Telecommuter travel.

January 6, 2007 11:24 AM

Travelling and telecommuting. Where would you go?

I currently have a full-time telecommuting job that pays more than I'm used to making. My hours will decrease in March, probably necessitating me taking another job.

It just dawned on me that at this moment in my life I have an amount of flexibility I doubt I'll have later (I won't be telecommuting my whole life) - and that I need to capitalize on it. I live in Minneapolis at the moment, and would like to go someplace warm for a couple weeks - within the next month.

Caveats: 1. I will need a private workplace with wireless (I can't work in cafes) because I will need to be available over the phone for much of my time. 2. The place I stay must be in the United States.

I've thought about going to the american Southwest - my work day ends at about 2:00 in that time zone, so I would possibly have time to do a little hiking. I'd like to be by mountains and desert.

I've considered an extended stay hotel, but I wonder if there is something cheaper I can do.

I'd like access to night life, but also easy accessibility to mountains and other natural wonders...

What would / do you do? Where should I go?

I submit to the will of the hivemind.

posted by mammary16 to travel & transportation (7 comments total)

I think I'd go to Austin. California (San Diego) would be up there, too, but might be too pricey for this scheme.

Beyond the too-general-to-be-too-useful suggestion of "Austin," I got nothing.
posted by Alt F4 at 11:53 AM on January 6, 2007

Um, Hawaii. No question. I guess that will necessitate you getting up very early local time (It's 6 Hrs earlier than EDT), but that will get you out of work hella early.

I don't have a spot where you could work, but it might be possible to work out a lower-cost alternative than a hotel. I'd try Craigslist.
posted by zpousman at 12:26 PM on January 6, 2007

Portland, Oregon. An hour in any cardinal direction takes you to a completely different environment. Mountains, ocean, (almost) high desert, rain forests. The weather never hits any extreme. The city is progressive, liberal, and savvy. The people there are smart and polite (for the most part).

I've been traveling the country on a regular basis for over 4 years now, and so far PDX is the best place I've ever lived.

However, that's just me. I recommend doing a lot of research. Like 'top ten quality of life' lists and whatnot.
posted by jcterminal at 12:59 PM on January 6, 2007

I took a 3 month temporary contract in SF a few years ago (I'm still there... my contract kept getting extended. It's probably going to expire soon). For the first 7 months I lived in temporary housing I found on craigslist. Worked out really great until I got sick of temporary housing. I missed my stuff after a while.
posted by miss lynnster at 1:01 PM on January 6, 2007

I'd like access to night life, but also easy accessibility to mountains and other natural wonders...

Austin has all of that except the mountains part. Austin is in Hill Country which is nice, but if you want mountains that might get some snow on the tops, this is not the place.

Austin is pretty unwired so the times you don't have to been on a call, you can find lots of cafes and restaurants with wireless. Any business-minded extended stay hotel will have it. The places right downtown will be expensive. There's not a lot of places that do short term leases.

I love Austin but still do long to return to California for the mountains and the ocean. I loved Portland when I went up there to interview, but I can't take living in cold weather.
posted by birdherder at 2:03 PM on January 6, 2007

>because I will need to be available over the phone for much of my time. 2. The place I stay must be in the United States.

With VoIP services you don't have to be in the US, just anywhere with fast enought internet access. U could do Costa Rica, Spain, Portugal, all you need is a self-catering apartment with decent broadband. Time-zone differences could be a pain if you go to a European country, but on the other hand it could mean you can sleep in, in the morning after partying all night. ;)
posted by zaphod at 2:38 PM on January 6, 2007

Seconding Zaphod. If you have the flexibility to not be in Minnesota, go somewhere really memorable.

At one point I telecommuted from Japan for two months and no one in my company knew. Though they did wonder why I sounded sleepy on the phone.

You can travel to South America and stay within one or two time zones. And it's not hard to find warmth and the mountains, and night life.
posted by Ookseer at 6:53 PM on January 6, 2007