Despite the current COVID-19 pandemic, people are still planning road trips to cure their wanderlust. This sounds like it should be dangerous and irresponsible, but it is far safer than you might think. A COVID-era road trip does require a bit more planning than road trips did in the past, so consider some of these helpful road trip tips.
Plan Your Route
While you should always plan out your route when you take a road trip, you need to be even more meticulous than before. You might currently live in a place with relatively few confirmed COVID cases, but you could be driving through some more dangerous areas. Many of the places that would make good rest stops might even be closed to the public, so take a look online to make sure that your favorite restaurant is still open. If you need a little extra help with your planning, you can always download an app such as Roadtrippers. These apps will help you make sure you’re on a good route and tell you where you can stop on the way to your destination.
Consider Boondocking
If you like to travel by RV, you would normally book a space at an RV park or campsite. While you can still certainly do that at affordable rates, you might not want to be in close proximity to other campers and travelers right now. Instead of staying at a crowded park, consider boondocking off the grid. The Bureau of Land Management allows you to stay at certain spaces where you aren’t plugged into anything for up to 14 days at a time. Not only will this keep you from being exposed to others who might spread the coronavirus, but it’s just a great time if you like to be more in touch with nature.
Bring Plenty of Supplies
A successful road trip all but requires you to have the proper supplies. This should require emergency supplies such as warm clothing and blankets, road flares, a cell phone with a charged battery, and some non-perishable high-calorie food, but it should also include things like hand sanitizer and some extra masks. We all know that masks are a must in public indoor spaces now, but it’s easy to find yourself without one on the road.
Think of Your Own Health
This should go without saying, but you need to be mindful of your own health when you travel. If you’re showing symptoms of COVID or you think you’ve been exposed to the virus, stay home and quarantine yourself for two weeks. That might put a damper on your travel plans, but two weeks isn’t as long as you think. After you’ve waited it out, you can travel with minimal stress.