My Summer COVID Road Trip – What Traveling Was Really Like.

Road trips have been on the agenda for the Klein Family for as long as I can remember. In my mind, this is the best way to travel as a family due to the cost savings. They also allow my family to see and experience things they might not normally see if we were just hopping on a plane. As road trips are the only way to travel this year, many new families have discovered their allure. In fact, this summer, AAA estimates that over 683 million road trips will be taken between July and September!

I have been living and breathing travel data for the last several months trying to decode the metrics that will hopefully lead us to a recovery. According to a recent study that MMGY Global (my company) just published, Americans feel most safe traveling: in their personal car, only with friends and family, limiting contact with others, staying closer to home and visiting outdoor destinations such as parks, lakes and the beach. Some of you are asking what fresh new hell I am introducing; but, a road trip truly does a body good.

This summer, I have learned that everyone is on their own unique timetable and decision-making path when planning their next trip. Traveling during a pandemic comes with unique challenges. There are now many new limitations and uncomfortable psychological barriers that we must get past. To be honest, I am the first one to volunteer to be the canary in the coal mine, but even I had reservations packing up the car and embarking on this trip. But, after getting back out on the road, everything was business as usual (except for people wearing masks everywhere.) This said, before you hit the open road and forge your own Great American Road Trip, please make sure that you are checking CDC guidelines and understand local restrictions and rules. The plethora of unknowns and complexities can put strains on making decisions and cause you to second guess yourself…which is why flexibility, agility and empathy will be the key to you and your family’s happiness when traveling.

After months in quarantine, one of the things that I appreciated the most and hope others recognize and appreciate too is the experience of travel, and that it is not just about the destination. Perhaps road trips may lead travelers to gain a better understanding of their country and those around them. It honestly is my favorite way to travel and there is nothing like getting out and exploring the open road.

Though many of us have cancelled more-elaborate travel plans this summer because of COVID-19, our family was itching to take to the road for our annual trip up to Northern Wisconsin. Because we had time, we took the roundabout way “Up North” and when all was said and done, we visited nine states over the course of our 1,200 mile (one-way) journey. While we got to do some pretty awesome things along the way, and typically I like to talk about how we lived the destination and our unique experiences, this year we are talking about some of the challenges and best practices we encountered while traveling during COVID-19.

PLAN AHEAD AND BE PREPARED

It’s hard to think of everything when traveling during a pandemic, but it is most important to channel your inner Boy Scout and be prepared. Besides our three growing boys and two dogs (one being a pandemic puppy), we packed up our mini-van with most of our essentials including extra masks, hand sanitizer, Lysol wipes, and other cleaning supplies. We also brought plenty of water, snacks, packed our lunch for the trip ahead and made a grocery store/Costco/liquor store run to ensure we had plenty of supplies with us to limit our need to go out and shop once we made it to our destination. We planned as much as we could, and things turned out pretty well, all things considered.

STRATEGIC STOPPING

Arriving at a destination, hotel or even stopping to get gas/lunch/bathroom break was once about excitement, but now seeing lines, crowds or lack of direction starts to induce anxiety. Previously you wanted to stop at the “world largest truck stop” or the gas station with a McDonalds, but now when we had to make a pit stop, we found ourselves turning left when we normally would have turned right. We went to the gas station that was off by itself (branded of course) or stopped at the Visitor Center where we knew that there was a bit more process to their cleaning standards. When we had to stop, my family had our masks on the whole time, washed our hands in the sink, and still used hand sanitizer once we got back in the car.

TO MASK OR NOT TO MASK

As mentioned earlier, our trip took us across nine state lines – Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska. South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin. Surprisingly, every state had mask mandates except Iowa. This said, almost every convenience store, gas station and restaurant we visited had a “Mask Required” sign posted, yet it was still hit or miss on whether travelers or even employees were wearing masks. It is disappointing that many Americans still don’t understand this virus and what we all need to be doing to stop the spread.

THE JOURNEY

This year’s theme was “get in, get out, get on your way.” In year’s past it was always our custom to truly experience the destination and get out and explore all of its treasures. This year, we did a lot of driving. If there was something cool to see (e.g., Seeing the Big Sioux River tumble over a series of rocks in Falls Park in Sioux Falls South Dakota) we got out of the car, took a look around and got back into the car. Everything had a purpose. No leisurely strolls this year. Which was definitely a hard pill to swallow for me, especially with three boys and two dogs. This said, there is certainly a lot that you can see from the safety of your car. Additionally, there were just as many people on the roads, walking the streets, or at attractions as we would typically expect. And yes, the police were still definitely out in full force.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE HOTEL

Hotel brands are rapidly adapting to meet health concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic. While all of the major hotel chains now require guests and staff to wear face masks, the cleaning procedures vary from brand to brand. We ended up staying at an AmericInn By Wyndham in a small town of Fergus Falls Minnesota. As a hotelier, I have to say that most hotel brands out there already have a high standard of hygiene and health standards, so I have never been worried about having to stay in a hotel. In fact, as of late, many (really all) brands have increased their focus on cleanliness that is visible to guests throughout their entire stay – what I am calling “cleanliness theatre.” We got to see Wyndham’s “Count On Us” health and safety program in action while on property and the protocols they had in place to protect the staff and guests. To be honest, with the majority of hotels out there going overboard lately with cleaning and disinfecting, the chance of touching a contaminated surface is really slim.

FINAL THOUGHTS

After months in quarantine, one of the things that I appreciate the most and hope others recognize and appreciate too is the experience of travel. It is about the journey, not just the destination. And perhaps road trips may lead travelers to gain a better understanding of their country and those around them. It is honestly my favorite way to travel and there is nothing like getting out and exploring the open road. While my trip definitely felt like “business as usual", there’s still widespread community transmission all over the United States…with over 5.2 million cases being reported, there certainly is still risk. But after months of being cooped up in our houses and apartments, it is understandable that people want to get out, explore, stretch their legs and return to some resemblance of normalcy. But health and safety are paramount…so make sure you take care of yourself and your family when it is time, and you feel comfortable venturing out.