allows them to connect with an area or community, rather than simply checking off famous landmarks.

Quality over quantity

A few commenters believe that even if someplace becomes familiar or “boring,” there’s always something new to discover if visitors know what to look for and how to stay engaged.

Settling down for a few weeks provides a richer connection to the community you’re visiting, but packing up every three days might be the perfect strategy for adventurers looking to see as much of the world as possible.

How long does your ideal vacation last? Read the full thread in r/unpopularopinion, and find more conversations like this in r/travel, r/solotravel, and r/CasualConversation.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.