Five Tips to Safely Take a Road Trip This Summer
Gone are the days of the summer trips flying to Europe, boarding a cruise to the Caribbean, or hiking to Machu Picchu. Summer travel has taken new meaning this year, and it’s up to us to make the best of it. While staying safe and healthy is a top priority through the Coronavirus pandemic, there are ways to safely travel this summer.
If you’re exhausted and mentally drained from being quarantined and working from home since March. You might be overdue for a summer getaway. While most travel ideas might be unavailable at the time, road trips are an option for those looking to escape reality for a bit. Below are five tips to safely take a road trip this summer.
Stick to your household
Quarantine and social distancing have us missing some of our favorite people. Whether it’s extended family, friends, or co-workers, it can be tempting to extend the road trip invitation to people outside of our household. However, if you’re trying to stay safe and healthy (which you should), you should stick to your household exclusively.
Road trips require spending long periods in a confined space. If someone in the group is sick, the likelihood of others in the group catching the illness is extremely high. For the safety of yours and others, make sure you limit your road trip crew to those you’ve been quarantining with throughout the last few months.
Do your research
COVID-19 rules and guidelines can vary by state and even city. Make sure you do your research before your departure and plan accordingly. Some states are seeing record-breaking days of new cases, while others are limiting travel from visitors from certain states. Doing your research can save you time, energy, and the headache of having to reevaluate your entire trip once you’ve gone through the whole journey.
Pack smart
Before COVID-19, packing for a summer vacation meant plenty of swimsuits, sunscreen, and a fun straw hat. Now, packing means masks, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes. Keeping a COVID-19 toolkit available throughout your trip can help keep everyone germ-free. Packing a thermometer can also be a good idea. It’s a great way to monitor the health of you and everyone in your party.
Disinfect often
If you’re like me, you’ve been disinfecting surfaces like never before. This is just as important when taking a road trip. Make sure to disinfect your hands, steering wheel, and other high touch point surfaces throughout your trip, especially after making pit stops. If you stay at a hotel, remember to disinfect those high-touch point areas upon arrival. The TV remote, light switch, and door handle can be some of the dirtiest.
Be patient
It’s safe to say summer travel and road trips are not what they used to be. If you’re going into it expecting what you always experience, you’ll be disappointed. Go in with an open mind and a patient heart. You’ll likely experience closures, long lines, and limited capacity. If you understand that this is the new normal for now, you’ll likely enjoy your trip more and keep you and your family healthy while you do it.
