This year Covid-19 ruined many travel plans for people all over the world. For me, personally, 4 different trips out of the country were ruined. While right now I personally don’t feel safe flying, traveling out of the country is kind of difficult. Still not being able to go out & being stuck in the same place for a long time has been affecting my mental health. Which lead to my husband and I planning our first long-distance road trip in years. Below are some tips on how to plan on traveling during a pandemic.
- Research & choose a destination
- Decide on the type of accommodations
- Research travel safety information on the final destination
- Figure out refund policies
- Must pack items
Travel can provide an escape and a way for people to recharge and relax. While there is definitely a lot of uncertainty in the world right now with the pandemic, there are still safe ways to make travel a possibility.
Research and choose destination
While a lot of states & countries are loosening up restrictions what is open or not will vary a lot. Keep in mind that even within states different counties have different restrictions.
It is important to look up the county & state guidelines regarding traveling during the COVID pandemic as some states require for our of state travelers to quarantine if you fly in or some even if you drive. While my husband and I planned our road trip we had our second part of our vacation change due to restrictions placed on travelers for the second state we planned on visiting.
Decide on the type of accommodations
While typically during vacation my husband and I choose not to cook & instead eat out for every meal. During this trip, things will be very different. Ultimately we decided we wanted to stay somewhere with a kitchen whether it was a house or a condo.
While we will be enjoying food from different establishments we also plan on cooking most of our own meals. If you don’t feel comfortable eating out or staying at hotels renting a house, apartment, or condo might be a good idea. Make sure you look up their COVID pandemic policies to see what cleaning they are doing. I would also suggest making a booking that has space between you and the previous traveler.
Be aware that a lot of places are currently charging an extra cleaning fee.
Research travel safety information on the final destination
After you choose your final destination lookup any restrictions they may have. Be sure to do this even the day before you leave as things right now are constantly changing. For example, a few weeks ago only certain counties in Texas required a face mask now the entire state requires it (as of July 1st, this May change).
I also suggest looking up any restrictions your lodging might have such as if pools will be opened or closed or if housekeeping will happen. To keep social distancing a lot of places are doing less housekeeping.
Figure out refund policies
Again things are constantly changing. Should a travel ban suddenly come in place what would the refund policy be like? Some places will issue a full or partial refund while others will issue a voucher for future use. It is important for you to know what type of refund you will receive if travel plans change.
Must pack items
Whether you are traveling by car or plane there are a few essential items to pack. Below are a few essential items:
- Face masks (a lot of places require them)
- Hand sanitizer
- Antibacterial wipes
- A roll of toilet paper in case any rest stops don’t have any.
The above list may vary depending on where you are going and the type of travel you are doing. I have always traveled with hand sanitizer & antibacterial wipes since I don’t trust how they clean the planes, but now it is even more important.
Travel is not over
While we may be traveling different and taking more precautions travel isn’t over. We are just doing it a little different now. We all need to understand that while a lot of what is happening is not something we are used to it can potentially be very helpful. Remember to practice social distancing while traveling and that a lot of places will be contactless.
How have your travel plans changed this year? I would love to hear about it!
Until next time!
Check out my last post all about exploring North Texas wineries.
The essentials here probably aren’t the ones we’d have thought of even a few months ago, and I never thought the mask would be must have accessory of 2020. But I’ll admit, I love your masks. They’re so bright and colorful. Agree with all of these points, I’m thinking of new things as I plan, but we’re adapting to the new way of thinking and that’s OK
Yes, its crazy to think that the majority of people are buying masks now! I definitely never thought I would be wearing one every time I left the house!
Oh yes, my travel plans changed too but it doesn’t matter. There are lots of things to be grateful for and you are so right taking precaution. We all have new essentials to pack now. Thanks for the reminder.
We definitely have a lot to be grateful for. The times are crazy and we just have to adjust a little now.
I love your tips. I think hotel selection is important. And certainly face masks. Hopefully we will get to go soon. I too had 3 international trips cancelled. Not fun !
Oh no! I’m sorry you had trips canceled, it is definitely not fun to go through.
Fab tips!
You are not alone, but it’s such a shame that you had to cancel 4 trips!! Urgh, you must have been disappointed.
We have changed to do camping and trips near home to avoid flying. It’s still hard though, everyone had the same idea so campsites are all booked up!!
Super disappointed, but at the same time grateful that we have the option to travel in other ways. Oh my! I never thought of how many people might be changing the way they travel. I hope you have fun on your camping trip!