COVID-19 Travel: Was It Scary to Take a Vacation During the Pandemic?

September is a celebration month around Haunt Jaunts headquarters. Two birthdays and a wedding anniversary, and this year one of the birthdays happened to be a milestone (50) and so was the anniversary (25). I had big trips planned to mark these occasions, but we all know how that story goes: the coronavirus pandemic canceled them.

Well, I should say modified them. We still hit the road, just not en route to our original destinations.

So what was COVID-19 travel like? Was it any scarier than normal travel?

The Old Normal vs. COVID-19 Travel

Normal travel isn’t usually all that scary. For me, it is a bit nerve-racking most times because I don’t normally have much notice. I’m at the whim of my husband’s work schedule. If he rolls off a project and has time in between the next, I’m lucky to get two weeks advance notice. Most times it’s five days or under. (So, yeah, one of my superpowers is planning spur of the moment vacations.)

We were a little leery about hitting the road. Wayne is a germaphobe and I have asthma (and extra weight) so I’m probably in a higher risk category. We’ve pretty much social distanced and followed all the other guidelines since the beginning of the pandemic and have so far managed to stay healthy.

But we were desperate for a vacation (it had been about two years since our last real one), so we decided, “YOLO!”

Still, we were cautious and responsible. We wore our masks inside for sure and out when it was crowded. We also social-distanced and made sure to keep our hands clean. You know, all the stuff the CDC recommends to do.

COVID-19 Travel: Hotel Rooms

Our trip took us to two locations, Helen, Georgia, for one night before proceeding on to Jekyll Island for three nights.

We stayed at the Helen Hampton Inn. It was very convenient to the quaint but very busy downtown. We did arrive on Labor Day Sunday, though, so that might’ve made it busier than normal but also not as busy as it might’ve been if we’d been pandemic-free.

We arrived to our room and noticed some definite COVID-19-inspired differences from what we’d ever seen before. Like a room seal on our door and a bagged remote.

COVID-19 Travel: Meals

The other thing we were both leery and cautious about was food. Well, not the food itself but where we ate it.

We’re bigtime foodies so we love trying new restaurants. We still ate at some new-to-us places, but we ate all meals (except one) either outside on a patio or back in our hotel room. Both hotel rooms we stayed in came with balconies so we still enjoyed al fresco dining!

Breakfast came with our room at the Hampton Inn in Helen, Georgia, but instead of being help yourself like it would be normally, it came pre-bagged with a bottle of water, a muffin, a breakfast bar, and an apple.

COVID-19 Travel: Activities

Basically, getting out and having some fun was pretty much the same.  We took tours, went sightseeing, hit the beach, and even explored a couple of museums.

River Rafting

We didn’t go rafting, but our route took us past the Ocoee River on our way to our first stop, Helen, Georgia. We decided it was a perfect spot to admire the view and take a break from driving to stretch our legs for a bi.

Tubing

We also didn’t go tubing. However, that was a super popular activity in Helen, Georgia. The buses were packed and continually running back and forth to make drop-offs and pick-ups of new tubers.

Beach Time

Beach time is the best time!

Museums

Last time we stayed at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel I wanted to check out the Mosaic Museum, but we didn’t have time. This time I was able to see it. They were COVID compliant, requiring masks and helping with social distancing by guiding everyone through the museum along a certain route. (However, I had the whole place all to myself so I didn’t have to worry about other people.)

Tours

We took a tour of a few places:

1. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center

2. Hollybourne Cottage 

Hollybourne is my favorite of Jekyll’s Millionaire Cottages!

3. Faith Chapel

I knew from the horse-drawn carriage ghost tour we took last time that gargoyles graced the outside of the chapel, but I’d never been inside. Entrance to it was included with our Hollybourne tour tickets, and I was glad I finally went in. There was a delightful surprise waiting within…

Sightseeing

Sometimes we just like to roam and stop if we see anything that catches our interest.

One morning I got up early and wandered around Helen trying to get shots of the town’s alpine-themed architecture.

We also checked out a few places on Jekyll Island we’d never been before, including the Horton House ruins, the du Bignon Burial Ground, and St. Andrews Beach where we found a haunting outdoor exhibit.

COVID-19 Travel: Signs (so many signs)

Everywhere you go now there are signs, right? It’s no different on vacation.

Both hotels we stayed at had signs everywhere, which at first I thought was a bit much…until I found myself forgetting to put my mask on before heading back to our room at the Jekyll Island Hotel. So I was glad for the reminder. I’d hate to inadvertently possibly infect someone and wreck their vacation, or vice versa.

Wayne kept asking why I was taking pictures of all the signs. I wanted to document this historic time we’re living in and the time we took a vacation during it.

Check-In

Have you traveled since the pandemic started?