“ROADS WERE MADE FOR JOURNEYS, NOT DESTINATIONS.” – CONFUCIUS
Get on the Road!
With gas prices lower than many of us have seen in years, taking a road trip is a really great way to remain socially distant and still travel. You’ll want to check any restrictions for the states you’ll be entering as well any other closures that might affect what you can safely do and where you can stay. Much is still closed, which is essential to minimizing the spread of COVID-19, and this includes many state and national park campgrounds. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have an amazing experience while discovering new places. Focus on finding free or low-cost outdoor things to do, which we’ll elaborate on in a sec. Another perk to getting on the road: Most major grocery store chains across the US offer fuel point programs, so if you’re not already enrolled, now is the time to sign up and take advantage of some major savings. We recently filled up our Honda Element for only $7.80!!! That’s the cheapest either of us have ever paid for a tank of gas, and it’s all thanks to fuel points.
Camp!
Didn’t we just say many campgrounds are still closed? When it comes to privately-owned or state and national park campgrounds, yes, that very well may be the case. BUT we will let you in on an AMAZING insider tip that will change your life in terms of camping. FreeCampsites.Net uses your phone’s GPS location to find free campsites near you. It’s also searchable, so you can browse sites before you even leave your house. They’ll often be Bureau of Land Management, US Forest lands, or Wildlife Management areas. We’ve used it on the fly while driving across the US, and it made the experience very freeing and fun not having to worry where we were going to camp. We simply stopped when we were tired, pulled up the website, and within a few minutes found a 100% free campsite right nearby. Game Changer. It’s especially great for discovering sites off the beaten path, and often the site descriptions list what (if any) amenities are available, along with reviews and photos. We get it; camping might not be your thing, especially dispersed camping… which often means no toilets or no running water of any kind. But if you love being outside, setting up a tent and a hammock in the wilderness can be a great way to not only get out of your comfort zone but also experience nature at its very best. Also, a good campfire and a night of stargazing with the people you care about most is a great way to shake off those lockdown blues.
State and National Parks + Outdoor Spaces! Many people are hitting public spaces of all sorts right now in order to get out of the house. We recently experienced ultra-packed conditions at one of our favorite state parks in Colorado, and the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve had to close mid-April due to overcrowding. But there are many smaller, lesser-trekked hikes and outdoor destinations to explore. Many times, we’ll do our searching on an online map to find these hidden gems, which can be a really fun way to discover new destinations. This is the same method we used to first learn about Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks in New Mexico, which is one really great road trip idea for those in the American West.
Cheap (and We Mean CHEAP) Airfare! Feel like being spontaneous? You can score some ridiculous deals if you don’t have an agenda and are willing to go wherever the wind blows. Try using websites like skyscanner.com or secretflying.com to score last minute deals that can save you hundreds of dollars. And both of these websites feature helpful resources to help you navigate COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Travel by Train Did you know that you can go from coast to coast by train for as little as $729? Amtrak offers the America Coast to Coast Express from New York to San Francisco with views of the Great Lakes, the Rocky Mountains, the Salt Flats, and more. With no more worrying about getting tired behind the wheel, simply kick back and enjoy the views. You can even grab a cocktail in the lounge car. Worried about social distancing? Amtrak has reduced its coach and business class seats by 50% to ensure everyone has their own personal space. Sleeping cars are also available with single or family bedroom options that allow for added privacy. And you can even reschedule or cancel your trip up to 5 days prior without any change or cancellation fees. Traveling by rail might be a bit of an overlooked travel option. But for those concerned with flying right now, there are many really interesting routes to explore for a whole new experience.
That’s all for now. Next week we’ll share how we just cut $175 from our monthly spend by adjusting one monthly service that nearly every single American uses.
|
