If your family is anything like ours, being stuck at home is getting HARD! We usually travel about half of the year so my preschooler, who’s known nothing but the travel life, is like, “What going on? Why aren’t we leaving? Imma go pack my packpack,” By the fourth month of this *%$@ pandemic, we were still grateful for our fortunate, healthy family but so READY for a change of scenery!
We are playing it EXTRA safe because our state is one of the worst areas IN THE WORLD right now for the virus! That being said, hotels and condos are out of the question, as well as long distances (our state’s been uninvited from traveling to other states – can’t blame ‘em!). So we have to stay close to home, which actually makes it easier to take a few days away without stops along the way!
Getting There (& Back!):
If you’re as ready as we were for a mini-vacay, here are some of my tips to make it as safe as possible!
Check Rules for Your Destination:
Like our state, people traveling from your state may be on the “yeh, maybe later” list. Or, you may get stuck there in quarantine if things were to get any worse (if that’s even possible).
Find Fun Close to Home:
We had a friend offer up a little house in Mentone, AL near DeSoto Falls and Little River Canyon (The Grand Canyon of Alabama). We couldn’t refuse the offer!! Being only a 2 1/2 hour drive made it possible to avoid bathroom breaks in gas stations or rest stops (have I mentioned we are blessed with some incredibly amazing travelers for kids?). We’ve gone up to 4 hours without a stop before! See my next tip for more typical situations:
Bring a Potty Seat if you Have Young Children:
We have a little training potty that I PREfill with a grocery bag and a layer of T.P. at the bottom (to soak up things-gag). That way when someone’s “gotta go” we can pull over, open the back of the mini-van and go! I also bring a beach towel or blanket to shield the potty user. I would grab a roll of toilet paper, wipes and plenty of plastic bags to re-line and prep for the next user! You may have regrets if you skip that last step!
Keeping Clean:
Have a designated “runner”, one person to go in and out of places if you must do so. Less hands on EVERY SINGLE SURFACE has got to help lessen the germ pickup, right?
Make sure to take along some hand sanitizer for gas fill ups or unexpected stops. Also take some masks for everyone. Even if they aren’t required in your home town, they may be at your destination or a stop along the way. Chances are, you won’t have any medical emergencies, but if you did and had to go to a medical facility, a mask may help you (or someone else) feel better and glad you brought them!
Two "S"s":
We swear by the two “S’s” of successful road trips : Snacks & Screens! Our kids are limited at home on both so in the car we pretty much allow a free for all, and they look forward to it! Travel between meal times if you don’t want to stop for food; bring some filling snacks and of course some treats! Don’t forget to fill up some water bottles too!
Make sure to bring all the chargers for those electronics and maybe even a power inverter (ours is a life-saver!).
Headrest mounts for devises are nice, but we’ve even improvised before and hung a clear plastic zip bag from the headrest instead!
Destination Tips:
Choosing Where to Stay:
Avoid condos and hotels if possible. In places like these it’s hard to avoid being up close and personal with other people and crowds. Jumping on and off elevators recently full of people and rooms that were probably vacated within 4 hours of your arrival may not be the safest bet. A house “Airbnb” type option might be good option. You may even be able to request dates several days after the last occupant.
We were lucky enough to get a few days in a friend’s cabin that no one had occupied in over a month.
Cleaning Supplies:
If you’re not sure about the level of cleaning done where you are staying, bring some supplies to give everything a good spray/wipe down. Maybe even grab some paper towels. I don’t go crazy here but it’s nice to know it’s clean.
Food:
We always travel on a budget, so we usually would visit a nearby market or grocery store for supplies rather than eating out. This trip, we were trying to avoid going in anywhere unnecessarily. Being only 2 1/2 hours away, we packed coolers with enough meal prep food to get us through the 4 days we were gone. We stopped for fast food for one meal when we were out for the entire day, but other than that, we ate everything at the cabin.
Keeping Busy:
Keep in mind, many of the usual vacation stops (shops, restaurants, attractions, etc.) will be closed or you may choose not to go for the time being. We brought games, puzzles and books to fill up the time when we weren’t outside or in the water! There’s nothing much better than finding your kids reading a book on their own and our game night was my favorite part of the whole trip – we laughed SO hard!
When we did head out to the State Park or swimming at the falls, we went places away from other families. If you are able to go first thing in the morning or around dinner time in late afternoon, you will have the best chance of having some space.
Desoto State Park and Little River Canyon had signs everywhere reminding people to respect social distance.
Be aware that some of the facilities will be closed. The places we visited had restrooms open, but not the Ranger offices and tourist shops.
Spice it up!:
Take along some activities that aren’t a daily thing at home. We took sparklers, some Snappers and supplies for S’mores to add to the fun! Although you may not be able to do all the usual vacation fun, little things can make a big difference in how kids see the whole experience!
A little planning ahead made for a wonderful experience! I can’t wait to go back to Mentone!
I hope you feel a little better about the possibility of traveling during this unprecedented and unsettling time. Even if you don’t travel as much as we do, I know a few days away can do wonders for everyone in the family! I’d love to hear any tips you may have on the subject and I’m always open to questions!!
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Looks like y’all are having an amazing time. Thanks for the tips!