Travelers Guide to Satiating Wanderlust During Coronavirus

Things are changing minute by minute with the corona pandemic and there are a lot of unknowns for us travelers. When we’ll be able to get back on the road and exploring is completely up in the air. And while many of us young, healthy folks aren’t scared for our own health, we want to do our part to not contribute to the problem and help the world recover safely.

But let me tell you, man. It’s HARD.

One of the ways I avoid post-trip depression is by always knowing I have travels coming up soon. And right now, I don’t have any plans. I obviously decided to postpone my trip to Nepal. My digital nomad retreat to Tbilisi, Georgia was cancelled (understandably)! And my boyfriend’s series shooting in South Africa was pushed (so won’t be going to visit there anytime soon either!)

I’m now having to get creative about ways to scratch my constant travel itch. And I’m guessing many of you are as well.

While this post is themed around staying close to home due to coronavirus….I realize that many of the tips are things that can satiate the travel-hungry individual who also just works in an office and doesn’t have a lot of vacation days. So in actuality, these are actually multi-use suggestions….whatever your specific situation is!

Let’s get into it….

UPDATE 4.7.20: Many of these suggestions are no longer possible with the lockdown in place….but I’ve left them in the article since the quarantine will lift one day and the first places people will be able to go are local!

Plan a Staycation
Just because you can’t hop on a plane, doesn't mean you can’t explore take in your own city while practicing social distancing.
I don’t know about you, but there are museums I’ve been meaning to visit for YEARS within Los Angeles that I’ve just never gotten around to because I’m too busy jetting off to far away places. Now is your opportunity to #ExploreFromHome. I recommend actually planning out a weekend full of activities within your own city. It’s important to actually plan it out ahead of time so that it has that trip feel and helps satiate the desire to travel. Think about things you might take an out of towner to do, or things you don’t normally take advantage of on a day to day basis.
For me, a staycation in LA (during coronavirus) would involve a lot of scenic hikes, hanging out at the beach, and ordering takeout from some of my favorite restaurants. At nighttime, we may go stargazing in Malibu, plan a game night, or watch a movie! It would be a combination of getting out and out in LA, as well as spending time doing fun activities indoors.
Take a Road Trip
In addition to exploring from your hometown, maybe look into destinations that are only a drive away. I’m always surprised by how much cool stuff is within driving distance. Do a search for ‘day trips from x’ or ‘weekend trips from x’ to see lists of great places nearby.
Taking a road trip helps you feel like you’re getting away from home and helps to really satiate that need for travel & adventure. It’s also a great way to bond with your partner, a friend, or just yourself on a solo trip!
From LA, great options include Death Valley, Yosemite, Big Sur, Ojai, Catalina Island, Rosarito, Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, etc. There are enough options to keep my weekends full for weeks and weeks!!
If you’re going to be staying in hotels, just make sure to take proper precautions with hygiene & cleanliness (bring your own sanitizing wipes just in case!)
Explore Nature
One of the things I love most about travel is the opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and touch base with myself. I often use my time away from home to check in with how I’m feeling currently, what I hope for the future, what I want to work towards, what I’m inspired by, what I want to rid from my life, etc.
Spending introspective time with yourself is important, but there are other places this can be done as well - such as nature spots close to home! Finding hikes and beautiful spots within driving distance of your home and scheduling time to visit there, is a great way to inspire your creativity, see the world (close to home), and practice self-care.
Some spots near LA that are perfect for this are Kenneth Hahn Community Loop, Temescal Canyon Trail, Mt Baldy, Echo Mountain and Corral Canyon. Good spots to think & not too crowded (easy to maintain social distancing :))
Go in Search of the Best Sunset
I don’t know about you, but another thing I love about travel is searching for the best sunsets around the world. Seeing an artist’s palette of colors in the sky really gets me excited — and when I come home from a trip I generally have 100 photos of sunsets on different nights and from different areas. There’s something about a beautiful sunset that just makes me appreciate life more. It’s a reminder that each day is fleeting and to really make it count.
But the truth is, LA has some pretty great sunsets too. I just don’t stop to think about it as much — certainly not the way I appreciate sunsets when I’m traveling. Because it’s in my own backyard, it doesn’t get acknowledged. And that’s where we need to change our mindsets….it’s time to take a moment to appreciate the beauty at home. You don't have to travel 20,000 miles to be happy to be alive.
Do a search for the best sunsets in your area. For LA, I might go to Santa Monica Pier, Griffith Park, or El Matador State Beach.
Plan a Dream Trip
Part of the joy in travel is the work that goes into planning a trip….in fact, I read an article that the more planning you do for a trip, the more overall joy you get from that trip. And I totally believe that. Researching places to stay, places to eat, and things to do - helps me imagine myself there and that sparks excitement in me.
So even if you can’t hop on a plane this very moment, make a list of a few of your top destinations to go to. And then start researching and figuring out a future dream trip. Maybe it’s within budget for you and you can actually execute it after this travel hiatus or maybe it’s for years down the line when you have the time/money, but thinking thru the logistics and what you would include in this imaginary trip really helps satiate throbbing wanderlust.
In fact, even before I worked remotely, I would come up with dream itineraries…many I still haven’t taken…but it helped educate me on travel and give my wander-some mind something fun to think about
Book a Ticket For the Future
There are so many very cheap fares right now and airlines are actually waiving change fees, so there really is no downside to booking something for a few weeks or months out and seeing how the coronavirus situation pans out. A few great resources to see flight deals are Scott’s Cheap Flights, Pomelo, The Flight Deal, and just using google.com/flights and the explore tool to see where you can go.
Knowing that you have a trip planned will give you something to look forward to, once this whole health situation calms down. It will also help you stay positive and hopeful, even as you’re pent up in the house all day.
Even if you have to make changes the flight later, if you choose an airline that is waiving fees, it shouldn’t affect your wallet. And your mind will definitely thank you!!!
Connect with Fellow Travel Lovers
Something that helps me during times that I’m not traveling is to connect with fellow travel lovers and find opportunities to talk about travel! Actually traveling may be my #1 passion, but talking about travel also really gives me a lot of joy.
The good news is, there are TONS of amazing Facebook groups that are full of like-minded people. A few of my favorites are Girls Love Travel, Female Digital Nomads, & Solo Female Travelers.
Take time to go thru the latest posts and respond where you have something to contribute. The communities in these groups are very strong and being able to connect with those who have the same passions as you is invigorating — and really helps satiate the need to pull more travel into your life.