Travel Restrictions Are Lifting…Can We Really Travel Again?

I don’t know how many times my friends, husband and I have asked each other this question. As the travel restrictions lift.. when can we travel again? While there are many opinions floating out there about when we can travel again safely – I don’t personally know if that means we will travel yet this summer. So many of our favorite things about traveling revolve around exploring unencumbered and not being stressed? As any traveler knows though, businesses need our support and the travel industry must move forward to protect the unique places that make travel so special! Here are a few considerations before traveling again this summer!

Pandemic Stress Impact on Our Brains

Travel stress can be a good kind of stress. Whether your dreams revolve around just sitting on a beach for a few days or a backpacking trip across Europe, the anticipation is exciting! Planning your itinerary, organizing your gear, and coordinating to meet up with friends. All parts of travel get me excited to hop in a car or on a place and go! As experienced travelers, sometimes the anticipation of leaving gets us giddy with excitement. We know what we need, don’t need, how to not overpack, etc and we’re ready to breathe different air. With that being said, this time has been very stressful for all of us whether a wanderluster or not, and it’s important to take stock of whether you’re ready to travel or not.

From Science News Daily..

The latest article I’ve read, by Laura Sanders from Science News, (my daily nerd reading hub), is about the impact of stress from the pandemic on our brain chemistry. The stresses we feel are affecting our ability to focus and perform daily tasks. Why is this relevant to travel? The simple answer is that trying to plan even a small trip may be too much pressure to put on yourself just yet.

To quote Amy Arnsten, a neuroscientist at Yale School of Medicine, feeling like we can’t focus an get our thoughts together is “a natural biological response”.

For many, we’re still in the ‘get through this’ phase of this pandemic. The kids are still at home, some people aren’t back to work yet, and businesses are still struggling. There are still plenty of unknowns even as the restrictions lift here in the US and across the globe. While trying to plan a trip, my first thoughts are usually to make a big bucket list of all the things I want to see and do, what kinds of clothes, gear, necessary vaccinations, etc. Health concerns were always a part of my planning before doing any big trips, but like the article from Science News – my brain feels scrambled.

If planning a trip is causing you to be stressed, there are other ways to explore. This can be a great time to explore in our own states and hometowns!

Will You Enjoy Your Trip If You’re Having To Wear a mask?

While we know restrictions lifting means we can travel, does that mean we’ll enjoy travel? With the right mindset, travel will still be enjoyable for all. It might look a little different to be thinking in terms of travel during the pandemic, but if you’re a true adventurer – it can be done.

Let’s start with restaurants…

For many restaurants, there are restrictions limiting their seating to 33% capacity. I wouldn’t want to avoid any local restaurants because the servers still need to work and the restaurants need to survive for the culture of the towns! If I think Ev and I may not be in the mood to be on our guard about putting our masks on and off, this does not mean we won’t still try new places. We’ll just get carry-out to make sure we’re supporting local businesses! There are plenty of amazing restaurants to try everywhere we go and many rely heavily on tourism. Red River Gorge is one of our favorite hiking spots in Kentucky, and our favorite restaurant there is Miguel’s Pizza! They have carry-out and patio seating that’s a perfect way to get through the pandemic. {I personally cannot hike all day in The Red and not get a veggie pizza with a ranch base. I cannot do it! 😉 }

Masks in family photos..

I heard this recently as a travel concern and tbh, I kind of love the fact that it will be documented. We made it through and this will be a crazy year to remember! Keep a positive mindset and enjoy the fact that you’re out of your house! HOORAY FOR ROAD TRIPS!

Social Distancing in the Great Outdoors..

While exploring the great outdoors and on trails less hiked – a mask may not be necessary. If you’re in a location where you don’t see many people coming and going, (think hiking Yosemite or the Swiss Alps), how many people will really be out hiking? There are also plenty of lesser-known smaller beaches to enjoy throughout the US, that won’t have many people. These beaches and remote hikes could be perfect to keep you and your family 6 feet apart while still enjoying the sun and sand.

US Locations We Feel Good About

There are so many places in the US on my bucket list. This wasn’t always the case because I thought that to experience true outdoor beauty- you had to get a passport stamp along with it. With the invention of Instagram however, there is so much more to see than we realized. Right here in the US, there are deserts, mountains, lush forests, oceans, and rivers just waiting to be hiked, kayaked, or road-tripped.

One of my favorite places to mention for more remote travel is Red River Gorge! This is an area of the country no one thinks about when it comes to hiking, and enjoying the great outdoors but I promise it’s beautiful! There are two million acres in Daniel Boone National Forest and over 600 miles of hiking trails.

Some other great possible road-trip-remote destinations {restrictions varying} are:

• Arizona
• Utah
• Montana
• North Dakota
• West Virginia
• California – Yosemite by reservation only!

For a few ideas on what parks to visit in these remote destinations, (that you can look forward to as of right now), click here! For information from the National Parks Service on which National Parks are open in your area, please see here.

Click here for an in depth look at the requiremets for US states requiring self-quarantine for incoming travelers. The states with varying requirements for travelers to self-quarantine: Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Massachusets, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin.

PIN ME FOR LATER!

Where Can we travel out of the country?

Everyone wants to travel again, so while we’re all stuck in the house and feeling stir crazy, let’s take comfort in a few things. Around the world, everyone is wanting to travel and many economies rely on tourism. That’s a recipe for safely opening these countries back up in a timely fashion. We WILL travel again… it’s just going to require a little patience.

The most reliable resources I’ve found are here, on the CDC’s Travel Restrictions Map, and here on the IATA Travel Restrictions map. There are many many articles out there announcing we can travel to Portugal and Canada etc, but when you really take a look that might not actually be true! The only place out of the country I’ve seen that we can travel as of right now is Mexico, according to government-provided information. I wouldn’t mind heading to Mexico soon! Click the links above for the CDC and IATA to sign up for alerts to get the latest news! I just found this great article from Travel & Leisure about all European countries opening as well!

Helpful Apps While Traveling

Along with government sites, there are private companies taking a helpful approach for all of us wanderlusters. The map at the beginning of this article was published by Kayak and is being updated daily. Google’s blog, The Keyword, announced Google Maps will now alert travelers to travel restrictions at their destinations.

Airbnb will also remind you to check travel restrictions in the area before booking. (Click here for a $55 credit for first time Airbnb users!) So while it may be more difficult to travel now, it’s definitely still possible to find helpful resources.

What Can I do now to prepare myself to travel again someday?

Bucket List, prep your gear, learn photography, learn a new language. All the things you can do while watching TV. Maybe it sounds counterproductive to stay home a little longer, but our time spent at home doesn’t have to be wasted!

• Learn to meal prep – this is actually an incredibly valuable skill to learn because it saves you money in so many ways!
• Get your fitness on – while this seems like a no brainer for your health in general – keep in mind that becoming physically fit will also help you enjoy your travels more!
• De-Clutter your home – This is a mindset that has helped us tremendously before our future travels!

What local tourism industries Can You support?

As much as we all want to travel, our home towns sometimes are tourism hotspots all their own. To keep the travel industry alive you can do your part and support local restaurants and businesses. Keeping our hometowns unique fully depends on us. We chose to live in Louisville based on what Louisville had to offer while we’re not traveling! Louisville is a hot spot for food, music, and art and recreation of all types. We even have a place where you can throw axes! All of what we love can only survive if we support now!

This means shopping local for any gifts we need to buy, trying to only eat at local spots. If you have family visiting and you need something to do – be a tourist in your own town and take them to the museums, art galleries, distilleries, sporting events. All of those things may not be open for a little while longer – but when they do? Make it a point to tour your own city and fall in love with your hometown!

Explore the links below to find more inspiration for what you can do now to keep your adventurous spirit alive!

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Until next time friends,

Thanks for sharing!