Tips on Planning Possible Fall & Holiday Travel Amidst Corona

By Victoria Robertson on September 24, 2020

That familiar fall breeze has finally hit the air, and the fall is officially upon us. Of course, with it comes the typical fall activities and travel, during a normal year.

However, this year, the coronavirus has slowly taken over our plans and changed our ability to do the things that we typically enjoy. So what exactly can you do this fall? And how are you supposed to plan your holiday travel?

Here are six tips to help you figure out possible fall and holiday travel plans amidst the coronavirus.

Photo Via Pixabay

1. Do Your Research

First and foremost, before committing to any travel plans, you should be doing your research. Times have changed, which means so too have travel restrictions and state rules and regulations.

At any given time, certain states have banned travel from others, or may even require a 2-week quarantine upon arriving back home. Before making any plans to travel out of state, make sure you are aware of all the caveats to ensure this is a plan that will work for you.

2. Check in with Work/School

Once you land on a destination, you should make sure you have a plan for work. Whether you have the luxury of working from home, taking classes from home, or simply require a time-off request to your employer (or absence notice for your school), you’ll want to have that all squared away sooner rather than later.

In addition, you’ll need to tell your employer of any required quarantines, if applicable, as this will likely result in more time off work (or simply working from home). You may also need to provide the same information to your professors.

It’s always better to give them all the information upfront to ensure you’re covered!

3. Think About Your Companions

Are you traveling back home on your own? Or are you traveling with friends? Are you going to see family? Are they elderly?

Just because you want to take a vacation to visit relatives doesn’t mean it’s the safest option. Even if they have been quarantining, traveling is a big risk, so without a 2-week quarantine upon arrival, away from your relatives, you could be putting them at risk as well.

Of course, seeing family is sometimes necessary, so just ensure you’re following proper social distancing measures in order to keep everyone as safe as possible.

4. Determine Safe Travel Routes

Flying is easily the riskiest means of travel at the moment, and it’s not the only one available to you.

There are still other methods, such as driving, that you should consider, if at all possible. That being said, longer distances might not be a possibility for driving, or you simply may not have a long enough period of time on break or off of work in order to accommodate traveling by car.

Take a look at all the possible methods available to you and determine what makes the most sense so that you can plan accordingly.

5. Check the New Regulations

As mentioned previously, many states have taken it upon themselves to create new regulations in order to lessen the spread of the virus in their state.

This means that many states have banned travel from other states, and some may even require 2-week quarantines upon arrival or return home. Check out all rules and regulations prior to leaving to ensure you’re able to meet them and to ensure you’re even able to travel there in the first place prior to making any reservations for hotels and the likes.

6. Determine What’s Necessary

Last, but not least, you should really take a hard look at what travel is necessary and what can wait until conditions are safer for travel.

Are you taking a trip for fun? Or are you going to see family? Should you be visiting this family, or are you putting everyone at risk?

Basically, if there is any travel that you can avoid at the moment, you should at least consider doing so. If you’re visiting a low-risk friend or family member, you’re probably safe to travel as long as you follow the proper protocols. If you’re visiting high-risk family or friends, stop and make sure the trip makes sense for everyone.

If you’re the type of person that enjoys traveling late into the year, Corona likely put a damper on all of your plans.

However, that’s not to say you can’t go anywhere, just that planning is going to be more difficult and require extra hoops to jump through.

Still, there’s the possibility of safety and fun this fall and holiday season. Just follow the above six tips, make sure you’re being careful and thoughtful about all plans, and enjoy the changing season!

When life gives you lemons, am I right?

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