These days, it’s hard to discuss anything without immediately acknowledging the strange year we’re all experiencing. And that is certainly true when it comes to traveling during current global health concerns.
For many, these are dark times. But that doesn’t mean you can’t try to fill your days with a little sunlight and maybe a little adventure.
While you may not have been able to pull off the grand summer trip or jet-setting holiday you’d planned, there are still ways you can travel, if you’re careful and strategic.
Traveling during current global health concerns can include short local trips but doesn’t have to be limited to them. The following are a few options to consider.
Traveling During Current Global Health Concerns – What You Can Do
Day Trips and Car Rides
The first thing to remember is that traveling doesn’t always have to involve some international caper through European castles and meadows.
There are plenty of domestic settings, sites, and quaint towns around. And chances are there are many within a few hours of you.
If you think about it, the current global health concerns have created an opportunity to catch up on the incredible destinations within driving distance.
For car lovers, this could just be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for. It could allow you to show off your ride and test the performance of all those aftermarket parts you’ve hunted down.
If you recently turbocharged your “hot hatch” with Ford Focus ST parts, this is the time to hit the open road and bask in the veracity of its 6-speed manual transmission.
On the other hand, if you recently upgraded your RV with a tire pressure monitor or a stainless steel portable grill, this is also the perfect excuse to take the family on a great day trip or even an overnight camping trip into the wilderness.
Many people are using public health and safety mandates as their own personal mandate to get back out into nature. After all, if we can’t be around each other, we might as well take in the bounty of Mother Nature.
Nature Is Your Friend
Now is an ideal time to do all those nature hikes, wilderness camping trips, and scenic drives you always talked about but never actually experienced.
You and your family can simultaneously observe all public health regulations and enjoy the majesty and adventure of the great outdoors.
Being out in nature, especially if you’re in a particularly isolated area, means you may not even have to wear masks (if you’re the only ones out there, for example).
You may even be able to explore other states. While some states have strict mandates in place about tourists crossing state lines (with many, especially on the East Coast, requiring that you sequester first), other areas are more relaxed.
So, it’s important that you double-check domestic travel restrictions if you simply want to explore natural sites and camp in the wilderness.
If you’re not planning to visit any restaurants or attend typical social activities, you may be able to cross state lines without having to sequester.
Some Countries Are Welcoming Back Americans
Many countries still do not allow foreign tourists (especially Americans given that we have such high infection statistics during the current global health concerns).
However, there are more than a few that are welcoming us back with open arms. In fact, some of the hottest tourist destinations have been open to us the whole time and offer incredible deals on airfare and lodging.
Aruba, Bermuda, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico (as of August), Maldives, Serbia, Costa Rica, Barbados, Egypt, the US Virgin Islands, and many more are all open to American tourists.
Like some states, there are other countries (e.g. the United Kingdom) that are open after a 14-day sequestration.
Obviously, you will want to practice an abundance of caution when doing any international traveling during current global health concerns. After all, we each have an ethical responsibility to follow all health and safety mandates.
There are, of course, always risks involved with traveling. If you get sick while abroad and are hospitalized, you will not be able to return home until you have completely recovered.
That means your family will either have to stay in the country with you or fly home without you. Either way, you will be alone – and possibly very sick – in a foreign hospital. If you’re okay with taking that risk, then you might be ready to set sail.
The best course of action is probably to get back in touch with your love of nature and camping, by hitting the wilderness with some sleeping bags and tents. If you’re going to have to be socially isolated from others, you might as well experience the raw beauty of the land.
While international traveling during current global health concerns might not be the safest option right now, it is still an option. Just be sure to do your research and plan ahead.
