Quarantine at Thousand Trails Medina Lake has been pleasant. We have enjoyed the wildlife, trails, and atmosphere. Temperatures are rising lately and people are becoming frustrated with distancing rules. Face masks are second thoughts if at all.
Get Ready for covid and summer RV Travel
It’s time for a change. Time to get rolling and start living our traveling lifestyle again. We started talking about leaving quarantine safety and realized traveling using our typical routine was not going to work. The four of us, traveling as a tribe in two RVs, put our heads together and came up with a safe traveling plan. Here are our tips for a safer Covid and Summer RV Travel.
Plan your destinations
We love dining out, visiting historical buildings, museums, and enjoying all types of city attractions. This year, we are avoiding indoor activities and focusing on hiking and canoeing. With that in mind, we looked closely at the available outdoor activities in the areas that interested us. We needed answers for these and other questions.
- Are the state parks open for visiting? Camping?
- What is open to do in the National Parks in these area?
- What about Bureau of Land Management (BLM) areas and State forests?
- Are dump stations open?
Many answers can be found on the state websites with jurisdiction for that park. A great starting point is Wikipedia. The Wikipedia site provides information on State Parks in each individual state. It includes an interactive map and is a good first stop in your planning research. State Park List
For National Parks and Monuments, the National Parks System provides you options by State. Choose a state from a drop down list. A list of all National Parks and Monuments for that state will open. Some National Parks even have apps available for download to your smartphone. National Parks & Monuments
To learn about the many varied activities available on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, the Bureau provides listings by state. Bureau of Land Management
If your decision is to be a little bolder, you may want to try restaurants, bars and other more crowded venues. A quick call will verify the business is open and ready to serve you; most restaurants are now offering curbside pickup, delivery, and dine-in. We are trying to find restaurants with outdoor patios.
Plan Your Route
After the destination has been decided, it is time to plan your route. This year takes a little more consideration. Here are a few examples of the type of questions you may want to ask.
- Are quarantine rules in place for arrival from a different state?
- Will restaurants and non-essential services be open?
- Is the RV park you would like to go to taking new reservations?
This link will tell you how each state is currently handling the Covid19 pandemic and what services are partially or fully open. Covid19 Guidelines by State
After determining state guidelines, you can decide to stay or not. Please be sure to follow each state’s safety guidelines – or yours if they are more stringent.
Plan your expected activities
Some people enjoy sitting by the campfire or stargazing. Some enjoy dining out at new places. Other people love a strenuous hike or bike ride. Whatever comes to mind as perfect camping for you, make sure, through research, you will be able to do it and what special requirements you need to follow.
By making advance arrangements, we were able to enjoy a lovely dinner of Tafel Spitz prepared by chef/owner Denise at our favorite restaurant, Little Gretel in Boerne, Texas. It was a wonderful evening with great food, great friends, and in a lovely outdoor patio setting. If you are in the Austin/San Antonio area, be certain not to miss this restaurant.
Plan and make your reservations
We are living in different times. Ken and I don’t usually bother with reservations. Now, reservations and confirmations are necessary for each leg of your journey. Here are a few tips.
- Call the campground to make your reservation. You can ask if there are any special operating procedures and what amenities may be open or closed. Some campgrounds are using a remote check-in process similar to a late arrival check-in.
- Note whom you speak with and get a confirmation number. Get a backup email confirmation.
- Keep copies of all pertinent information and payments regarding your reservation.
- Pay as little down for a deposit as you can. Stay flexible.
ReserveAmerica is the booking agent for most state parks. Be careful. A closed park does not mean an automatic refund from the park, or their agent.
Plan for your safety
- Follow all safety measures designated by the state you are in. It is your responsibility to know.
- Stick to your own devised safety procedures. It is easy to get tired or complacent and let down your guard. Don’t do it.
- Review your insurance policies and be aware of their requirements should you need medical attention.
- Review all state Covid19 statistics. The numbers can be used as a guideline for determining where a little extra caution may be necessary.
Here is a link to find current statistics. State Covid19 statistics
My portable washing machine is coming in handy. It keeps me out of small cramped laundry rooms and saves considerable money. Read about this rugged little machine in The Laundry Experiement .
Covid and Summer RV Travel
Let’s get rolling. Ken and I are anxious and excited to start our Covid and Summer RV Travel. There are new states and parks planned and, our long-time friends, Kaye and Tim are traveling with us again. The lineup is full of great new adventures. Don’t be discouraged about what you cannot do. Be inspired by what you can.
We hope you stay safe in your summer travels too.
Always Grateful.👫
