Anyone else sick of being bored in the house and in the house bored? I love our home but after four months it felt like the walls were closing in on us. This has officially been dubbed the summer of road tips and we recently took one of our own. A half day trip for a photo shoot quickly turned into a weekend getaway because we all needed a break. It’s helped us to realize that we can still make plans for Summer vacation, we just have to take additional precautions to be safe. Below are a few tips for planning a road trip during a pandemic:

Plan Ahead

Our trip was very last minute, a friend invited us to shoot in San Diego on Wed and we were on the road by Friday. A turnaround this quick added unnecessary stress and I wouldn’t recommend. We initially wanted to book a vacation home but the last minute option were few. So, if you are thinking of renting a vacation home make sure you book a week or more in advance and be sure to READ the fine print of the cancellation policy!

We ended up staying at Paradise Point Resort & Spa which was really beautiful, but resort or rental home, you need to be prepared to clean. I know, I KNOW…going on vacay to clean is the exact opposite of relaxing BUT it’s a necessary precaution. Especially if you have small children that will touch everything in sight.

Plan to arrive early in the day so that you can clean the room or house down before you set your family free.

Drive Instead of Fly

Traveling by car is thought to be safer than flying because you have more control over your environment aka you know (or should know) the health status of the person that is sitting next to you. However, there are still many unknowns that you should prepare for:

1. Keep the trip short if possible. Our drive down to San Diego was less than 2 hours. I think our max would be 4.
2. Do a pre trip check of your tires and make sure your maintenance is up to day. A road trip during a pandemic can become a very bad situation if you’re stranded on the side of the road. With the country operating at half staff, it’s best to make sure you car is ready for the job.
3. Know the condition of the place you’re planning to visit. It’s probably not a good idea to visit a place with recent spikes in numbers.
4. Pack gloves, masks and sanitizer for all riders. Take it a step further and take extra bottles of water and your own soap in the event that you have to stop for gas and/or pick up food along the way. Disinfectant spray/wipes are a good idea too. Actually…just wear a hazmat suit. LOL!
5. Take snacks on food on snacks. The less contact you have to make with others the better. Some fruit, chips and a good old pb&j for everyone riding along will due just fine.
6. Call ahead to make sure that hours of operation for places you’re planning to visit haven’t changed; some websites don’t have up to date info.
7. Of course make sure to take all the entertainment needed to keep the kiddos happy, DVDs or tablets and chargers to keep everything on. A crying kid the entire trip isn’t as bad as contracting Corona …but it might feel like it is.

Take Protection & Sanitation Gear With You

You shouldn’t rely on stores to be stocked with things that you need and it’s kind of unfair to the locals of whatever town you’re visiting. Take everything that you need with you. Masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, disinfectant products, all of it. Take it with you.

Plan To Be Outdoors

Social distancing should still be top of mind. If you are wanting to take a getaway but have no idea what to do, here are a few thought starters:

1. Rent a vacation home w/ a pool or on the beach
2. Explore state or national parks
3. Uncrowded Beaches
4. Rent an RV or have a glamping adventure
5. Try a house boat rental
6. Day trip to a drive through safari

As you make plans for summer vacation, location is key. Ideally more rural places would be the best states to visit or at least those that aren’t still seeing spikes in new cases. California, Florida and Texas definitely don’t make the cut here but this is a great time to try a location out of the norm. The great outdoors gives you so much space for activities …and to stay away from other people!

Know The Rules

Whatever you decided to do, be sure to double check whether or not 14 day self quarantine is a requirement. The following states currently have this requirement:

• Hawaii
• New York
• New Jersey
• Connecticut

The fines they are imposing on those that don’t abide by the self quarantine rules are pretty steep. Additionally, may states are closing their beaches and local parks in preparation for the holiday weekend in hopes of limiting large gatherings. So check ahead then check again!

Keep Contact With Others Minimal

While enjoying your new scenery remember that you should still be practicing social distancing. Find open spaces to explore or relax. Choose to prepare your own food or use drive through/curb side pick-up over dining in a restaurant.

To be honest this is probably the one time that I over packed and James didn’t complain. I wanted to make sure we didn’t have to do unnecessary store runs if we forgot anything.

While I was a bit anxious going into our mini getaway I’m glad we did it. It gave us the change to break the monotony of being in our house all day long and the chance to practice the new normal of life outside the house. Will we be going somewhere to hang out every weekend? Absolutely not! However, I think it’s something that I’m willing to try again every month or so for our sanity… as long as we can do it safely.

Whether your home, at your local park or on a getaway WEAR YOUR MASKS & WASH YOUR HANDS! Have you been anywhere besides home since March? Will you and your family be making plans for summer vacation soon?