U.S. Travel during Covid-19 ?

after watching inside edition's expose on hotels recently I would definetly take my own pillow.

We rented a house. Wiped everything down with Clorox wipes. Rewashed all the dishes. Used that as a home base. Cooked dinners at the vacation home and packed a cooler for picnics during the day. Lots of hiking and outdoor stuff and stayed out of touristy areas. Very few wearing masks or respecting social distancing of any kind in towns that’s we saw.

My suggestion is to rent a small RV and take your own motel room with you. That way you don't surrender control of your lodging - you can control the hygiene.

photoholiko said:

I plan to do some traveling by car within the United States before winter sets in. I would like to know if anyone in this forum has traveled (In the U.S.) during these restrictive times. If so, would you mind sharing your experience in regards to Hotels, restaurants and scenic locations.

I want to travel on the east coast from Florida, I wear masks and gloves were required for safety. I would also take spray cleaner with bleach for hotel room wipe downs.

BTW, you people take some fantastic photographs, I hope to do the same,

Thanks.

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You will have to do your own research and make sure its up to date. What's reality in July probably won't be relevant at the end of the summer, events are changing too rapidly... states reopening, states reclosing.

Anything you book I recommend doing so with only fully refundable stays.

Friends of ours booked a week in Las Vegas, by the time their trip came around all of the shows they booked were cancelled, they don't even gamble they were going strictly for the shows, they spent a week by the pool.

Another set of friends booked a week in Tahoe, by the time they went they had closed the resorts down and they had to book flights back home after being there 4 days.

Research, research and research some more, but it only matters to do it right before you go.

Protect your health however you deem fit, the guidance and actual medical proof of such things is all over the board, do what you feel you need to do personally.

--
Thanks,
Mike
https://www.instagram.com/mikefinleyco/

I tent camp and often backcountry camp, so only risk is occasional large grocery store and gas pump handle. Yes, I have a pee bottle, TP and a trowel.

IMO, I’d focus concern more on airborne exposure over surfaces. Surfaces are easily controlled by hand washing and avoiding touching face. Airborne is complicated, because some people aren’t wearing masks, or social distancing and then there’s indoor air circulation. So, I only go indoors as required and limit exposure time.

So, detached motel room with their own outdoor entrance and AC unit would appear safer. Ask, because some motels time shift room occupancy now. I avoid restaurants, fast food, etc., but takeout/takeaway is probably safe. I haven’t been to an indoor coffee shop, bar or restaurant since mid-March. I avoid any gatherings where people are sitting indoors.

National Parks usually have more adults and less children/families in the Fall season, but this year? So, this Fall you may be safer around a bunch of retirees, no kids and less foreign tourists.

I stick to my guns (not literally). I’ve decided on my own to protect myself the best I can, and if I see a situation which doesn’t meet my standards, I’m out/off.

Thanks to all who have responded with some good advice, some of which I hadn't thought of.

With the way the situation is deteriorating in the US now, any advice you get today is likely to be outdated in a week or less. If you must travel, I would guess the RV is the best solution since you are carrying along your own toilet, shower, bed and kitchen. Be aware that in many states most restaurants are closed except for carry out service, so even if you find an open restaurant or fast food place, you will then need to find a place to eat the food. And finally, many national parks and state parks have restrictions or capacity limits (either official or practical). For example, only about half of Glacier National Park will be open in 2020 unless something changes. The half that is open is overrun with visitors who form long lines to enter the park and then form a long convoy traveling along the only/main visitor route. Parking lots fill early. It sounds like a nightmare. As much as I miss traveling, I'm staying home this summer.

mfinley said:

photoholiko said:

I plan to do some traveling by car within the United States before winter sets in. I would like to know if anyone in this forum has traveled (In the U.S.) during these restrictive times. If so, would you mind sharing your experience in regards to Hotels, restaurants and scenic locations.

I want to travel on the east coast from Florida, I wear masks and gloves were required for safety. I would also take spray cleaner with bleach for hotel room wipe downs.

BTW, you people take some fantastic photographs, I hope to do the same,

Thanks.

Click to expand...

You will have to do your own research and make sure its up to date. What's reality in July probably won't be relevant at the end of the summer, events are changing too rapidly... states reopening, states reclosing.

Anything you book I recommend doing so with only fully refundable stays.

Friends of ours booked a week in Las Vegas, by the time their trip came around all of the shows they booked were cancelled, they don't even gamble they were going strictly for the shows, they spent a week by the pool.

Another set of friends booked a week in Tahoe, by the time they went they had closed the resorts down and they had to book flights back home after being there 4 days.

Research, research and research some more, but it only matters to do it right before you go.

Protect your health however you deem fit, the guidance and actual medical proof of such things is all over the board, do what you feel you need to do personally.

Click to expand...

Quite true, and while you're planning to wipe down the hard surfaces, there is some question about the virus' persistence on fabrics, et al. I wish I could offer encouraging words, but based on my familiarity with the hospitality industry I don't think you can count on the maids changing the blankets, etc. after each change of occupant. And you'd best assume that every room has been occupied by someone who's infected; the odds of that happening are just too good.

Interesting, isn't it, how some DPR members pooh-poohed my concerns when I expressed the notion that millions would get infected and hundreds of thousands would die if the U.S. didn't adopt drastic measures and go into complete lock-down. I wonder what they think now?

I used to say I wouldn't fly until I had received a vaccination. Now they're not even confident that a Covid-19 vaccine will be all that effective. The awful truth is, there is a lot the scientists still don't know about this virus and how it affects its victims. Perhaps most startling was that the U.S. hadn't even gotten through its 1st wave of the virus before a more infectious variant made its way to our shores.


--
Landscaper
P.S. I give permission to anyone wishing to download any of my images solely for the purpose of reposting in the same thread with C&C.
-----
"Open up your eyes and look around you.
There's a lotta world you've never seen." Pan American Airlines radio commercial

landscaper1 said:

Interesting, isn't it, how some DPR members pooh-poohed my concerns when I expressed the notion that millions would get infected and hundreds of thousands would die if the U.S. didn't adopt drastic measures and go into complete lock-down. I wonder what they think now?

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Weren't you predicting US deaths in the millions?

mfinley said:

landscaper1 said:

Interesting, isn't it, how some DPR members pooh-poohed my concerns when I expressed the notion that millions would get infected and hundreds of thousands would die if the U.S. didn't adopt drastic measures and go into complete lock-down. I wonder what they think now?

Click to expand...

Weren't you predicting US deaths in the millions?

Click to expand...

--
Landscaper
P.S. I give permission to anyone wishing to download any of my images solely for the purpose of reposting in the same thread with C&C.
-----
"Open up your eyes and look around you.
There's a lotta world you've never seen." Pan American Airlines radio commercial

landscaper1 said:

mfinley said:

landscaper1 said:

Interesting, isn't it, how some DPR members pooh-poohed my concerns when I expressed the notion that millions would get infected and hundreds of thousands would die if the U.S. didn't adopt drastic measures and go into complete lock-down. I wonder what they think now?

Click to expand...

Weren't you predicting US deaths in the millions?

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

landscaper1 said:

No worries,

Click to expand...

--
Thanks,
Mike
https://www.instagram.com/mikefinleyco/

Thanks Carl, I need to think further about my plans, like an RV rental.

I didn't think about bedding, that make me think about bringing my own sleeping bag.

Thanks

I can tell you that here in NM they started turning people around if they have out of state license plates (not in the national parks but in the state parks). Maybe other states will do the same? I think it's a mess now and plans can change very quickly.

zurubi said:

I can tell you that here in NM they started turning people around if they have out of state license plates (not in the national parks but in the state parks). Maybe other states will do the same? I think it's a mess now and plans can change very quickly.

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Wife is traveling back to NY to visit family in a little while, maybe.... 3 states on the NY ban list when she bought her tickets 3 weeks ago, now over 20.

That is something else I didn't consider.

CameraCarl said:

With the way the situation is deteriorating in the US now, any advice you get today is likely to be outdated in a week or less. If you must travel, I would guess the RV is the best solution since you are carrying along your own toilet, shower, bed and kitchen. Be aware that in many states most restaurants are closed except for carry out service, so even if you find an open restaurant or fast food place, you will then need to find a place to eat the food. And finally, many national parks and state parks have restrictions or capacity limits (either official or practical). For example, only about half of Glacier National Park will be open in 2020 unless something changes. The half that is open is overrun with visitors who form long lines to enter the park and then form a long convoy traveling along the only/main visitor route. Parking lots fill early. It sounds like a nightmare. As much as I miss traveling, I'm staying home this summer.

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In other words, just a typical summer at Glacier N.P.

RV rental is the way to go. You should be ok if you take precautions. Ie, don’t be a tourist. Don’t eat in anywhere (buy groceries at home and cook in your RV, or do frozen meals/mountain house), don’t visit crowded souvenir shops, purchase food at your normal grocery before you leave so as to avoid tourist hot spot stores, gas up without going inside and wear gloves at the pump/hand sanitize after, intentionally visit remote places rather than “popular” ones, get out of dodge if it is crowded, keep activities limited to outdoor ones, and use your own linens/towels/pillow if you must stay in a hotel/motel setup. Be flexible with your plans, Wear a mask and speak up if people are too close to you. Many, many, many people not following basic precautions, whether they are on vacation or not. Stay away from them. And have a backup plan, and maybe a backup backup plan in your own state.

hobbyphotographer said:

RV rental is the way to go. You should be ok if you take precautions. Ie, don’t be a tourist. Don’t eat in anywhere (buy groceries at home and cook in your RV, or do frozen meals/mountain house), don’t visit crowded souvenir shops, intentionally visit remote places rather than “popular” ones, get out of dodge if it is crowded, keep activities limited to outdoor ones, and use your own linens/towels/pillow if you must stay in a hotel/motel setup. Wear a mask and speak up if people are too close to you. Many, many, many people not following basic precautions. Stay away from them.

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Outside of cramped quarters and horrible gas mileage, and limited maneuverability, I don’t see much difference between RV rental and a VRBO vacation home rental. You’re still renting something someone has previously used and hoping they sanitized it, or sanitizing it yourself.

With a house you often get more than one full bathroom. A full kitchen. A washer and drier. A king sized comfortable mattress. Maybe a whirlpool and/or hot tub. You can use your own vehicle with likely much better gas mileage for daily excursions. You can still bring your groceries with you.

You don’t ever get stuck sleeping in a Walmart parking lot or paying for site rental. I’ve priced it out and rates are surprisingly similar for house vs RV. Except with RV you get 1/3rd or less of the gas mileage as a car. PITA to navigate parking areas for hiking, etc.

Personally, I think RV travel is romanticized.