Is the traveling bone making your head and heart itch with all these restrictions? Why not keep your trek relatively closer to home? The United States hasn’t closed, and there are tons of attractions you can visit.
What are the best places to travel in the U.S. due to COVID-19? It depends on your yen — from road trips to glamping excursions, the nation offers something for all. Here are 13 of the best travel destinations in the U.S. to consider before the summer vacation season ends:
1. Drive the Appalachian Trail
It can take five to seven months to traverse the entire Appalachian Trail. If you can’t afford to go without working that long, you can drive the route and still experience the glory of the East Coast. Start your trek at the northernmost end in early September and take spectacular photographs as the leaves change throughout New England.
2. Get Your Kicks on Route 66
Did you know there are over 164,000 miles of highway and 4 million miles of public roads in the U.S.? Perhaps the most well-known is the famous Route 66.
You can drive from Chicago to Los Angeles in approximately two weeks with time for stops at attractions. You’ll experience the changing U.S. landscape as it transforms from Midwest open space to the mountainous West and finally the Pacific coast. If you can take another week, why not drive up the Western coast along Route 1?
3. Go Glamping in Maine
The weather remains frightfully hot, but you can find cool surcease under the pine trees of Maine. It’s one of the best places to visit in the U.S. during COVID-19. Could you imagine having a private island on your getaway? It qualifies as social distancing. You can also declare Acadia National Forest as your playground — some glamping hotspots include activities to keep the little ones occupied when you explore.
4. Catch Some Rays on a Jersey Beach
If you live on the East Coast, you can still go “down the shore” for a weekend or two-week holiday. Sink your feet in the sand and stare at the ocean. With all that space to spread out your towel, you and the family can adhere to social distancing guidelines while enjoying the sun.
5. Have Some Fun in Las Vegas
Do you long to put a bundle on the roulette wheel and give her a spin? You’re in luck. Authorities allowed Vegas casinos to reopen with fewer crowds — a boon for finding a blackjack table. It’s the ideal time to visit this top U.S. road trip destination. Don’t think wearing a mask will help you beat security, though — they continue to prohibit full coverings.
6. Eat Your Way Through Beantown
Do you like seafood? If so, you will flip for the lobster prices in Boston. The proximity to the coast lets you dig into an enormous tail for a fraction of what you’d pay elsewhere. Why not eat your way through town, then visit some outlying areas like Salem, Massachusetts?
7. Absorb Mystic Vortex Vibes in Sedona, Arizona
If your body or soul needs intensive healing therapy, go West young man — or woman. It may be little-known, but it’s one of the best travel destinations in the U.S. Sedona is a hiker’s dream playground as the entire town is surrounded by public land. In the forest, you’ll also find vortices, which are mystical power sites that can inspire your creativity or heal a wounded heart.
8. Keep Austin Weird (and Wonderful)
Texas’ claim to fame is usually cattle and 10-gallon hats, not hippie culture and a thriving alternative music scene. If you hesitate to visit the Lone Star State because of fear of culture clashes, head to Austin. You’ll find a flourishing waterfront scene with dozens of exclusive restaurants and nightlife galore.
9. Find the Nation’s Tallest Tree
Somewhere in the California redwoods lurks Hyperion, the tallest tree in the U.S. at over 115 meters. Because authorities want to keep it damage-free, the location remains a secret. Bring your compass and go on the ultimate scavenger hunt.
10. Visit Your Folks in Florida
If your parents retired to Florida, why not visit them? You’ll barely notice the heat and humidity since it currently extends up the coast. With fewer tourists, you can hit many attractions with minimal crowds — call ahead to check hours due to coronavirus.
11. Enjoy a Grand Whitewater Adventure
Both the North and South Rims of the Grand Canyon are now open for business, and if you’re adventuresome, you can book an excursion on the Colorado River. Bring plenty of water in the summer heat. While you do descend into a canyon, the lack of tree cover can make the trek back to the top problematic — don’t try to hoof it to the river and back in a single day.
12. Climb Mount McKinley
Although the natives called the tallest mountain in America “Denali,” you probably know it as Mount McKinley. Whatever your choice of nomenclature, you’ll challenge your body on the way to the peak. You’ll need ample gear because this mount features the tallest vertical relief worldwide that rises 18,000 feet.
13. Cool Off in Colorful Colorado
It gets plenty hot within the Denver city limits, but you’ll find ideal weather in mountain towns like Breckenridge and Vail. Who says the only thing to do involves hitting the slopes? Transport yourself back in time with the small-town charm you’ll encounter.
Enjoy These 13 Best Places in the US to Travel During COVID-19
You don’t have to go overseas to have fun — see some of the best places to visit in the U.S. during COVID-19. Head to one of these 13 attractions before the summer escapes you.
About the Author
Alyssa Abel is an education and study abroad blogger with a passion for travel. Follow her @alyssaabelblog on Twitter and catch up on her blog, Syllabusy.