5 Great Vacations for Accountants Wanting to Recover from Tax Season

  • Cruises
  • Staycations
  • Louisville, Kentucky
  • All-inclusive Resorts
  • Camping

Vacations for accountants might sound like a distant dream at the beginning of April. With hundreds of clients flooding into tax preparation offices demanding help before April 15, spring is a stressful season for accountants. That’s why it’s important to plan a post-tax-season recovery trip well in advance. The best vacation for an accountant will depend on budget, personal preferences and family input. This list of five options covers a range of prices and destinations so every accountant can find the perfect trip.

1. Cruises

Cruises aren’t just for the newly wed or nearly dead. These all-inclusive adventures are the perfect way to relax after a brutal tax season. Most major cruise lines feature all-you-can-eat buffets packed with everything from gourmet salads to cheeseburgers and fries. Every evening brings new entertainment from stand-up comedians, Broadway singers or guest lecturers. On-board spas and off-ship adventure outings offer the perfect way to relax for both thrill-seekers and beauty buffs. Popular May cruise destinations include Alaska, Europe or the Caribbean.

2. Staycations

After the grueling months of tax season, not every accountant wants to hop on a plane, check in to a new hotel and see the sights. For some accountants, the perfect vacation requires nothing more than plopping down on the living room couch. Staycations offer the relaxation of a long trip with none of the stresses of travel. Taking time off from work to rest at home, visit favorite restaurants and catch up on household business may not be Instagram worthy, but it is restoring.

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3. Louisville, Kentucky

The best two minutes in sports happen every May in Derby City. The historic Kentucky Derby offers people-watching, legal betting and an excuse to dress up in silly hats. Visitors love sipping refreshing mint juleps, biting into hot browns at the waterfront Galt House or touring the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory or Muhammad Ali Center. Although prices can rise during the busy May season, savvy accountants can book ahead to take advantage of Louisville’s wide range of hotel inventory. Plus, since Derby doesn’t start until the first weekend in May, tax preparers can use the last half of April to finish up billing activities, firm meetings, and personal matters.

4. All-Inclusive Resorts

Jamaica. Bermuda. Mexico. What do these countries have in common? Each tropical destination is home to sparkling water, friendly people, and all-inclusive resorts. Flying out to a resort can be the best vacation for an accountant because of the upfront pricing. Resorts offer one low price that covers hotel fees, unlimited food, access to a private beach and more. That makes them a good destination for accountants who need a break from thinking about numbers.

5. Camping

What’s the best vacation for frugal accountants? Camping! Resorts and cruises can cost thousands of dollars, but cost-cutting tax preparers can relax in nature at a fraction of the cost of more traditional vacations. According to Wand’rly, the average cost per night to camp in public campgrounds is $22.15. For a week of communing with nature, that’s less than $150. Even with the cost of firewood, food and camping equipment, camping offers big savings.

Post-tax-season vacations inspire accountants to power through the busy season and recharge after working to the bone. All firms should make May vacations for accountants part of the company culture.