March 30, 2020 - Meagan Palmer
Last Updated on 9/3/2020
The coronavirus outbreak has put the breaks on many travelers plans to visit other destinations. Not only are airlines canceling flights, but governments are mandating travel bans on international and even domestic travel in some areas. During these often adverse outcomes, you might find yourself with some extra time to spare. Although travel might be out of the question for now, that doesn’t mean you can’t plan for the future!
As you begin to warm up to the idea of possibly traveling later this year and beyond, we’re here to give you the best tips on planning your vacation ideas during lockdown If you need some inspiration, these ideas are sure to fuel your wanderlust for future travel:
Best Places to Visit After LockdownEven though the summer is peak tourist season and you might not be able to travel much, there are still plenty of fantastic vacation (international and domestic) spots to visit this fall and winter!
Where are the Best Places for Fall Travel?
You can find the best fall foliage drives around the world in places like Japan, New Brunswick, or even Slovenia. For other drives closer to home, try visiting the Olympic Peninsula, the Ozarks, and Lake Placid. As the leaves change colors, gorgeous views open up.
Autumn offers its own perks while traveling internationally and domestically. There are often fewer crowds, better deals, and mild weather –it’s a recipe for the best vacation! So why not rent a car and take a drive around to soak up all the beautiful hues?
Where are the Best Places for Winter Travel?
As the season changes to more frigid temperatures and snowflakes, get some fresh air in places that thrive in the winter! Whether it’s skiing in the Alps, Christmas markets in Germany, or ice hiking in Russia, these epic frosty destinations are sure to captivate!
If your Europe trip has been postponed for this winter, it will most likely be a bit different than going in the summer months –particularly the weather. Parts of Europe get pretty cold, so if you aren’t used to freezing temperatures where you’re from, maybe try visiting places in Southern Europe like Naples and Alberobello instead.
Determine How You Want to TravelWhat’s your favorite type of travel? Some people love the adrenaline-rush type of adventure and others truly enjoy relaxing on the top-deck of a cruise. It’s all based on personal preference! Now’s the time to dream up your next trip, so take a look at our inspiration below.
Best Places for Adventure Travel
If you love an epic adventure, we assume you love adrenaline-pumping activities too. We’d recommend booking a vacation in beautiful New Zealand, Costa Rica, and Canada for some unforgettable moments. Also, if your honeymoon got canceled due to the coronavirus and you both enjoy trying new things, reschedule your marriage celebration trip to one (or more!) of these unforgettable adventure destinations.
Family Travel Destinations
Vacationing with younger kids is another challenge in itself. Usually requiring more planning and preparation, these kinds of vacations can often be the most memorable and even educational for your children. Try visiting Cambodia, Namibia, or even going on a voluntourism trip with the whole clan!
Making memories while trekking as a family is unlike anything else. However, travel preparation for a tribe with kids or grandparents along in the mix can make it hard to please everyone. Multigenerational trips have become quite popular, so jump on the bandwagon and get planning your next vacation! If you’re on a budget, booking a vacation rental for the whole clan could be a great option and something that can be insured under a travel insurance policy. Find out what’s covered and what’s not when it comes to booking an Airbnb or vacation rental.
Cruise Travel
Cruises may be getting a bad rap with all the coronavirus news, but don’t let that stop you from booking one in the future! Cruising is a unique and usually quite relaxed way to see the world, as you get a large say in how you spend your time vacationing. That could be spent enjoying the cruise amenities and entertainment or exploring more of the port cities.
Cruising may not be for all types of travelers, but if you’ve been interested for a while, why not start looking into going on a cruise now? Not all cruises are the same, so plenty of options await you! Here are a few of our favorites based on destination to give you some insight in finding the perfect one for you:
Versatile Travel Destinations
With so many unique locations to visit, some places cater to more than one type of traveler. One hidden gem that intrigues four different travel styles is Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. Be sure to read the full blog post for your suggested trip itinerary based on how you enjoy your vacations.
For some people, like those who use wheelchairs or have disabilities, accessibility of a travel destination is of utmost importance when planning. Some cities are better to visit than others for travelers with specific needs, but you can find that these popular bucket list places tick all the accessibility requirements for the perfect dream vacation.
National parks are a current favorite destination for many types of travelers, including those with disabilities. With new guidelines due to COVID-19, you’ll want to make sure you’re even more prepared to travel if you or someone you’re traveling with has a disability. Check out this guide from Million Mile Secrets that provides some tips to keep in mind when visiting a national park with disabilities during this ever-changing pandemic.
Best Places to Travel Domestically
Many won’t be quite ready to take on an international trip once the corononavirus pandemic has faded away and that’s perfectly fine! Why not stay closer to home? Try visiting national parks or places like San Antonio, Colorado Springs, or Albuquerque. These domestic locations are great for those working with a tight budget.
Scheduling a weekend getaway can really do the trick –especially after being cooped up from quarantine. Domestic travel is unique in itself, offering a diverse amount of destinations in the States. There’s probably someplace close to where you live that you could go explore. Maybe a city or a nearby beach? Make a road trip out of it and don’t forget to take a lot of pictures!
Even though you won’t be journeying as far as you would when visiting international destinations, there are always things that could go wrong during a domestic vacation. That’s why it’s still so important to protect your short visit with travel insurance –medical and travel emergencies are still likely for trips closer to home. Something unexpected prohibiting you from taking the trip or even a medical emergency happening could leave you with a large bill you weren’t expecting once you return home.
Contact Those You’ll Travel WithWith uncertainty still in the air about when it will be “safe” to travel, many might be apprehensive to venture out immediately after the coronavirus outbreak has settled. Not everyone will be ready to visit destinations right away. Some might need more time to feel comfortable visiting other countries and others might need more time to save money towards a vacation of any kind. This might mean your travel plans have to wait a bit or you might have to plan a trip closer to home –both are totally okay options!
Look for Deals (and Value!)Now is the time to score your dream trip at an affordable price. Tour operators and travel suppliers are offering low rates if you purchase now and travel later. As Jack Ezon from Embark puts it, “Any good buyer knows to buy when a market is weak—as we like to say, ‘Don’t waste this crisis.” Even if you don’t plan on going anywhere now, you’ll be glad you booked future trips with such low rates. More affordable rates might not be the norm for long, but you might see more value-added to experiences you purchase than before. Paying attention to this, rather than overzealous advertisements for super-cheap offers could be where you score big when reserving future travel and flights. Also, sign up for these flight deal alerts to help you find the best deal.
If low rates don’t entice you, the cancellation policies might! Many travel suppliers are offering even more flexible policies if you needed to cancel or adjust plans later down the road. At least take a peek at what offers are out there, you might be swayed to make plans later this year or early next year if the price is right!
Beware when buying tickets that the rigid social distancing in the airline industry has recently become looser. Some airlines had gotten rid of middle seat reservations for a while so there were fewer people flying on a plane. Although this is still true for several airlines, larger carriers like American Airlines have been flying at capacity for a little while now, meaning middle seats are back.
Create a Travel BudgetSaving money towards a trip might be the only way you get to take a vacation sometime in the near future –we applaud your determination! It can be overwhelming to create an allowance for a future trip, no doubt. Once you have goals in place, though, let that be your motivation to put a little money away here and there. Once you’ve chosen a tentative destination, our blog post will help walk you through creating a realistic budget for whatever kind of trip you want to take.
Think About Travel InsuranceOnce you make a payment or make your first deposit, you’ll want to start insuring those costs. Better to be safe than sorry! We would hate for you to invest in a trip and lose your deposits or prepayments because you had to cancel later on if something unexpected occurs before your trip.
Is Travel Insurance Worth It?
We can’t stress it enough –travel insurance is a saving grace in protecting your hard-earned trip investment. Travel insurance doesn’t just protect your trip expenses, but also provides coverage during your time away should you experience some travel hiccups or a medical emergency.
Does Travel Insurance Cover Cancellation For Any Reason?
If you have any inclination you’ll need to cancel your trip, purchasing the optional Cancel For Any Reason upgrade might be worth it. This coverage allows you to cancel for any reason at all and receive a portion of your costs back. Having this type of flexible coverage gives many people peace of mind as they begin to travel after coronavirus lockdown.
To compare travel insurance policies with Cancel for Any Reason coverage, simply run an instant quote and select the filter displayed below.
Does Travel Insurance Cover COVID-19?
For those of you making plans to visit a destination that requires coverage for COVID-19, you’ll need proof that your travel insurance policy provides this benefit. The good news is –most likely! It’s important to verify with your travel insurance company, but in general, COVID-19 is likely to be treated as any other illness. This means any hospitalization, prescriptions, ambulatory services, and evacuations would likely be covered under your plan. If your destination of choice requires “COVID-19 coverage” you can show proof of this by referring to the policy certificate as well as the travel insurance provider’s statement. We’ve compiled a list of updated coronavirus coverage statements in another article.
How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost?
If you’re curious how much a travel insurance policy would cost, try out our free instant quote tool for a ballpark range and compare travel insurance plans. Our team of friendly humans would be happy to help answer any questions you have about coverage or recommend a specific policy that fits your travel needs —just reach out!
Tags: coronavirus, travel planning
