Travel Ideas for COVID-19

We all are getting a bit bottled up staying home or avoiding going outdoors for unnecessary trips, and that can feel particularly painful when travel plans are canceled. This may not be a substitute, but there are plenty of local and state parks near you  that can help you get your outdoor adventure fix.

 

Over the past month, I have explored a few different parks to satisfy my boredom. While going to a park does not mean 100% avoiding people, there are a few things you can do to keep safe:

 

Bring your mask

Have a mask ready to go so that you can put it on if you have to pass near people. I found that 95% of the time I spent in the parks there wasn't another person in sight, but that other 5% of time when you had to pass by another person can feel much safer by just putting your mask on for the 30 seconds. It minimizes exposure, but it also minimizes the aggravation of wearing a mask during your entire hike. 

Hand sanitizer

Having a small bottle handy can help when entering visitor centers for information or when touching railings that are highly trafficked.

Plan your time of day

Call ahead to the park and see what times are less visited. In general, going earlier in the day tends to have less traffic as well.

Bonus tip

Don't forget to plan ahead for the weather! Hot days or rainy days can ruin an otherwise perfectly planned adventure!