I embarked on a socially distanced vacation with my family – here are 6 lessons we learned

We had planned a three-generation adventure to Banff, Canada, to soak in the stunning scenery, enjoy the refreshing weather, and yes, indulge in a bit of room service at some Fairmont hotels.

However, when it became apparent that COVID-19 would prevent our trip north in June (the U.S. border remains closed), we adjusted our plans to better fit the realities of 2020.

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Although I've been organizing trips for many years, this was my first experience planning a socially distanced vacation. Until recently, most of us probably had no idea what social distancing truly meant. For this trip, there would be no flights, no hotels, no crowded attractions, no room service, no dining out and no border crossings or passport stamps.

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Could a road trip that keeps us away from crowds and offers simplicity, all while being close to home, rival our point-rich vacations to places like Bora Bora, Hawaii, Europe, and the Caribbean?

Absolutely, it could.

In many ways, it might have been one of our finest trips to date. Here’s how you can plan your own socially distanced getaway.

Determine your distance from home

As you seek a socially distanced getaway, figure out your preferred mode of transportation.

If you're driving, decide how extensive a road trip you’re willing to embark on. For some, the only boundary is where the ocean touches the land. Others may prefer a more limited journey, perhaps a round trip that fits within the range of a single tank of gas. Coincidentally, this often aligns with how far you can travel without needing a bathroom break. Also, keep in mind which locations might still be off-limits for travelers from different states.

For my family, this translated to places within a four-hour drive each way, which focused our options on trips around Texas. Think of this as a "nearcation," if you will.

Seek out a natural attraction

After deciding how far from home you're willing to explore, check what fits within that distance. The best socially distanced trips often feature a nearby natural, outdoor attraction. This summer, many travelers are flocking to places where they can easily keep their distance while enjoying nature. Consider destinations like beaches, lakes, rivers, mountains, and national or state parks.

However, since these spots are popular, they might be busier than you expect. To steer clear of the crowds, consider starting your outings early in the morning or aiming for less crowded weekdays for your activities.

You can also think outside the box. Seek accommodations that offer private access to an outdoor area, which might provide the perfect solution for extra space in nature.

By June, the reality in Texas is that it gets extremely hot—which is precisely why we initially planned to escape to the cooler Canadian Rockies. To counteract the nearly 100-degree heat during our "nearcation," we focused on finding water. Anticipating that others would have the same idea, we had to be resourceful in maintaining our distance from others.

Our answer was a cabin rental located on a private half-mile stretch of river at a resort named Waters Point in Central Texas. We only needed to share that prized outdoor river area with a handful of other cabins on the property, allowing us ample room to spread out.

Look for vacation rentals

As I began to rearrange our summer trips to focus on destinations closer to home and activities that allow for social distancing, I noticed home and cabin rentals vanishing right before my eyes. Even as early as April and May, other travelers were making similar plans.

Although travel as a whole remains quite low, rentals near major cities and close to outdoor activities are in high demand. So, be prepared to act fast and book immediately if you find a place you like.

We were looking for a home with a proper kitchen to reduce our reliance on dining out, as well as a dedicated area for relaxation — we anticipated spending more time at the house compared to previous trips, where accommodations were primarily for sleeping.

You might want to limit your choices to rentals that adhere to specific cleaning protocols or leave the property vacant for 72 hours between bookings. However, in my experience, this approach resulted in too few options to be practical in this area.

Don't forget to bring a cooler — and some cleaning supplies

To minimize additional stops and reduce our contact once we arrived, we loaded a cooler with groceries that were delivered to our home. This preparation allowed us to cook most of our meals without needing to shop once we got there. It not only supported social distancing but also kept our expenses manageable.

We also made sure to pack cleaning supplies. Since we didn't want to depend solely on the owners' cleaning efforts, we immediately used disinfectant wipes upon arrival to sanitize high-touch surfaces like light switches, remotes, doorknobs, and faucets. We also opened the doors to let in some fresh air.

Along with your own cleaning supplies, I suggest bringing paper towels, disposable plates, and single-use utensils. At the very least, this will spare you from doing dishes during your getaway.

Book your activities in advance

Spontaneous afternoon trips to the pool are a thing of the past — even natural ones. To manage crowd sizes, this is the summer of pre-scheduled fun in many respects. Whether you aim to visit Rocky Mountain National Park, go for a hike, or take a dip in the refreshing waters of the 120-foot Jacob's Well in Central Texas (as we did), advance reservations are necessary.

Advance bookings are now a must, even for activities that previously didn’t require planning. Make sure to do your research before your trip to find out if reservations are needed. Skipping this could leave you out of luck, as many popular activities are booking up weeks in advance.

Dining out during your trip might also necessitate extra planning, as most states have limited restaurant seating, making reservations hard to come by. For us, we opted for two carry-out meals, which were placed under a tent for pick-up, allowing for a contactless experience. (If possible, use newly introduced credit card dining credits to help with the costs.)

Don't forget, it's the small things that matter most

When you embark on a socially distanced getaway, time is likely to feel like it slows down. Now more than ever, those little moments hold great significance.

Of course, you might have plans to swim, hike, or enjoy a round of golf, but you're also likely to have more free time than usual. This could be the perfect chance for a long afternoon nap, roasting marshmallows by the campfire, playing card games, diving into that book you’ve been meaning to read, baking a delicious treat, dipping your toes in the water, and simply relaxing. It may sound cliché, but this time, it’s the small joys that become the big highlights, and the journey itself enriches the destination.

You likely won't find room service, there probably won't be a club lounge, and you'll most likely need to make your own bed. Yet for us, this only deepened the sense that our trip was part of everyday life, not an escape from it. Don't misunderstand; I look forward to enjoying room service coffee again someday. But for now, brewing our own coffee while relaxing on a screened porch with a view of deer in our home state was just the refreshing change of scenery we needed.

Key Takeaway

Although there's always some level of risk in everything we do — and don't do — it is entirely feasible to enjoy a fun, memorable, socially distanced vacation this summer. It may take pulling out a map, completely reevaluating your plans, and adjusting your priorities, but it can certainly be accomplished.

We just experienced our first-ever socially distanced vacation, and although it was vastly different from our original summer plans in nearly every way, we absolutely cherished it. In fact, my 10-year-old even asked if that old pioneer cabin by the river in Wimberley, Texas, where deer outnumber people, could become "our spot" to revisit again and again, even when things settle into a new normal.