Zach Klempf, a software company executive from San Francisco, never felt like he had enough time to visit the places on his bucket list, such as the Egyptian pyramids. But after experimenting with what have become known as “microvacations,” or “microcations” — quick trips, often to far-flung destinations — Mr. Klempf pulled off his most ambitious vacation yet.
After a Thursday board meeting in New York City, Mr. Klempf, 34, flew to Athens for eight hours, where he toured the Parthenon. He then hopped on a flight to Egypt, saw the pyramids, rode a camel and visited the Grand Egyptian Museum, all before returning to San Francisco in time for Sunday dinner. The best part? He paid for most of the trip with his credit card points.
Mr. Klempf is among the growing number of travelers, short on vacation time or looking to save money, who are embarking on whirlwind itineraries that take advantage of time zones and credit card points to string together one- to three-day trips.
The trend has been spurred in part by microvacationers posting about their itineraries on social media. Some are inspired by the idea of stretching limited paid time off; others look to game loyalty points for quick trips to, say, Barcelona and London; and some are simply drawn to the challenge. A TikToker who goes by Kylah, has shared weekend itineraries from the eastern United States to places like Iceland, Tokyo and Dublin.
According to the travel platform Tripadvisor, the average length of a trip taken by an American traveler in 2025 was three days.
Laurel Greatrix, the chief communications officer for Tripadvisor Group, suggests microvacationers aim to anchor their trips to a single experience. Don’t cover too much ground in the limited time you have, she said, and don’t overplan.
Mr. Klempf said he finds inspiration on YouTube and TikTok before looking for tours on Viator or other sites. He plans to keep planning whirlwind trips this year.
“Every board meeting I do, I’m going to do this again,” he said.
Claire Fahy reports on New York City and the surrounding area for The Times.
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