You might be feeling a bit hopeless right now. Maybe even in despair. For many, it might be their first pandemic to be alive for. Sure, we all know about the Spanish Flu of 1918 and the Black Death, but the word “pandemic” takes on a whole new meaning when you’re living through one.
Right now, top health officials are urging people to hold off on their vacations to slow the spread of COVID-19, but there are different parts of the world that are slowly opening back up. People in those areas are most definitely ready for a vacation!
Due to the pandemic, many are saying that road trips will become the popular way of vacationing and travel as opposed to flying. While many health officials are suggesting to lower travel only to essential reasons, if you do decide to take that road trip after all, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Know rules and restrictions of each destination
At this point, pandemic regulations vary greatly from place to place. It is absolutely critical that you do your research and plan out each stop, and make sure you know the rules before you go. You don’t want to be unprepared for anything.
Find wide open places to go to
Because of social distancing, finding destinations that are wide open are your best bet right now. If you’re going to brave the outdoors this summer, stick with it and choose somewhere like Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, etc. More rural places might be the best places right now, and chances are, you haven’t been. This is the perfect time to add them to your bucket list. You’ll be able to mark them right off!
Limit your number of stops and opportunities for contact
Even if you plan on driving your own vehicle, you’ll have to come in contact with the outside world eventually. To be prepared, bring hand sanitizer, masks, anti-bacterial wipes, or even your own hand soap to truck stops or visitor centers.
If you’re still a bit worried about venturing out, we understand. You have a few other options. Some people find lots of comfort in planning a vacation months or even a year or two in advance. Now might be the best time ever to plan that vacation ahead of time so you’ll always have something to look forward to once the pandemic begins to slow.
It might feel odd planning a vacation given the current state of the world, but scheduling one ahead of time often gives hope that one day the world will be back to the way it once was. If you’re like us, you like to plan – there’s something calming and comforting about preparing events. We’re not just talking about vacations, either. We’re talking birthday parties, graduation parties, happy hour get together.
If the thought of planning a post-pandemic vacation interests you, go big. This isn’t the time to plan a quick weekend getaway just a few hours from home. You can plan those anytime. For now, we’re thinking bucket list destinations, places you’ve dreamed about for years, blue water and lush green views everywhere you turn-type places. Planning this so far in advance gives plenty of time to save money.
Not sure where to start? Pinterest has become a beginning point for most pandemic planned vacations. You can also look at Instagram, but it seems to be more of a competitive site for travel and blogger influencers. Some Pinterest users monetize their content, but others are there to simply inform. In other words, they aren’t worried with posting over-edited photos to gain followers. They just want to share their own tips for travel.
Even though your planned vacation is further away than you want it to be, it gives you something to focus on right now other than the current pandemic. It’s almost as if you’ve got a long-term goal ahead of you, and you’re navigating the ways to conquer it.
We’ll be here cheering you on.
