Best COVID-era Travel destinations

[+ Snbrd]

Has anyone traveled recently? Living in the cold Northeast I always enjoy a winter respite. I am not anxious to get on a plane until vaccinated. Also, friends who visited Florida over Christmas were aghast at the lack of mask wearing. If I get the shot(s) before winter ends I'd like to travel. Are Fort Lauderdale, Key West and Puerto Vallarta drawing tourists?

[paulsf]

I live in Ft. Lauderdale. Tourism is way down. No snowbirds. I haven’t seen a Canadian license plate in months. Same with cars from the Northeast. A few New Yorkers around. Beaches very quiet. Restaurants open but with limited capacity.

There are mask issues but it seems to be an age thing. During daytime lots of mask wearing, but when sun goes down and younger crowd heads out for evening entertainment, masks seem to disappear. I stay pretty close to home so not up on what’s going on in the gay venues in the evening. I got the vaccine but I’m still avoiding crowds for awhile.

Ive flown to Boston a couple of times and all my flights were full, so there are some people coming down.

[JayCeeKy]

I live in Ft. Lauderdale. Tourism is way down.

Getting my 1st vaccine shot on Monday. Fort Liquordale won't be far behind.

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

I'm in Ft Lauderdale right now as a tourist.

Things are more open than I expected.

Having fun.

I have trips planned to Puerto Vallarta, but they seem to open and close their strip clubs every other week.

[+ Pensant]

Spending three weeks in Cabo next month.

[Luv2play]

An escort friend of mine sent me some pictures yesterday of Cancun where he currently is visiting. The weather is gorgeous and the beaches looked pretty empty. He said he was going to stay for several more weeks. I would love to join him but we have a stay at home order here in Ontario, Canada, for the next month. ?

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Key West is a mess. I'd steer clear for awhile.

 

It's attracting a HUGE influx of 'personal freedom fighters' who won't/don't wear masks. The city is between a rock and a hard spot in ticketing them, as the Gov has made it clear that people won't be legally held liable.

 

Overall, what was once a great creative, odd, weird, gay spot is now like the rest of Florida. It's sad.

 

Also keep in mind that beginning on 1/26, you will need to have a negative COVID test to re-enter the States.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/14/travel/international-travel-covid-test.html

[+ MysticMenace]

Things are more open than I expected.

Having fun.

 

I bet you're having loads ? of fun, especially with your 2 orifices, I mean 'things' that are open out there.???✌

[+ Charlie]

At this time of year, Palm Springs is usually full of cars with license plates from the Pacific Northwest, the Rockies, the upper Midwest, and the western Canadian provinces. I hardly see anything but California plates on the road this year.

[+ Snbrd]

Key West is a mess. I'd steer clear for awhile.

Sorry to hear that. Travel for me like many of us, I suspect, is predicated on getting the vaccine.

[PetetKsfo]

Hawaii has some of the lowest covid rates in the country, and is quite affordable right now.

There are very specific requirements for pre-arrival testing from only approved testing sites, so check their website carefully for instructions, and you can be on your way to a nice warm weather location if you're comfortable with the travel.

I went out for a week in the fall and got to see a number of clients while I was there.

Also, Hawaii has always had mostly open-air/outdoor dining, so they didn't have to do much to alter restaurants.

Bars and clubs are of course closed, but the beach is open, and what more do you need.

[+ TylerandAce]

Has anyone traveled recently? Living in the cold Northeast I always enjoy a winter respite. I am not anxious to get on a plane until vaccinated. Also, friends who visited Florida over Christmas were aghast at the lack of mask wearing. If I get the shot(s) before winter ends I'd like to travel. Are Fort Lauderdale, Key West and Puerto Vallarta drawing tourists?

I travel for a living and have been all over the place domestically except for the areas where quarantine is mandatory (NY, NJ). And yes, we did do a trip to Puerto Vallarta, but believe it or not, we socially distanced. We didn’t do the clubs and bars and only had a short time around a group on the beach. It all went well. So, planes are safe. Hotels are safe. Just follow the guidelines and you should be ok.

[harlow]

I can't really give a destination recommendation other than San Diego before this latest lock down. However, if you fly I would do my best to fly on Delta. I've had to travel for work and Delta really has taken protocols seriously. Blocked middle seats and loading back to front deplaning from front to back. Non-vented style masks are mandatory or you'll be kicked off. American airlines on the other hand is a COVID cesspool. Every seat filled and they don't care what kind of mask you wear. some even just wear a face shield.

Edited January 18, 2021 by harlow

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

American airlines on the other hand is a COVID cesspool. Every seat filled and they don't care what kind of mask you wear. some even just wear a face shield.

 

That's not true.

 

I fly with AA a lot and they've made it clear on every flight I've been on that they don't allow vented masks and/or just face shields.

 

COVID cesspool because they are a company with shareholders and want to fill every seat? Numerous studies have been done saying that leaving a middle seat open does nothing to combat COVID, as it's still nowhere near a 6ft radius between pax. It's just something some airlines do to make people FEEL safer.

[+ Snbrd]

We didn’t do the clubs and bars and only had a short time around a group on the beach

I appreciate the response and am not being a smart ass but I'm not sure of PV's appeal without clubs. I recall only small amounts of beachfront not run by restaurants or resorts. Did I miss something?

[OrBlanc]

I appreciate the response and am not being a smart ass but I'm not sure of PV's appeal without clubs. I recall only small amounts of beachfront not run by restaurants or resorts. Did I miss something?

 

Plenty of stuff to do in and around Vallarta beyond the night life for sure, but 1: I'd say you need a car and 2: Would never recommend an American tourist (specially the type to choose Vallarta as their destination in the first place) to leave the tourist zone.

[sydneyboy]

Australia’s Health Secretary and former Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy made it clear yesterday that Australians won’t be going anywhere in a hurry. He predicted that the border closure will likely continue for the rest of the year not withstanding the vaccine rollout.

Depressing but unfortunately realistic.

[Stormy]

I'm in Ft Lauderdale right now as a tourist.

Things are more open than I expected.

Having fun.

I have trips planned to Puerto Vallarta, but they seem to open and close their strip clubs every other week.

I’m in ft lauderdale too to get away. Seems very open to me

[Luv2play]

That's not true.

 

I fly with AA a lot and they've made it clear on every flight I've been on that they don't allow vented masks and/or just face shields.

 

COVID cesspool because they are a company with shareholders and want to fill every seat? Numerous studies have been done saying that leaving a middle seat open does nothing to combat COVID, as it's still nowhere near a 6ft radius between pax. It's just something some airlines do to make people FEEL safer.

The NYT did an article yesterday which looked into Covid transmissions on airplanes. The long and short of it is it’s a bit of a crapshoot.

[Luv2play]

Australia’s Health Secretary and former Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy made it clear yesterday that Australians won’t be going anywhere in a hurry. He predicted that the border closure will likely continue for the rest of the year not withstanding the vaccine rollout.

Depressing but unfortunately realistic.

I admire him for his candour.

 

Here in Canada all we seem to get is drip, drip, drip. Politicians of all stripes don’t want to level with their citizens.

 

All that they will say is “just bear with us for the next month. We’ll get though this together.” Then they fly off for a vacation somewhere while the rest of us are hunkered down.

[mike carey]

Australia’s Health Secretary and former Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy made it clear yesterday that Australians won’t be going anywhere in a hurry.

Here in Canada all we seem to get is drip, drip, drip. Politicians of all stripes don’t want to level with their citizens.

He's a public servant not a politician. The secretaries of government departments in Australia are in effect their CEOs, the politician in charge is the minister. I think the Canadian equivalent is deputy minister.

[sydneyboy]

He's a public servant not a politician. The secretaries of government departments in Australia are in effect their CEOs, the politician in charge is the minister. I think the Canadian equivalent is deputy minister.

True, however he is working in closely with his political masters. He has done a great job during the pandemic. I get the impression Professor Murphy has a sensitive political antenna.

[mike carey]

True, however he is working in closely with his political masters. He has done a great job during the pandemic. I get the impression Professor Murphy has a sensitive political antenna.

No arguments from me on that score. He seems more closely aligned to the political milieu he operates in than his successor or any of the state or territory senior health/medical officers.

[+ keroscenefire]

If I get the vaccine and California looks safer, I am actually considering driving there during my spring break plus a little extra since I have some vacation days. I have friends in Oakland, LA and Bakersfield and might end it with Palm Springs if it's happening. Hoping I can get the vaccine by then and we start to control the virus better by then.

 

Hoping, hoping, hoping.

[+ Snbrd]

While my research consisted of little more than this thread I decided to book a trip to Fort Lauderdale. While Puerto Vallarta is cheaper and warmer in February there's legitimate concern about new restrictions and re-entry requirements. Ideally, I'll have both shots before my mid-February departure.