Europe sounds amazing, as does pretty much anywhere on Earth. We've all been subdued, trapped, grounded; for a very long time. However, while America is starting to work through its Covid-19 issues, a lot of the rest of the world is still being cautious; as they should.
India is reeling from an outbreak of a particular strain. Parts of southern Europe are still suffering some pretty tough numbers. Canada remains all but closed. Here in the United States, we are still in a transitional phase. Let's face it, travel is a bit awkward right now.
While we all love to plan a great trip to a place like Paris, I've learned that the big cities should probably just wait. I would love to run off to London, but I would rather wait until it's open. I mean I want to feel confident and safe going into restaurants and pubs. I want to be able to take the Tube or a bus. I want to have the option to go to a museum without a reservation and booking a guide to cut down on crowds.
The reality is that travel is a wonderful thing, but we have priorities. That's getting this pandemic under control. The unfortunate truth is that travel is not necessary. Travel could continue to spread strains of the virus around the world. Cities have enough people wandering around already for the time being. Broadway is still closed. The facts are that if you do manage to go to Singapore, you may not be able to enjoy the plethora of Asian food that we all go there to enjoy. If you go to Disney, you have to wear a mask. And, would you ever forgive yourself if your child or spouse or parent got sick from Covid-19 because of a vacation?
That being said, travel just looks a little bit different right now. I travel. I just got back from a trip and I had a great time. I saw amazing things. I stayed in a nice hotel. I just did things a little differently. And may I add, I am fully vaccinated.
I challenge you to say that this view wasn't worth seeing. Was I in the middle of nowhere? Yes. That's okay. National Parks are outdoors, beautiful, easy to social distance, and there's a lot to do. There are over 400 national parks in the United States. That's a lot to see and do. While there are the notable ones like The Grand Canyon, there are also some that you don't hear about much like Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio. There are also state parks, Like Letchworth State Park in New York.
Acadia National Park in Maine is a great place to spend your time and has some of the greatest views around. Not to mention, if you want to experience the great outdoors and get away from crowds; Maine is your vacationland. Just like the license plates say.
There are many ways to travel and have a great time without hanging out in cities or crowded attractions.
One way to see some amazing things and get off the beaten path to avoid the crowds is to not visit the world famous biggest outdoor attractions. Everyone wants to go to the Grand Canyon, but how about Lake Powell and Page and Antelope Canyon? How about Big Bend, Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly? There is beauty everywhere, and some places are just less crowded. That doesn't mean they are less spectacular.
Yosemite Falls is one of the best known waterfalls in the country. I love to hike, drive, walk and whatever to go see a great waterfall. Now is a great time for that. Maybe Yosemite isn't in your realm this year. Niagara Falls is still terribly limited by Canada's travel restrictions. But, you could visit Toughanook Falls in Ithaca New York and about 200 other waterfalls. It's a great place to hang out where you can hike, camp, bike, and whatever. Big tip here; you've always been able to dine outside in Ithaca in the summer.
Waterfall hunting is a great hobby, and you never know where it will take you. As I said before, I never knew there was a National Park in Ohio. I never knew that the beautiful Brandy Wine Falls were in that park. Lesson learned and enjoyed. The East is a great place to look at waterfalls. They are everywhere, and there are many websites that monitor them and tell you how to get to the ones that aren't well known. There are some real hidden gems and it's a lot of fun to find them.
Brevard County North Carolina is another great place to find waterfalls with over 200 in the area as well.
Brevard County is ground zero for my next idea. Find a small town to visit. One of my favorites is Hendersonville, NC. The streets are cute. The crowds are small. The food is good. The scenery is wonderful. When the cities still may strike you as restricted or even a bit risky; a small town offers far more relaxation during the pandemic.
I have many small towns that I continually enjoy visiting. I love any small town around Moosehead Lake in Maine. Greenville is the hub there, but there are even smaller towns all around the lake.
The Finger Lakes area, where Ithaca is the hub, but you can visit a ton of small towns with beautiful scenery in the area. The small town of Warsaw and the Letchworth State Park area is not far west of there. While in New York, check out the area north of Lake George where you will find Ausable Chasm. Lovely area and small town as it gets.
Wilmington Vermont is a great place to spend time. Relaxing, hiking, kayaking, and one of the best bookstores in Vermont; Bartleby's. There are no big towns in the White Mountains. Some of the best views and best waterfalls live there.
There is a website https://www.roadsideamerica.com/ Roadside America tells you all about the out of the way sights and attractions that are worth seeing. It's a great way to find interesting places while spending your time outside the cities.
Another way to spend your time more outdoors and rural is by visiting historic sites. There's a national register of these places and the bonus is that you learn something too.
Visiting a battlefield or historic site is perfect for the all American road trip. This is an event where you either drive from hotel to hotel, campground to campground, or just rent an RV and see what you want as you wander. This activity is perfect for a pandemic. Not to mention, you tend to see more when you wander than you do when you fly. If you like scenery and being amazed by surprises; road tripping is for you.
Have you ever wanted to go and stay on a dude ranch? This may be your time. Dude ranches are not in crowded areas. They have lots of activities. They have great lodging. They have amazing views.
Realistically, getting out of the way is the new travel. It's still pretty difficult to get out of the country with the virus raging in parts of the world, and political trauma with other parts of the world. There's so much to see in the United States. There are so many places to go and see things that you never imagined were even out there.
Don't take my word for it. Mount Rushmore is remote. Route 238 and Crater Lake National Park in Oregon are remote. Joshua Tree in California is remote. Hell Michigan is remote. Kokadjo, Maine is remote. Yuma, Arizona is remote. Just because you aren't going to the city, doesn't mean that you aren't having a great time and seeing amazing things.
America has some of the most amazing roads anywhere. People come from all over the world during normal times to drive on our roads and see the amazing views. Don't give up on travel. Just take this opportunity to look around in some places that you may not have thought of. Who knows what you may find? You may just find that there are a plethora of places in this country to enjoy.
