What’s Next? New Vacation Options
It’s been a tough 2020— so much so that many of us are wondering when things will ever get back to normal. Is there even a normal now? In this series, we’ll take a look at what comes next.
To kick things off, we’ll start with a happy topic. Vacation! It used to be that even if you weren’t going anywhere, chances are you’d have a friend or coworker that was. They’d come back with a nice tan and some great pictures to show off and be the envy of everyone— at least until the next person came back with tales of an even better vacation. Of course, things are a little different now. On the plus side, with the coronavirus having ravaged the travel industry, many hotels and airlines are offering some great deals to drum up interest. On the downside, some of the attractions you were hoping to see may have limited hours or be closed altogether.
If recent events have made you rethink your traditional vacation, it may be time to look at some different options. You might first begin by taking a look around your own ‘backyard’, meaning destinations that aren’t more than a day’s travel from where you live. Sure, you may have an image in your head of that exotic beach halfway around the world, but if you take a look, you’re bound to find plenty of cool places that are a lot of closer than you think. As an added benefit, the shorter the distance, the less logistical legwork you have to put into getting there.
The general rule with the coronavirus, as well as any other infectious ailment, is that the fewer people that are around you, the less likely you are to get sick. Instead of elbowing your way through the crowds of a popular resort town, why not see the wide-open spaces? The United States is chock full of national parks and little-known monuments and natural wonders. Some of them you’ve probably heard of, like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon, but there are tons of others. To give you an idea, here are some great national parks you may not be familiar with.
You’ll also want to be a little pickier about your accommodations. If you’re the spontaneous type that likes to roll into town and just find somewhere to crash for the night, you’ll probably need to make some adjustments to your way of doing things. Of course, you’ll always want to judge a hotel on whether it has the services you want, its overall quality and the amenities it offers, like free parking or free breakfast. But don’t stop there. You’ll also want to know whether it has social distancing in its dining area or whether it has its staff wear masks. How much attention will it pay to the smaller things like hand sanitizer and automatic doors? In addition, expect to see things like self-check-ins and mobile key access become more common.
Yes, life (including vacations) still goes on in spite of the ongoing health crisis. You may need the rethink a few things, but there is still a great vacation waiting to be had. Be smart, be prepared and don’t miss out on one of summer’s best rituals.