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This is a collaborative post. All opinions are my own.
Well, 2020 has been quite the rough year. Thankfully, none of my family has gotten sick from the coronavirus pandemic. And I am SOOO relieved that none of my kids are in school yet (figuring out online school sounds...not fun). But still, this year has been hard. Like everyone else, we've been confined to our home, going a little stir-crazy and feeling sad about our vacation plans getting blown out of the water. We had originally planned to travel to Scandinavia or Croatia this year...then we talked about going to Iceland and exploring the West Fjords...then we talked about a few weeks in Maui...but with all those destinations being in various stages of lockdown, we've had to rethink our plans. Of course, I totally understand why travel has been limited, but man, am I ever ready for a vacation. So with all of us feeling healthy, we decided that we should still do a 2020 trip! Since flying internationally isn't really an option right now, and since we'd prefer to be outdoors, we decided on (dun dun dun)...a National Park road trip!!! At first, I was disappointed that we wouldn't be able to go somewhere more "epic" and far away (we have a ton of credit cards points that we had intended to use for flights)...but as I've been planning our itinerary, I've gotten more and more excited for the new plan. The United States is gorgeous, we love road trips, and fall is our favorite time to travel. It's going to be amazing! But traveling in the time of Corona means there are extra things to think about. If you're still hoping to plan a getaway in 2020, here are some things to consider.
We were partially inspired by my brother and his wife. They road tripped to Spokane for my sister's wedding earlier this month, traveling through many of the same national parks that we put on our itinerary. They said they felt safe and were able to stay distanced, and their pictures looked amazing! This is their photo of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.
Think Local
You don’t have to go overseas for a good time. Right now, it's probably much safer to stay closer to home, so why not consider a staycation in your region and home country? Think about what destinations are within driving distance from you. Are there beaches? National parks? Friends or family you can safely visit?
Consider Outdoor Destinations
With restaurants and indoor entertainment being restricted, this is not the year to visit big cities. Instead, think of outdoor destinations where you can stay safe and see some beautiful sights. If you live in the U.S., we are spoiled for choice. There is so much natural beauty in our country, and lots of variation too. No matter where you live, you can find a place that feels like a totally different landscape from your home. When we went to Bryce Canyon and Arches in 2016, I remember the red rocks being so impressive and entirely different from Washington state.
Arrange Your Beauty Treatments
Many of us have been forgoing beauty and hair treatments, both because salons were closed for awhile, and because we have been staying home so much! But with beauty businesses opening back up, a vacation is a good excuse to treat yourself and schedule whatever it is that you've been missing. Before you leave for your trip, arrange to get a treatment that helps you be summer ready and feel like the best version of yourself. This could be a wax, a haircut, getting your nails done, a pedicure, eyebrow shaping or anything else!
Research and Book in Advance
Right now, with distancing guidelines and reduced capacity, you may need to make advance bookings for services you’d usually walk into. This could range from restaurants to public attractions and sights. Some highly rated places may not be open at all, so as you're researching the top things to do, make sure to double check if there are any Covid closures. For example, in Glacier, the east side of the park is closed--including Many Glacier and some of the most stunning views. This is disappointing, but knowing it ahead of time is much better than finding out once we're already there. Right now, it's extra important to do your research, check for Covid restrictions, and book any must-see places in advance.
Ensure Bookings are Refundable
Times are unpredictable right now, and we don't know if different regions or states will re-enter lockdown mode. We also can't guarantee that none of us will get sick (although of course, we'll do everything in our power to stay healthy). So I tried to make sure that anything we booked was refundable. We don’t want to find ourselves paying for hotels or attractions that we can’t even visit. "Plan for the worst, hope for the best," right? To give yourself options, I recommend looking for places that allow cancellation up to the day before, as this will allow you to make final decisions without worrying about money.
We are super excited and READY for a getaway, while doing our best to be responsible and prepared! With some extra planning, I believe we can still have an awesome and memorable 2020 vacation.
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