Top Travel Tips For A Pandemic-Era

While it may not yet be safe to travel internationally (according to well-known scientists), there’s no reason you can’t start planning a holiday close to home.

Whether you’re planning on a short getaway, a weekend break, or you’re ready to pack up and head away from home for the entire summer, there are a few things you need to consider first. Here are some travel tips for planning your COVID-friendly adventure.

Choose the right transport mode

The thing about travel during COVID-19 is that you can’t generally go too far. With restrictions in place in most areas, it’s essentially better for you to stay closer to home. You never know when you might be faced with a lockdown.

While flying used to be the best way to see beautiful and exotic locations, this year it’s better that you stick to your own backyard. And the best way to do that is the good old “road trip.”

There’s nothing more exciting than packing up your belongings for a few days or weeks and taking them to the open road. Car travel has also been found to be safer in terms of COVID-19 – more open spaces and traveling only with people you know and trust can protect you from the virus.

Pack appropriately

Before 2020, packing meant making sure you had enough pairs of jeans in your bag and a jacket for all kinds of weather. Today, travel is very different and there are some essential items that you can’t travel without (often legally). If you are flying, make sure you print out your boarding passes before you go as this will make it faster for you to check in and move through the queue.

Take a reusable water bottle so you don’t have to use public drinking fountains or buy bottled water and pack plenty of snacks so you can avoid having to stop often along the way.

Ensure you have plenty of hand sanitizer in your bags, and you want it to be readily available at all times. And take your mask (and some spares). The World Health Organisation recommends storing your masks in sealed plastic bags to keep them clean, or in between washes.

Find great local destinations

No matter where you live, there’s bound to be some stunning sights to see nearby – and it could be that you had no idea they existed. If you live in a coastal area, check the local maps and see if there are any nice national parks by the waterside that will take you away from the crowds and into the wilderness.

If you live in the country, head to a nearby lake or hillside and start exploring. There are plenty of options available, and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

Camping grounds are always an affordable and fun choice for accommodation. Simply pack up the tent and grab yourself some cheap mattresses; or get yourself a second-hand campervan and make it a home away from home.

Prepare before you go

Pre-COVID-19, if you were planning a holiday your travel research would have been based on transport, location, and affordability. Today, things are very different, and you have to do an all-new kind of research – centered around rules and restrictions in the area you’re headed to. Just because your town or country is happy for you to leave, doesn’t mean others are happy for you to arrive.

Some countries require you to go into 14 days quarantine as soon as you cross the border, while others might need a written declaration that no one in your travel party is feeling ill.

Your travel plans could also impact your insurance policy and in many places now, you’ll be required to have had your second COVID-vaccine before you go. Before traveling, check the local government sites, talk to your insurer, and get health advice from your local doctor.

With the widespread distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, people are starting to venture out or make plans for future travel. With these tips behind you, you’ll not only have a safer journey, but also one that provides you with great memories for years to come.