No matter what, COVID is changing the way that we travel right now.
But not all of those ways are bad!
Certain things are essential you need to know so that you can plan ahead. But others are new perks that can actually make it easier (and cheaper to travel).
There really is good, bad and an awesome things to the way COVID is changing travel. (You’re going to love #4)
#1 COVID travel restricts where you can go
For me, this has been the #1 bummer of all the COVID restrictions… banned from traveling!!
We had some big plans this year, but now they are all cancelled. Luckily, we were able to get our money back (I wrote all about how to get refunded on your trip cancelled because of COVID here).
US citizens are banned from so many countries right now, it’s easier to name the places you CAN go. Here’s a list that CNN keeps updated.
If you’re not a US citizen it’s easy to look up where you are allowed (EU citizens have a lot more flexibility. Lucky.)
Even if you are allowed to travel somewhere, there might be rules about how to arrive and what you can do when you get there.
And when you finally find a place to go, either domestic or abroad, you might find that the major attractions are closed or limited.
I know. It’s a bummer.
BUT the good news is that you still can travel! And maybe it’s exactly what your family needs to get a break from the stress you’ve all been under.
Way #1.5 that COVID is changing travel:
Working remote, job changes, businesses closing, masking and social distancing. ONLINE SCHOOL. (Link is only 2, but I have friends and family that want to cry just thinking about their kid’s school.)
But there is a silver lining to all the online. Working remote and online school means you can do it from anywhere with an internet connection. HOLLA!
So, while where you go to travel might be different you can still have a great time.
Which brings me to my next point…
#2 What people are doing when they travel has changed
Get outside and get adventuring.
It’s not just sourdough bread, people have followed all sorts of trends this year. A huge trend has been in outdoor travel! National Parks, camping, road trips, and outdoor adventures are all the rage right now.
Why? Because it’s actually a safer way to travel right now.
Activities that are in crowded and busy places are a likely place to get and spread sickness. So, while movie theaters, sporting events and concerts are pretty much off the table. Outdoor exploring is a great alternative to your normal travel ideas because they give more space and less interaction between you and strangers.
So what can you do?
Take a hike! (There’s one for EVERY level. Seriously, even paved ones for wheelchair access.) Book a rafting or zipline tour. Take pictures at a national park. Road trip to find little treasures of Americana (yes there is a “Carhenge” in Alliance, Nebraska and the world’s largest ball of twine in Cawker City, Kansas).
We once took a drive on the ocean bridge down the Florida Keys, trying every slice of key lime pie we could find. And it was a BLAST!
If you’re terrified of bugs and wide open spaces are not your thing, fear not… Outdoor travel is not the only kind of travel option right now.
While many major attractions are closed, many more are open with new hours and ways to be “social distancing friendly”.
Museums are offering reservation times to limit the people in the building and allow for better cleaning (National Parks are doing this too BTW). Concerts are playing for smaller audiences with spaced out seating. And…
The point is… what you do when you travel is different now. BUT IT’S STILL AWESOME!!
#3 It takes longer to get a passport
Passports normally take a month or two to arrive once you’ve submitted all the required.
During COVID, passports are on serious back order!
For a while, you could only get passport help if you “need a passport in the next 72 hours (3 business days) for a life-or-death emergency.”
Passport offices are opening up more and more as we learn more about COVID and how to live with it.
They are ”not immediately offer upgrades to expedited service and we will not be able to immediately commit to specific processing times for routine service”
Here’s the official website to learn more.
So does this mean you shouldn’t even try to get a passport for your international vacation next year? Of course not! But start E-A-R-L-Y.
Just like the travel restrictions/bans, if your trip is dependent on a new passport… book in pencil, not pen.
#4 Last minute deals are cheaper than ever
Last minute deals are cheaper than ever.
Yup!
In some ways travel is actually CHEAPER with COVID around. (One of the awesome ways COVID is changing travel.)
This is because travel used to be 80% business and 20% personal. (I made those statistics up but the point it true.) So airlines, hotels, rental cars, etc. usually take advantage of the fact that people are much less penny-pinching when the boss is footing the bill.
This means that since business travel is usually booked last minute, last minute prices are spiked up. This is one of the major reasons that the same flight you booked 6 months ago for $100 is now $1000 if you buy it for the next day!
Yes flights will still get more expensive the more booked up they are. But without business travelers willing to pay A LOT more, they get increase is less than before.
This is a great time to travel within the US for a great price!
Hitlist is a great app I use for finding last minute deals. Also sign up for flying clubs like Frontier’s Discount Den. You’ll often make up the cost on your first flight and comes with perks like cheaper bags. (We’ve found roundtrip tickets for $20 or less!!).
I talked more about this and other important things about flying during COVID in the post, Uncovering 5 Lying Myths about Flying during COVID.
#5 Quarantining at your destination
Remember the “limitations” for some approved places I talked about earlier? This is one of the MAJOR ways that COVID is changing travel right now.
Some places are having a mandatory 14 day self-quarantine when you arrive.
Others have one for when you arrive back home.
This means you may be looking at ONE MONTH of self-quarantine total depending on where you live and where you are going. Ugh.
My advice? Try to be strategic about this.
You can go two different ways.
Try to go places that don’t require a quarantine upon arrival and/or won’t require you to self-quarantine at home when you get back. That way you might be able to limit the amount of time you are trapped inside with your crazy people…I mean family.
Or two: embrace the time you are stuck inside together!
Marie Kondo your house and make it really organized and zen-like. (I joke, but after doing this I have cut my day to day cleaning time in less than half.)
Knock out a few house projects that have needed some extra attention (my pantry has been just slightly under construction for almost 2 years…)
Keep the good times rolling and VACATION FROM HOME.
Yes really. It’s not lame. It’s actually awesome. And very very easy if you follow my home-vacation iteneraries to Hawaii, Paris and New York to get started. You probably already have 80% of the stuff at home (unless you Marie Kondo-ed first…).
Download the sheets for the full 3 days of vacations for free here.
Or watch the most inspiring travel movies for each age group.
While travel might be very different for the foreseeable future, there are actually a lot of perks to the ways COVID affects travel.
I am really a believer that travel is an important part of growing people and building families. At the beginning of all this I wrote about how families should still travel after COVID because of how important it is. And by doing it safely and smartly, you can start now!
Remote work and school means more flexibility in time. More types of travel are popular than before. And it might even be cheaper for you!
So grab a mask and get exploring again!
2 comments
Thank you so much for this. Extremely helpful.
It’s nerve-wracking to know whether to travel now or not. I’m so glad this helped!