I’ve done my share of business travel, but I still learn new things every time I head out for an event, meeting or pitch that is more than a few hours drive from home. I’m currently typing from a very comfy chair in a heavily air conditioned (thank goodness) hotel room in San Antonio–playing catch up before our next meet up occurs.

But before I dive back into emails and Power Points I wanted to share a few key learnings from my recent trips while being on the road is top-of-mind:

• Marriott Hotels have been revamped (in a good way) for the business traveler. While I wish there was free WiFi, the lobbies and rooms are super functional (think 10+ outlets per room)
• A wireless card or AT&T; MiFi (see picture above) is critical for anyone who travels more than once a month. It makes logging on, especially quickly to check one email, a breeze
• Flats are a woman’s best friend on the road. No one wants to hear you complain about your feet
• Strive to have elite status and sign up for rewards programs
• Try to find an hour, if you can, to see something new if you have never been to a particular city before. Today we’re hoping to carve out just 30 or 45 minutes to visit The Alamo since it is walking distance from the hotel 
• If you really don’t think you will have time to squeeze in a workout, take the stuff out of your suitcase so that you don’t feel bad about yourself

I have three more business trips lined up through October. What are your “must follow” business travel rules and lessons?