Introduction
Summer 2021 is upon us and if you haven’t already started planning there’s no better time than now. I don’t know about you, but last summer presented very few opportunities to travel, particularly my brand of traveling that involves multi-week long trips out of the United States to foreign countries. Instead, with the exception of a few Home Depot runs I pretty much hunkered down, worked on my house, built a backyard and waited for the birth of my first child. At this point it has been 14 months since I have been on a proper vacation and I’m sure many readers feel like me and are itching to travel.
Considering that fact, it is time to begin exploring potential travel options for this summer. Keep in mind that this article will be presenting general concepts that can be applied by anyone anywhere. It does not include specific locations as that would only limit your possibilities.
COVID-19 Realities
Due to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic and constantly changing regulations many travel options are simply not available for American tourists this summer. Presently, many countries around the world are not granting American citizens entry so it may be necessary for people to hold off on their bucket list vacation ideas for another summer. Any alterations to U.S. national policies or travel regulations by foreign countries could instantly impact your plans. Domestically speaking, a number of states have been experiencing spikes in COVID cases, which could result in shifts in local and state policies that could ultimately once again significantly impact your planned vacation. Keeping this in mind, there is the potential for anything and everything to change at the drop of a dime. As a result, I think it would be most beneficial to plan accordingly, have a number of contingency plans and attempt to simplify as much as possible.
Travel & Safety Procedures During COVID Pandemic
Although the majority of citizens around the country have been receiving vaccinations and are committed to taking the proper precautions to prevent the continued spread of the virus, don’t take your mask off just yet. We are still not in the clear. It is important that people remember to continue following all the protocols that have been established in the previous year to reduce the spread of the virus. Continue to wear your mask, wash your hands, keep yourself socially distanced and respect other people’s health. Therefore, if you are going to travel please make sure that you are being responsible and doing everything necessary to protect yourself and prevent any more potential spreading of COVID-19. Packing a few small travel sized hand sanitizer wouldn’t hurt either.
COVID-19 Travel Resources
Here is a list of some websites that should help you:
- CDC COVID-19 Travel
- CDC COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Destination
- Department of Homeland Security Travel Alerts
- Kayak.com Domestic U.S. Travel Restrictions
- State Department COVID-19 Traveler Information
- State Department Travel Advisories
- State by State Quarantine & Testing Rules by Travel Off Path Website
Domestic Travel Options
Those of you that are familiar with my blog know that I am more likely to hop on a plane and disappear to some exotic foreign country with ancient civilizations for a month than I would explore the United States, but considering the situation there is no time like now to explore more of the country. Seriously, there are fifty of them and I have actually been to more foreign countries than I have states in the union. Now this feels like a great opportunity to see more of America. For anyone who is looking for foreign travel suggestions please read my article: Top 5 International Vacation Ideas for Summer 2021.
The List
# 5 – Themecation – Visit a Theme Park
Originally, I was not sure how comfortable I felt about going to a theme park for a single day let alone a multi-day or week long vacation, but many of my concerns were addressed. I have 3 groups of family members and friends who visited Disney World and/or Universal Florida within the last month. I made sure to interview them about their experience. Unfortunately, I have no contacts who have visited the rollercoaster heaven that is Cedar Point. Below are some benefits and drawbacks that should be considered if planning a theme park vacation.
Positives
- First, many theme parks like Disney World and Universal Studios are offering package deals that have a great value. Some are offering multiple single day passes at discount. One of the best promotions I came across required the purchasing of a three day/night package at a Disney resort for an additional two day/nights for free. There’s value there, particularly if you are a Disney fan!
- Second, All of them have verified a strict adherence to COVID safety and prevention based protocols throughout all the parks, hotels, transportation, etc. They all felt safe during their entire multi-day trips.
- Third, corporations like Disney & Universal will do everything in their power to prevent any outbreaks at their facilities. Do you think they want that type of bad press?
Negatives
- First, despite any offered discounts this could still be a very expensive vacation.
- Second, the reduction in total numbers and occupancy laws, does not translate to a shorter waiting time on lines. The ratio of employees to visitors will remain the same. In fact the lines were as long and in some cases longer than usual. This was particularly the case at food/beverage vendors and merchandise shops, as there were less of them open.
- Third, many of my contacts felt rushed. This occurred often at merchandise shops. After waiting on line to get into some of these stores the staff maintained the reduced occupancy rules and did their best to keep customers moving along. My contacts did not feel they had the time to freely wander and shop at their leisure.
- Lastly, there are less opportunities for visitors to interact with staff members. For example, Disney and other companies are presently not doing meet and greets like the character breakfasts/meals, photo opportunities, etc. This could diminish the experience for children.
In conclusion, visiting a theme park may be a good option to add into your summer vacation plans. Perhaps you only go to Six Flags for a day or Disney World for a week.
# 4 – Resortcation – Stay at an All Inclusive Resort
Personally, I’m not big on all inclusive resorts. It’s just not my preferred type of travel, but I know many people that love the package deals that they provide. Below are some benefits and drawbacks that should be considered when planning vacation at an all inclusive resort.
Positives
- First, many of the all inclusive resorts are offering very good deals in an effort to keep their occupancy numbers up. Packages include hotel, food, and sometimes even flights streamlining much of your planning and finances. There is the potential for great savings making this a good value option worth considering.
- Second, depending on the resort there should be a plethora of on-site (and off-site) activities and options available to their guests. Make sure you find out which of them may be negatively impacted by the pandemic and if so how.
- Third, like theme parks the owners of these hotels and resorts do not want an outbreak at their facilities making them some of the cleanest and safest options available. Furthermore, the all inclusive aspect could also reduce opportunities for potential exposure.
Negatives
- Sadly, even with the discounts this could be potentially expensive without the attractions found at a location like Disney or Universal. For example, with kids I would lean towards option #5 where I would prefer option #4 if kids weren’t in the picture.
- Additionally, many on-site activities and off-site attractions could be directly impacted by the pandemic. Make sure to research these potential realities prior to booking anything.
- Finally, there is often a lack of opportunity to interact with local people and learn about their culture and history, particularly for anyone who isn’t leaving the resort. (Personally, that is always my biggest drawback, as these facilities are often off the beaten path far away from the major attractions and city centers that I am drawn to experience.)
If you’re looking to streamline your logistics and escape reality for a couple days in one central location often devoid of genuine cultural experiences then consider going to an all inclusive resort this summer. It might be the perfect spot to momentarily forget about the pandemic.
# 3 – Staycation – Explore Your Local Community
Answer this question honestly, “how many things are there to do within say 50 miles or an hour of your house that you have simply ignored for years?” I bet you tell yourself that you’ll get to it eventually. Well perhaps now is a great time to revisit that list. Some of your ideas may not be realistic depending on how COVID may impact the activities and/or locations, but those are judgement calls that you will need to make. Below are some positives and negatives for staying close to home.
Positives
- Staying close to home can save you money. Your only mandatory costs should be the price of admission tickets, transportation (bus/train fare, taxi/uber, tank of gas). In some cases locals may also get discounts because of their status as a member of the community.
- Staying close to home will give you a greater appreciation and connection to your local area. There’s more history just around the corner than you realize!
- Staying close to home supports local businesses during these uneasy economic times, particularly if you live in an area where businesses rely on tourism.
- Staying close to home allows for opportunities to be more connected to other citizens. It may result in you having greater access to and even joining local community groups.
Negatives
- Where you live will determine the availability of activities and sight seeing locations within your local community. You may need to extend your search area beyond 50 miles.
Considering these points, I highly recommend that you go and explore your local community. Maybe you go on a few day trips here and there over the course of the summer instead of going on a big single vacation or maybe you do both!
# 2 – Statecation – Explore Your State (and/or Border States)
WARNING: ALWAYS CHECK ALL STATE & INTERSTATE TRAVEL REGULATIONS BEFORE BOOKING ANYTHING!
Continuing with the same logic as my previous recommendation I would like you to answer the question, “how much of your home state and/or surrounding states have you seen?” Probably less than you realize. A great place to start are the travel/tourism websites for each state like, the I Love NY State Tourism website.
Ultimately, you need to determine (1) how far you are willing to drive in a single day, which should influence (2) whether this is a single or multi-day trip, the latter of which may (3) require you to get a hotel room and if you are willing to get a hotel room(s) do you have the time and ability to (4) combine multiple activities and/or sites to design a road trip, but more on that in the next section. For now, let’s look at the benefits and drawbacks of this travel suggestion.
Positives
- Staying within your state can potentially save you money. Depending on the distance, some locations could still be a day trip, while others require multi-day planning and expenses. There may also be discounts for in-state residents.
- Staying within your state will create continued opportunities for learning and growth.
- Staying within your state also supports businesses during these uneasy economic times, particularly if you live in an area where businesses rely on tourism.
Negatives
- Where you live will determine the availability of activities and sight seeing locations within your state and surrounding area. Some people may be comfortable driving anywhere from 250 to 500 miles away, while others may not want to venture past say a 100 mile radius. The further you’re willing to go, the more options there are available to you.
# 1 – Go on a Road Trip
To put it simply, my last travel suggestion in many ways is a synthesis of the above mentioned ideas. If you are willing to travel for more than one day and drive an extended period of time it is possible to string together a number of locations and/or activities into a large multi-day road trip. There are so many possibilities. The cheapest option is to start from home and use your own vehicle like I did when I went Road Tripping to Maine or Road Tripping to Washington D.C. However, another interesting, but much more expensive idea involves hopping on a plane to a distant location, rent a car (or RV) and explore an area much further away from home.
Positives
- Going on a road trip will show you the diversity that makes America so amazing. Each region of the country is so unique with its own culture, cuisine, language, etc. We should embrace our differences and share our regional identities with each other.
- Going on a road trip can be a great way to discover places you’d never consider visiting or even realize exists. You may stumble upon small towns, random tourist points, great restaurants, beautiful vistas and other hidden gems that you fall in love with. All that stuff you don’t find in travel blogs and Expedia top 10 lists. Small town America has some amazing charm that is quickly being lost to mass consumerism and big business. Experience it before it goes extinct.
Negatives
- Going on a road trip could potentially be expensive. There are many ways to reduce costs, but the longer you are on the road the more money you will be spending. (Compare renting an RV and the increased gas costs with using your car and staying in hotels. Make sure to also consider camping instead of hotel stays. Renting a camp site at Yellowstone is as little as $15 a night, but you need to book early!)
- Going on a road trip could very quickly turn into a Griswold family vacation. We’ve probably all seen enough family comedy films that poke fun at the hellish reality that can sometimes be a family at each other’s throats, in a car together, for an extended period of time. “Are we there yet?”
Considering these points, going on a road trip is truly the amalgamation of my previous suggestions. If I have my way about it, I will be going on an extended multi-day (hopefully multi-week) road trip to a variety of state and national parks. We are even considering flying somewhere (cheap and within the region we are interested in exploring), renting an RV and hitting the road somewhere in the midwest/western part of the country.
Bucket List Vacation Suggestion
For those of you with more disposable income who are really trying to get on a plane and disappear to an exotic destination consider going to Hawaii. Oahu is the cheapest of the options as all the other islands generally require additional flights. Be aware that the state instituted some very strict COVID-19 protocols via the Safe Travels program to keep the islands as well protected as possible, but they are manageable. For the latest information, please check out the Go Hawaii state tourism page or the COVID Update page.
A Note on Cruising
As of the writing of this article cruising from domestic ports is still restricted. However, a number of international ports are open so the topic will be readdressed in my article: Top 5 International Vacation Ideas for Summer 2021.
Conclusions
Taking into consideration the previously mentioned domestic travel suggestions it is clear that despite the COVID-19 pandemic not being over, there are still a variety of options available to Americans interested in vacationing this summer. It really comes down to your comfort level traveling during these uneasy times. I highly recommend that you continue to do research about the ever-evolving protocols, restrictions and rules being implemented around the country. Actively research the areas you have committed to visiting. Your plans could be impacted in the snap of a finger. Stay diligent. Make sure prior to booking reservations that they include friendly cancellation policies just in case you get sick or the area experiences a COVID spike and needs to shut down their facilities.
And again, I want to remind any of my readers who are not from the United States that all of the above mentioned suggestions and concepts can be applied to your native country with some modifications. Finally, for anyone interested in leaving the country make sure to check out my article: Top 5 International Vacation Ideas for Summer 2021. As always… Stay safe. Stay masked. Enjoy the summer and Happy Trekking!