Travel After the Coronavirus Quarantine? Yes, Please!
If you are anything like me, you found yourself eagerly waiting for life to resume and destinations to reopen for visitors in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and Coronavirus quaratines of 2020. With every country having different rules and restrictions, getting a handle on where it was possible to travel during and after the pandemic was confusing at best.
After extensive research, I originally put together this list of the best places to travel after the Coronavirus quarantine in 2020. While this information may be (thankfully) out of date and not have the same use today in the post-pandemic world as it did when I wrote it, I’m leaving the post up because there are some truly amazing destinations on this list!
May 2020
I’m currently riding this out in Colorado, and while I do not encourage international travel, I realize many people are wanting to get out and resume life. I’m not sure when or where I’ll be traveling next and will be sticking close to home in the meantime—just hitting the road and exploring more of the wilderness until the pandemic slows. Here are the best places for American travelers to travel after the Coronavirus quarantine and in the coming months.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that help me bring in a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through them. Your support helps me keep this blog running and I appreciate it more than you know!
Travel After the Coronavirus Quarantines: Stay Local
The safest way to travel right now and over the next few months will be to travel locally and regionally. Have you ever done a staycation in your own city, or one right down the road? There are so many places in our own states, cities, and country that most of us have very rarely explored. This is a great time to do just that.
Road trips are one of the best ways to take a vacation in 2020 and stand out as the best way to travel after the Coronavirus quarantine—just you and your ride! You can rent an RV for some family fun or hop in your car and head for one of the best scenic drives like California’s Highway 1.
You may be tempted to visit national parks, but this is one of the few times I am asking everyone to please not visit national parks right now.
National Parks here in the U.S. have just started reopen, and with the reopenings, there have been droves of people vying to experience nature. Unfortunately, with so many people not working, the numbers of visitors coming from out of state and in are much higher than a busy week or weekend.
Some parks like Zion National Park have canceled bus service and interior parking, hoping that people will walk or bike into the park to reduce the amount of visitors. The Grand Canyon has reduced entry times to slow guests, and other parks are working on creating plans to reduce the amount of visitors. In places like Joshua Tree National Park, campgrounds were overrun and people ended up pitching tents in parking lots and on the side of the road.
My advice: If you’re heading out into nature, find a nearby wilderness area, BLM land, or a great state or local park. Go at off-peak times and, as always, please respect nature and other people. Wear a mask, practice social distancing, and never litter. LEAVE NO TRACE wherever you are—key during travel after the Coronavirus quarantine and every single day.
Where to Stay When You Travel After the Coronavirus Pandemic
The best places to stay are going to be smaller hotels, lodges, Bed & Breakfasts, and vacation rentals. These kind of destinations have less visitors and less surfaces to keep clean, which means you will be safer from the spread of disease. Currently, Airbnb has a program that asks owners to block out 24-48 hour windows between guests as well as commit to stricter and more stringent cleaning protocols.
Is International Travel a Good Idea in the Wake of Covid-19?
Depending on your country of nationality, the rules around traveling internationally vary widely. Many countries are allowing in visitors from neighboring countries, while others are opening the doors to more widespread tourism. For specific information, I recommend always checking the specific country’s travel department and your own state-run websites for the most up-to-date travel restrictions. Wherever you decide to go, be ready to show proof of a a negative Covid-19 test and have temperature and health screenings at the airport and on location.
Best Places to Travel After the Coronavirus Quarantines
1. Slovenia
Slovenia is where the Alps meet the Mediterranean. Filled with charming towns and beautiful forests, this is a country where you can really get into nature. Its capital, Ljubjana, is the E.U green capital! Both charming and vibrant, it is a great starting point for any visit to Slovenia. The underground Karst caverns are a great place to cool off on a hot summer day. Or, you can head to Lake Bled for hot springs, medieval castles, and hiking in the Alps.
What to Expect:
Slovenia became the first European country to declare the coronavirus pandemic under control. On Thursday, May 14, 2020, the government began easing restrictions for visitors from abroad and lockdown measures for residents nationwide. Residents from the European Union will be allowed to visit as of June 1st, while those from outside the E.U will be asked to quarantine for 14 days. This is said to be updated on June 15th.
2. Iceland
Iceland is the country of fire and ice, with geothermal pools, volcanoes, mountains, ice caves and endless adventure. The best way to see the country is to rent a camper van and explore the various landscapes from the comfort of your moving home. You can hike, whale watch, see the northern lights and get some pretty stunning photographs—just to name a few. It’s one of the best places to travel after the Coronavirus quarantines because the country will be reopening to visitors as long as they have a 2-week quarantine period, a negative Covid-19 test, or submit to a test at the airport.
What to Expect:
Iceland plans to begin opening back up to travelers by June 15. Travelers will likely be given three choices upon entry:
- Get tested for COVID-19 upon landing at Keflavik Airport (if the results are negative, they may continue with their travels);
- Go into a two-week quarantine
- Provide proof that they recently tested negative for COVID-19.
3. St. Lucia
St. Lucia is well known for the dramatically tapered mountains, the Pitons, on its west coast. It’s also home to volcanic beaches, reef-diving sites, luxury resorts, and sleepy fishing villages. Long popular for romantic holidays, it is also an adventure lovers’ paradise with dramatic waterfalls, hiking, diving, and beaches. St. Lucia will welcome flights from the United States only starting June 4. With the tropical vibes, it’s a great place to travel after the Coronavirus!
What to Expect
With borders closed to international tourists since March 23, 2020, St. Lucia has recorded only 18 cases of coronavirus and no deaths. Around 1,500 hotel rooms are slated to open in early June, once a new Covid-19 certification process for sanitization and social distancing is completed.
Traveler requirments:
- Present certified proof of a negative Covid-19 test within 48 hours of boarding flight.
- Undergo temperature checks upon arrival.
- Wear face masks and follow social-distancing measures during their stay on the island.
Phase 2 of the island’s new responsible approach to tourism will commence on August 1, 2020, with details to be revealed in the weeks ahead. For more information on St. Lucia’s reopening plans, visit stlucia.org/covid-19.
4. Antigua
Antigua in the West Indies of the Carribean is surrounded by coral reefs and well known for its beautiful, white sand beaches. Feel free to fall asleep in a beach chair for days on end, or hop in the water for scuba diving and snokeling around some of the amazing old shipwrecks just offshore. You can’t beat Antigua when you’re ready to travel after the Coronavirus and want somewhere warm and inviting!
What to Expect
Antigua will allow flights from the United States to recommence on June 4, with an American Airlines flight from Miami on that date and New York flights expected later in the summer. Travelers need to provide the following:
- Provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test upon arrival at the airport.
- Practice social distancing.
- Wear masks in public.
In order to protect locals and travelers, the government will implement new processes, including building in breaks for taxi drivers to wash their hands at hotels after dropping off passengers.
5. Portugal
Portugal is one of my favorite countries to visit—and one of the first places I’ve been thinking about when planning travel after the Coronavirus pandemic. It has beautiful islands, like the Azores and Madeira, where you can hike, sail, swim and whale watch. On the mainland, the northern city of Porto (the birthplace of Port) is a medieval-looking city with beautiful tiled buildings, river boats, and a charming downtown.
To the east, you have the Douro Valley, where you can spend days tasting wine in the countryside, or sail down the Douro River with stops to taste Port and wine while dining at small restaurants and enjoying the beautiful scenery. In Lisbon, you can shop, sightsee, tour castles, and get a taste of city life, and for surfers, you can head to the southern beach cities for an all-out week of sand and surf. You can read more about Portugal in my various travel guides from my visits there.
What to Expect:
May 2 marked the end of Portugal’s state of emergency since the country went into lockdown on March 14, 2020. Hotels in Portugal are making plans to reopen in July with smaller hotels slated to open first, and TAP, the national air carrier, is planning to resume some U.S. flights in June. Turismo de Portugal, the country’s tourism marketing arm, has developed a “Clean and Safe” certification to verify that hotels and other tourism businesses are respecting public health and hygiene measures. According to the Tourism Department, travelers from Shengen countries, the E.U minus Spain and Italy, Canada, Brazel and the U.S., can travel there without restrictions. Masks are required on public transportation and recommended elsewhere, as is social distancing.
Wherever you choose to go local or long distance with your travel after the Coronavirus quarantines, make sure you are aware of and following local and regional regulations pertaining to social distancing and the wearing of masks. It’s exciting to finally get a chance to venture further out into the world, but be mindful and responsible for your own health and the wellbeing of others when you go!
Share, Pin & Comment
I’ve always wanted to go to All over the country and now I really want to go!! Very good guide, thanks for sharing!
Visit website: “https://ww2.averylimousineglobal.com/”.