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How to Responsibly Road Trip in the U.S. (during a pandemic)
written by Meagan McRoberts | October 5, 2020
After six months of acclimating to the new reality we’re living in, and multiple breakdowns trying to understand the reroute that I had been put on, it was time to get back out into the world. Even if that meant going to a new place and being somewhat isolated, even if that meant dealing with travel shaming and anxieties of the current pandemic. Why? Travel has nurtured and helped me grow as a young individual, it’s a part of me and a part of the business I am co-founding.
I’d always dreamed of a cross country road trip in the United States– in my head it was moving to California in a few years, but this road trip came about much quicker as international borders closed and I was anxious to get out of my parents house. While I’m happy to be back on the road again, I recognize the immense privilege I have to be able to travel during this time. 2020 doesn’t feel as care-free as my previous trips and for someone who banks on going with the flow, it requires a lot more consideration.
In a recent podcast by NPR, Guy Raz interviewed Brian Chesky, founder of Airbnb about resilience in business amidst a pandemic. Brian provided lots of insight into travel right now and confirmed people are traveling closer to home, into National Parks, and using vehicles rather than planes. They are reconnecting to nature, and unique & remote lodging is selling out.
Guy Raz asked, “presumably your business is still significantly lower this time this year than it was last year?” Brian Chesky replied, “It’s not, no it’s not. Not significantly. It dropped by about 80%, and no one knows if this is pent up demand or not, but we’re back up to last year’s levels. Averaged out Latin American and Asia are lower, North America and Europe are higher.”
Listening to this in the car while staying in remote airbnbs for all of my accommodations, I probably shouldn’t have been that surprised. But to hear that they are back up to last year’s numbers seemed pretty crazy. It confirmed that I am not the only one thinking this way and that new travel trends are emerging in numbers.
It seems to be coming sooner rather than later, that more people are exploring domestically, so I’ve created a guide to responsible road tripping during this time.
Plan for Restrictions
The most important research I did while planning our road trip was in regard to travel restrictions. Rule #1: respect them. Rule #2 double check to make sure you have the most updated information. It always depends on where you are traveling from, restrictions are not created equal.
(When planning my trip) Maine, New Hampshire, and Upstate New York were high on my bucket list– but I decided not to visit as they were actively discouraging tourists. Vermont on the other hand, had restrictions in place that still allowed safe travel. You could either quarantine for 14 days before traveling or quarantine for 7 days before traveling + prove a negative COVID test (taken 72 hours within arriving).
Enforcement of restrictions ranges depending on location. In New York, you are required to fill out a travel form and risk a fine of $2,000 USD if you are found to not be following their restrictions. However, in Vermont, there was no one checking to make sure that we quarantined or had our negative COVID tests. I did message our Airbnb host and let her know we would be making minimal stops and wearing masks on our way up. I also offered to provide any extra information or proof of negative COVID tests that she needed. It’s definitely necessary to communicate with wherever you are staying– be it a hotel, boutique lodge, RV park, or even a friend’s house. Each accommodation will have different rules and may need to have your negative tests on record.
Contactless Travel
A new term to get familiar with– contactless travel. How far can you travel while coming into contact with the fewest number of people? That’s the tricky task of 2020. When choosing where to stay, I originally wanted to rent a pop up tent through Outdoorsy and stay in wide open space as much as possible. Further into my research, I realized how heavily we would have to rely on public restrooms/showers and shared spaces at RV parks. For the length of the trip (6 weeks) and our wifi and charging needs during the trip, it made more sense to stay at Airbnbs. We chose ‘entire place’ only so that we weren’t exposed or exposing anyone in a shared space. Airbnb has amped up their cleaning protocol and stays with full kitchens have enabled us to go grocery shopping and limit time in any restaurants. While trying local food and experiencing culture is one of my favorite things to do when traveling, this trip is different. Accepting that travel right now is not the same as usual is necessary before going on any trip. Pick your travel buddies wisely, they are just about all you will have!
Cooking Instead of Going Out
Whenever possible, limit time in restaurants and shops, stick to the essentials.
This doesn’t mean you have to completely miss out though. In each town we stayed near, we visited their local co-op or food store and picked up what’s in season. (ie. We made stuffed potatoes in Idaho & pancakes with maple syrup in Vermont). Major perk? Cooking ourselves makes budgeting much easier.
Embrace Nature & Avoid Cities
Hopefully someday soon cities will be lively and safe again, but for now they’re not exactly worth the stop. Instead of dwelling on what isn’t available, embrace the outdoors. Connecting with nature has been so therapeutic throughout this road trip. There are plenty of remote tiny houses and eco-lodges on Airbnb. Two other helpful sites are Hipcamp and Glamping Hub. Between these sites, you are sure to find a place that’s away from the crowds and leaves you alone with the great outdoors.
Essentials
Traveling during a pandemic means figuring out what’s essential. For us, it’s pretty much gas and food. This means always wearing a (re-usable) mask and using hand sanitizer whenever we’re filling up or picking up groceries. When in the outdoors and national parks, we always have our masks and are mindful of being far away from other hikers. Using the AllTrails app, I look for less trafficked trails so that we won’t be bothered with crowds.
Road-tripping during a pandemic can be a much safer option than flying and allows people to social distance in the outdoors. After accepting that it’s going to be a different trip than years past, and conducting enough research to ensure a safe and respectful trip, I think you’ll find that escaping to recharge in nature is a really good way to spend this time. In the US especially, as I am finding there are so many empty places waiting to be (safely) explored.
meet the author
Meagan McRoberts
Meagan holds an MA in Creative Writing and is passionate about travel and sustainable living. When she’s not working, she’s either in the ocean, on her yoga mat, or in transit to somewhere new.
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