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Prolific actor Judy Greer has had a vibrant career on both the big and small screen. From her early success in films like 13 Going on 30 to her more recent roles, the 46-year-old has acted in more projects over the last 20 years than many people get to in their entire lives.

However, it’s only now that Greer says she’s finally achieved a lifelong dream she’s been working toward since the start of her career.

Judy Greer’s extensive career has meant a lot of traveling over the years

With more than 250 credits to her name, Greer is no stranger to travel as a part of being an actress. Many of her former roles have necessitated that she travel to different places. Surprisingly, this has been true since the beginning of her career.

Originally hailing from Detroit, Greer frequently chased down roles in nearby Chicago, including the 1998 drama series Kissing a Fool. By the time she got her starring role in the film Jawbreaker, though, she’d already made the jump to LA. From there, her career really took off, often with supporting roles in memorable movies and shows like 13 Going On 30, 27 Dresses, Halloween (2018), and, of course, Arrested Development.

Judy Greer finally stayed at a hotel she’d only visited briefly in the past

Greer recently sat down to talk with Condé Nast Traveler about her upcoming projects and prior travel experiences. She had a lot to say about all of these, from flying down to New Orleans to shoot the recently premiered Hulu crime drama The Thing About Pam, to the experience of shooting in Puerto Rico right after a hurricane, to her secret desire to maybe live in Pittsburgh one of these days.

One of her most recent experiences, though, only saw her traveling a short distance from her LA home. As she explained, she and her husband have a tradition of going on vacation each year for their anniversary. However, since the pandemic has made travel much harder, last December, they drove to nearby Santa Monica.

While there, the pair stayed at the Shutters on the Beach hotel, which Greer says is a dream come true for her. “Shutters was sort of aspirational for me, because when I first moved to Los Angeles, I think I met a director there for a drink,” she told Condé Nast Traveler. While it was over 20 years ago by now, she’d never forgotten seeing the inside of the five-star, beachside hotel.

Greer shared her favorite travel locations and tips

Judy Greer stands on the red carpet for NBC's "The Thing About Pam"
The Thing About Pam star Judy Greer | Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
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During the interview, Greer shared her favorite ways to pass the time on long flights. At the top of her list: knitting and reading. For the latter, she also mentioned that she’s been into audiobooks lately. It’s a lot easier to lay back and relax while still enjoying the story. Sometimes she’ll use the time to catch up on TV shows, too. She doesn’t normally get the chance at home.

As for where she likes to travel when not working, she cited a few locations. For starters, the aforementioned Pittsburgh is severely underrated by her estimation. Having first traveled there for movie shoots, she fell in love with the beautiful scenery, great restaurants, sports culture, and creative people that populate the city.

The Detroit native is also a big fan of Japan. “I think I could go to Japan once a year for the rest of my life,” Greer told Condé Nast Traveler. The Thing About Pam star shared how every trip she and her family take there feels like an entirely new experience.

Greer also left an important tip for people looking to do some traveling. If you have the means, she says, fly home business class. While her surprisingly frugal lifestyle means she doesn’t do it too often, she says that extra luxury can help you with the inevitable sadness that comes with leaving a great vacation.

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