To travel or not to travel, that is the question. After being locked down for most of the past year and then some, it is understandable that people are getting the itch to see things again. To see places. To meet people. To do literally anything that doesn’t take place at your house. With the Delta variant looming and filling up hospital beds, it is a tough call to make, but if you just need to bust out of your routine, here are some ideas that could be COVID-safe and scratch that itch.
Road Trip
Pile into the old station wagon with your loved ones and set out to make some new memories. There are plenty of things to do and see without having to co-mingle with your fellow human at less than six feet. Plan to stay at an Airbnb or VRBO where you won’t have to interact with front desk staff (though there are now plenty of hotels that offer contact-less check-in/out). Perhaps a trip to South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore or a trip to the Grand Canyon is in order. Speaking of national parks, what about…
Camping
Now, camping isn’t necessarily for the faint of heart, but it is certainly something that can get you outside where you are highly likely to keep your distance from those that aren’t in your immediate household. There is a fair amount of prep work to consider as far as tents, sleeping bags, air mattresses (unless you are about twelve you will likely regret sleeping on the ground), transportable food, tools to make a fire, s’mores, bug spray, etc. If you don’t have a camping-savvy friend or relative in your group, maybe considering starting with one night or so and not too far of the beaten path, just until you get your bearings.
Houseboat
Ahoy, captain! Here’s a crazy idea – find a body of water you are interested in exploring and rent a houseboat for a few days. Chart out some stops along the way and see some sights. Just make sure not to get too friendly or close to the locals on your stops as you will still want to maintain a level of cautious conservatism.
So none of these are so much about meeting people, but they will certainly get you out of your daily routine and remind you that there is still so much that can be done even during these uncertain times. Get out there and explore a little bit of the old-fashioned way.
