How to Travel During COVID
Are you ready to book that vacation but curious whether you can really travel safely during the COVID-19 pandemic?
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Like so many of you, COVID-19 has had a huge impact on my travel plans this year. Now, I know it could be worse – wayyyy worse. But at some point this year we were about to lose our minds and just had to get OUT. If you found your way here, you’re likely feeling the same way.
In our own effort to find a way to travel safely during the COVID pandemic, we learned a lot about navigating this weird landscape of travel so I’ve put together this guide to help anyone else who might be on the same journey.
Important Note: This article was written based on my personal experience traveling during the COVID pandemic in the US. Policies change daily, so this guide is not meant to take the place of CDC & government recommendations or regulations. While I can’t advise whether travel is the right move for you, my hope is to provide a starting place for your own research.
We started cautiously traveling again in July 2020 and I believe it can be done in a way to mitigate the risk. In my personal experience, I’ve found hotels, Airbnbs, airports, airplanes, Ubers, restaurants, and other travel touchpoints to be more cautious of disease control and protecting your health than ever before. That said, COVID is out there and nobody wants to be part of the problem. Make the right choice for you and those you come in contact with!
Read on for everything you need to know about traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Looking for specific information? Check out these quick links:
Pick a Destination Where you can Social Distance
First things first: you’ve got to do your research into the best destination to travel to during the COVID pandemic. Unfortunately, your options are more limited than in simpler times. Many international destinations are off the table for now. But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for lackluster travel! You can still have some amazing domestic travel adventures.
Your safest bet for COVID-19 travel is to consider options where you can keep social distance. Road trips, camping trips, and national park visits are some of the best options for socially distanced travel.
Socially Distanced Travel Inspiration: California Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip
Do your Research about COVID-19 Travel
Once you’ve picked a few potential destinations for your travel, it’s time to do your research. Each state has it’s own set of regulations in place so you need to be informed before you start booking tickets. The easiest way to do this is to Google the state (for travel in the U.S.) or the country plus the words “COVID-19 travel”. One of the first results should be the official state/country page with all of the regulations for that area.
The main things you’ll want to look out for are:
- Mandatory quarantine expectations
- Negative COVID-19 test results
If your intended destination has these requirements you don’t have to count it out, but it will require some extra planning. Read on for the details for navigating these COVID travel restrictions.
Mandatory Quarantine When Traveling
Many cities and states in the U.S. have been under some level of quarantine or social distancing regulations for months, so the idea of doing the same from a fancy beach house or cozy cottage in the mountains as opposed to your cramped apartment doesn’t sound so bad. While I would 100% agree, I do want to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.
Most travel quarantines are on the honor system but you don’t need me to tell you why it’s still important to follow through. The quarantine requires that you go straight to your hotel or accommodation and stay there for the entire quarantine period – usually 14 days. That means no going out to eat, no museums, and no tours. Some locations permit grocery shopping and grabbing quick-serve food but others may require you to make arrangements for contact-free food delivery.
BUT – don’t let this turn you off! If you choose the right accommodations and company, quarantining can absolutely still make for the perfect vacation. Consider it a stay-cation and a chance to relax. You’ll save money on expensive excursions so spring for that rental house of your dreams!
Negative COVID Test Results for Travel
Many travel destinations are requiring that visitors entering from out of state or country take a COVID-19 test with negative results within a few days of travel. If you’re looking into island destinations like Hawaii or the Virgin Islands, you can pretty much count on having to take the test. Different locations enforce this in different ways. In some locations, you’ll have to show paperwork as soon as your plane lands. In other locations, it’s a form or the honor system.
The good news is that it’s not too difficult to take the COVID-19 test for travel. In most states in the U.S. you can easily make an appointment online within a few days without a doctor’s referral at many pharmacy chains like Rite Aid or CVS. Not that I think you would, but do not head to the hospital as they’re focused on emergent cases. Even if you aren’t required to take a COVID test before travel, you should consider doing so anyway for peace of mind.
Sight-Seeing and Activities while Traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic
As long as you’re social distancing and respecting the location’s COVID regulations, you can likely still do a lot of the sight-seeing and activities you’d normally do during your trip!
If there are any specific places you’ll want to go or things you want to see, check whether they’ll be open before you go. Consider this for beaches, parks, museums, restaurants, etc. If it’s crucial to your trip, Google it and be sure it’s open before you go!
Also keep in mind that many places are operating under unique procedures. You may need to book a reservation for beaches or other places where this was normally not the case. Check ahead so you’re prepared!
COVID Travel Packing List
The next thing that most people tend to ask is “what do I bring?” Rest assured, it’s not much more than you’d normally pack – plus the things you’re used to carrying around since around March 2020: face masks and hand sanitizer.
Face Masks
No matter where you go, you’re going to need to wear a face mask at some point. If you’re flying, you’ll need to wear a mask from the moment you step on airport property, through the entire plane ride and then next airport, and then keep it on in any Uber or shuttle service.
I recommend packing 1 face mask for each day of your trip and 2 for travel days (after the airport you’re not going to want to wear that mask again). If your vacation rental has a washing machine, take advantage and wash a load of masks mid-trip. If you’re in the market for masks that are comfortable to wear all day, these masks from a small business on Etsy are my absolute go-to essentials (not an ad, I just reallyyyy love these masks).
Hand Sanitizer
You’ll want to have a travel-size bottle of hand sanitizer close by for this trip! If you’re flying, be sure it fits airline liquid requirements and that you pack it in an easy to reach pocket.
Ask any health professional, hand sanitizer doesn’t take the place of good ‘ole fashion hand washing. But because there’s not always a sink handy (like in your car or at a cash register), it’s a good idea to have plenty of hand sanitizer with you. Keep in mind that it needs to contain at least 60%+ alcohol to be effective.
I hope this guide has been a helpful start to your research on travel during COVID. As always, stay safe out there!
