Travel Stories from the Covid-19 Pandemic to Inspire Safe Vacations
I interviewed 60+ bloggers on how they traveled or not, during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. I learnt that although coronavirus changed everyone’s plans, the avid travelers made the most of a chaotic year by being careful and creative. They innovated in the face of unpredictability and adversity in ways that ultimately found the year to be rewarding and memorable.
In this article I’ll summarize my findings, but you should also read the full interviews linked with each experience.
Read about our precautions and micro-habits for safe travel during 2020 pandemic
Travel on airlines and public transit came to a complete standstill during the early months of 2020, but the most restless travelers among found ways to be safe and get out for some fresh air. In this series we have travel stories of adventure, local discoveries, immigration to new homes, national parks and hikes, sprinkled in with some traditional trips to Disney World, iconic cities of Europe, and innovative travels.
National Parks & Hikes were a hit for Socially Distanced travels in US
In the United States, hikes became the thing to do in 2020. It was a way to get out of the house and get fresh air with minimal risk. Those with itchy feet, traveled to national parks. Once in the national parks, it was relatively easy to find accommodation in cabins and homes. But, many travelers chose to take RVs, camper vans or go camping.
Following are travel stories from National Park trips in the US and a story of hiking trips in Bulgaria.
National Parks in US
- Xenterra Cabin stays in Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Glacier National Park
- Camping in Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion NPs
- Camping in Mount Rainier National Park
- Cabin stays in Montana Dude Ranch, Utah, and Colorado National Parks
- Day trip to Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP from San Francisco Bay Area
- Day trip to Pinnacle National Park day trip from San Francisco Bay Area
- Tiny home stay in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Bryce Canyon NP and Capitol Reef NP in Utah
- Top Hikes in Southern Utah and Tips for hiking Utah’s slot canyon
Hiking and Nature Trips
- Exploring Alaska’s great outdoors in the US
- Hikes of a lifetime on Rhodope and Rila mountains in Bulgaria
Local Micro-Tourism was popular in 2020
When travels around the world came to stand-still, the most avid travelers found themselves stuck at home. They turned the sorry state around and went on to discover local treasures. To their surprise, they found some amazing places and experiences during the pandemic, that they had never imagined. Check out their stories to find inspirations for travel ideas close to home. You’ll be surprised how much there is to be discovered in your backyard.
- Discovery through local hikes in Connecticut USA
- Staycation local discoveries in Golden, Colorado, USA
- Discovering local gems in New York City, USA
- Exploring Alberta’s great outdoors in Canada
- Local day trips of discovery in Australia
- Local trips in Kangaroo valley, Australia
- Local escape trips when stuck with strangers in New Zealand
Self-isolated Road Trips were a safe way to travel during the Pandemic
If there was one travel trend during the 2020 pandemic, it was definitely road tripping. It was the thing that all travelers took to. Some took local road trips, others converted vans into homes-on-wheels. Some rented RV or camper vans and others found cabins or homes to stay on their road trips in 2020. Some travelers had to visite family members around the globe, some did their best to introduce their new borns to grand parents. Check these incredible road-trip stories, you might find your travel inspirations for 2021 and beyond.
- Road trip from San Francisco to South Lake Tahoe in the US
- Working remotely on a home-made Camper van in Australia
- Motorhome living in France
- Roadtripping the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland
- Discovering European gems in Croatia
- Road trip with a new born in Portugal
- Road trip and Cabin life in the Netherlands
- Tuscany Roadtrip with Airbnb in Italy
- Summer travels across France, Spain and Portugal
Travels to Paradise on Secluded Islands, Beaches, and Houseboats
With travel being slow in hot tourist destinations, avid travelers took advantage of inexpensive luxury on some of the most beautiful islands on the planet. Travel stories from paradise, tell us about the leisurely life on islands and beaches during the quarantine. Along the way, some travelers also learnt about ‘island fever’ first hand. Fortunately the world started to open up as we learned more about how the coronavirus spreads and island fever didn’t last.
- Luxurious but inexpensive live in island paradise in Thailand and Portugal
- Gran Canaria vacations in Spain
- Island hopping with no tourists to compete with in Greece
- Island fever with long term lockdown in St Kitts
- Relaxing times on beaches in Greece
- Family time on houseboats in Canada
Slow Travels improved Mental Health and Pleasure during the Pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic stopped the whole world in its tracks. On a positive note, travelers switched from frantic travels to slow travels. It was initially uncomfortable but as time passed, everyone felt that they got so much more from life with slow travels than they did with mad rush lifestyle. Here are some travel stories of travelers that took it slow and easy during the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Slow travels through Great outdoors of Western Canada
- Housesitting, immigrating and exploring Turkey
- Sightseeing and trekking without tourists in Peru
- Slow travel through mountains of Pakistan
- Finding new paths and immigrations with travels across Philippines to Turkey, Austria and Croatia
- Discovering hidden gems of Slovakia
Innovative ways we traveled during the Covid-19 Scare
When travel plans evaporate due to the Covid-19 panic, and rightfully so. Some travelers used the opportunity to pivot on their plans and try something completely different. Travelers went biking, camping, glamping, relocating on to unusual destination. Read their travel stories for inspirations for 2021 travels and beyond.
- Life in Secluded cabin in the woods in the UK
- Solo Bikepacking in Western United States
- Glamping on an Alpaca Farm in Florida
- Temporary relocation to Himachal’s mountains in India
- 2-week drive to relocate from congested NYC to spacious Texas, while schooling and working in the United States
Conventional travels with precautions in 2020
Even during 2020, pockets of travel opened up such as Disney World opening with safety measures. There were a few flights which we took with care.
Personally our family flew between California and London several times. Initially the airports and flight were completely empty but as summer rolled into fall and winter, air travel resumed with full flights, although many flights stayed grounded. Likewise, initially the entire airplane cabins were empty. Then there was at least one empty seat between unrelated travelers. By early 2021, we found the flights were packed with no empty seats at all. It was that clear people were comfortable flying with their personal protective equipment.
Here are some travel stories of travelers that were able to enjoy somewhat normal trips in the year of the pandemic.
Trips on Airplanes
- Family trip to Mexico from USA
- Dream trip to Iceland from the Netherlands
European City Trips during the Pandemic
- Venice in peak season without crowds in Italy
- Dresden trips without crowds in Germany
- Athens’s ultra popular landmarks without tourists in Greece
- Party plans vaporize with no heads-up in Sweden
Fun Trips with Covid-19 Safety Measures
Stranded when Travel Stopped
Not every one got to travel because of the shutdowns. Here are some travelers that got stuck or turned around, but as you can see these are more the exception than the rule. The travel stories of people stuck in their tracks show human resiliency and the discovery that it will all turn out ok.
- Stuck in Albania during martial law lockdown
- Turned around from Italy during lockdown
- Ski vacation to French Alps turned to COVID nightmare
- Long-term travel ends, even before it starts in Australia
- Couple separated across the world between US and India
- Immigration process from US to Spain went for a toss
Heartwarming Travel Stories from the Pandemic
In our darkest and toughest hours do we discover humanity. Thats when we discover what we treasure most. It was no different during the pandemic, here are some heart warning and touching travel stories for the ages.
- Navigate from Budapest to Italy to introduce grandparents to the newborn
- Travel to Mexico to connect with friends and volunteer
- Full time travel plan turned to community-caring exercise in Mexico
- Escaping Sudan before travel shut down
Travel Precautions during 2020 Pandemic
The best precaution with coronavirus is to not travel at all. But if you’re losing your mind in one place, some safety measure are important to take. If done with caution, travel to the great outdoors can be great for emotional health.
Here are common precautions most avid traveler took to be safe and keep their community healthy –
- Always wear a mask in public, even when others are not wearing masks.
- Wear shields and N95s during transit.
- Go to places where few people are going so you have minimum chance to interactions.
- Head to the great outdoors. It helps maintain physical and social distance.
- Get tested after any travel even if the authorities don’t mandate testing or any precautions. Its just peace of mine.
- Take road trips, camping, local trips in isolation. Dont use public transit or gatherings.
- Carry every thing you need with you so do not need to go for groceries, food or anything else. You should be able to cook all the meals yourself.
- Stay in an isolated place – cabin, tent, RV, motorhome, tiny home, etc. They have contactless checkin and checking out. They dont require you to interact with anyone.
- Wipe down all surfaces when you first get there – airplane (if you fly), rental car (if you rent), accommodations.
- Sanitize every thing. Keep sufficient disinfectant wipes.
- Most importantly – wash hands with soap and water frequently – for at least 20 seconds.
In a Nutshell – Travel Escapes during Covid-19 Pandemic
As the spread of coronavirus soured, traditional travel to cities, landmarks, parties, events, conventions etc were not viable or advisable in 2020. However some types of travels worked very well. Here is a summary of travel styles, travel ideas and travel tips from travel bloggers around the world.
Travel Stories Series from 2020
Travel stories from the 2020 pandemic were epic! Travel stories this year were so dramatic that every other year pales in comparison. I’ve curated a few collection of short stories for your leisure reading. You’ll surely enjoy them and please do share with others.
- Stories of travelers stranded during coronavirus lockdowns
- Travels Stories from Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Travels Stories from USA during COVID-19 pandemic
- Travel stories from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean
- Heartwarming travel stories from the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic
- 30 things that will happen in San Francisco when shelter-in-place is lifted, just for fun.
