2020 Summer Travel
E-learning has come to an end and summer is upon us. Like most things this year, summer will be different. Still that doesn’t mean it can’t be memorable and at times carefree. One of my favorite things about summer are the road trips…we look forward to them all year long. Are you planning any travel this summer? A relocation for a change of scenery, perhaps? Or have you cancelled your plans entirely due to the pandemic? If I’m being honest I wanted a change of scenery about two weeks into our time quarantining. So in mid May when Florida opened up their short term rental ban we quickly and perhaps impulsively booked a home along 30A. We were all desperate for a change of scenery, fresh air and sunshine so in late May we set off on a nonstop 15 hour road trip during these unusual times.
The drive and our time in Florida itself was eye opening - it was abundantly clear that our shelter at home experience in Chicago was vastly different than that of much of the country. Social distancing efforts were in place yet I couldn’t have fathomed the sheer amount of people and extended families going about their lives as everything was the same. While we certainly assumed some risk traveling to Florida for the most part we were able to avoid crowds. We stayed in a house which I wiped down with Clorox wipes and sprayed with disinfectant as soon as we arrived, ate all meals at home and avoided public restrooms. We went to the beach only in the morning to avoid the crowds and spent much time bike riding and going on walks.
Despite it being the Summer Season along the panhandle it was still far less crowded than living in Chicago and that was a relief for us…I can’t tell you how many times we didn’t leave our house in the past few months. Let’s just say there were more days than I can count so the time away spent outdoors instantly changed our moods…the kids smiled again, slept well and as parents we were able to recoup some of our lost patience. Since our return and quarantining at home for two weeks I can assuredly say that we are grateful we went if only to be reminded that there is still a beautiful world beyond our four walls. Road trips aren’t a new concept for us…we actually enjoy them but this adventure didn’t involve any overnight stops and required some careful planning. If you’re thinking of doing something similar this summer read on for some considerations for your journey. Safe travels!
If driving consider leaving in the middle of the night so the kids can sleep and you can avoid traffic. We found that leaving at 1:45am also helped reduce the number of restroom stops we would need to make.
Pack a cooler or two full of snacks, beverages and at least one meal. On the way there I had baked store bought cinnamon rolls and wrapped them in aluminum foil for the kids to eat when they woke up.
If you do intend to stop for food along the way I highly recommend ordering ahead doing curbside pick up. This can help save time and generally restricts interaction with other people. This worked so well for us on our drive home and we were able to pick up our favorite Hattie B’s Hot Chicken in Nashville in a matter of minutes. Some restaurants have apps that can accommodate this but just checking the restaurants website should inform you.
If renting a home consider bringing not only some food supplies but also toilet paper, paper towel, Clorox wipes, sanitizer, dish soap etc…Stores in these communities are much depleted of essentials just as they may be in your town. While we did need to visit the grocery store once we came very prepared with supplies and it made everything so much more relaxed.
When we embarked on this road trip, Illinois was just emerging from it’s shelter in place order so my anxiety was still pretty high. I was a little nervous about our need for bathroom breaks so I did a couple of things to prepare. I held off on potty training our toddler, brought along a portable potty, ordered Travel Johns and encouraged our five year old son to pee outside. In the end I think we stopped at two rest stops each way and while this completely freaked me out we wore our masks, washed our hands and sanitized our hands and arms before we got in the car. I resigned myself to this reality on the drive yet at other times avoided public restrooms.
Traveling to a destination you’re infinitely familiar with removes some uncertainty. Knowing where essential business are and even perhaps where an Urgent Care Clinic or Hospital are is reassuring.
Finally, don’t forget to bring your masks and carry them with you wherever you may go. Every state has different restrictions just as all stores and restaurants will as well. I personally won’t walk into any place without one on and while we may not always wear them outside we have found that the more our kids wear them the more comfortable they are with them on.
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