If like me you’re itching to get on a plane, this is the right post for you! While my family has not travelled far since the pandemic began and has no immediate plans to do so, I know that many people are planning trips and wondering where to go, so this post will briefly cover some of the best locations.
Hope you enjoy!
Domestic Travel
This is likely the safest way for Americans to travel right now, assuming you visit the right places. The United States is the fourth largest country in the world, and one of the most diverse when it comes to its landscape. As an added bonus, Americans do not need a passport so for the most part do not need to worry about entry requirements. Therefore, you have an high variety choices, from the tropical Puerto Rico or Hawaii…
…to the frosty midwest skiing of Vail or Aspen in Colorado, or Alta in Utah.
A popular option during COVID is taking a road trip. With an RV, you can go anywhere you’d like, and avoid the risks of an airport. A national park trip is a very safe option.
The one type of place I would recommend Americans avoid is a major metropolis. Densely-populated cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Miami are major COVID hotspots that are probably best avoided for the time being.
That covers domestic travel. What about international trips?
Central America
While some Central American countries have higher numbers of cases per capita than others, Americans are allowed to travel to all eight of them with testing. Just like with the US, it is probably best to avoid major cities where the virus is raging hardest, and stick to more rural, forest, or mountainous landscapes and sparse costal destinations instead.
The Caribbean
COVID has been handled well in most Caribbean islands, and the majority of the islands allow Americans to visit. Some ideas include Aruba, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, and Turks and Caicos.
The United Arab Emirates
This may seem like a rather random option, and is the only nation on this list located in the Eastern hemisphere, but hear me out. According to Bloomberg, the UAE is the 11th safest country in the world in terms of COVID resilience, and is giving out vaccine doses at an extremely high rate. Additionally, Americans do not have to quarantine upon arrival (assuming a negative test, of course). Therefore, you can explore the country and its culture freely as soon as you land.
As you can see, even during COVID, the possibilities to travel are endless. If you feel comfortable enough to travel, take this opportunity to explore a place you would not normally visit and do something you would not normally try (while taking as many precautions as possible, of course).
[Featured image by U.S. Secretary of Defense via Wikimedia Commons]
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