Raise your hand if you spent 2020 dreaming of the day you can travel again!

After a year of social distancing, lockdowns, and general chaos, it’s probably safe to assume that tons of people are looking for an escape once it’s safe to do so. But what will family travel look like in 2021? How will a Covid vaccine impact our travel plans?

What we know for certain is that we are still a long way from the relatively carefree travel days that we enjoyed pre-pandemic. We expect that face masks, social distancing, and hand washing will remain as important as ever, even with a vaccine slowly rolling out across the world. The good news is that we have almost a whole year of this “new normal” under our belts. We all understand steps we need to take to keep ourselves and others safe, and (while it may seem far off), there IS a light at the end of this tunnel!

We’ve rounded up some of the best information we could find about family travel this year and will continue to update as the situation evolves. Be sure to check back in for more information in the coming months!

Thinking of traveling in 2021? Try to chose places where you can spend plenty of time outdoors — Thinking of traveling in 2021? Try to choose places where you can spend plenty of time outdoors

Where you’ll go

Warm weather, outdoorsy destinations that feature hiking, beaches or other outdoor activities will be key. You can enjoy nature at a safe distance from others as well as enjoy meals outside (either picnics or outdoor dining options from local restaurants). Bonus: if you have little kids, nature-based destinations are the perfect option. You get to enjoy beautiful views and your kids can run around to their hearts’ content and burn tons of energy! Nature-themed trips make it easy on families to practice social distancing and spend less time in facemasks.
If you have your heart set on visiting a big city, it IS possible to do it safely. Make sure you visit when the weather is warm and dry enough that you can dine outdoors and walk around outside rather than relying on indoor activities (like museums, art galleries, etc) that may be closed. We’ve generally noticed that the mindset in bigger cities across the US (LA, San Francisco, Chicago) is super into wearing facemasks any time they are outdoors, even if someone is not directly in their radius. Parenting bonus? If your kids see EVERYONE around them wearing facemasks, it’s likely they’ll be more amenable to wearing facemasks, too!
Our biggest tip? Plan ahead! There is tons of pent-up demand for travel, so the sooner you book your 2021 adventure, the better options you will have. And be sure to have a Plan B. And then make a Plan C for your Plan B. Restrictions and “what’s open” will likely continue to change frequently in cities and countries all around the world. Above all, you will want to remain flexible in your travel plans and if they get cancelled, remember that you can always try again in the future.
Use this handy map to research the status of each country and its current level of restrictions or requirements to enter.

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How you’ll get there

If you’re flying, brace yourself. Airports will likely still be super crowded in 2021 due to pent-up demand and “replacement” vacations that were supposed to happen in 2020. We noticed during 2020 that even though airports tended to be busier than expected, almost everyone was wearing facemasks. Also, hand sanitizer stations were readily available throughout the airports and airport employees were constantly cleaning high traffic areas way more than we ever saw in a pre-covid world.
To keep your family safe, still be sure to pack bleach wipes (and keep them easily accessible), hand sanitizer, and facemasks. Try to spread out at airports even if it means not sitting directly in front of your gate. Everyone should expect to continue wearing masks and social distancing on flights, even after getting immunized.
One positive change that happened in 2020 and will likely continue for the next year (or more!) is that change fees for flights seem to be a thing of the past. Currently, you can book flights on almost all major airlines without worrying about being at a big loss if the flight is cancelled or your plans need to change.
Your newest travel accessory as you are crossing borders will be a digital vaccine passport (travel pass) will be an app on your phone. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is in the final stages of developing the app and it’s likely that this will be a necessity to have before boarding a flight.
Check out this page for the latest on cancellation / change policies by airline.

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When you’ll go

When you’ll be able to travel depends on a few things: your home country’s travel policy, your destination country’s travel policy, and your personal level of comfort.
If your travel relies on a vaccination and you live in the US, you might be able to travel this summer, but the last few months of 2021 are probably more realistic. There have been numerous reports about vaccine distribution and timing, but for every report that’s optimistic, there is usually one that is pessimistic (meaning late next year), too.
If you’re looking to travel internationally, there are countries open to US travelers. Many require a negative Covid test, but some don’t. You can click here to check out a list of travel restrictions by country.
Above all, and we can’t stress this enough, do NOT rush into anything you aren’t comfortable with. The decision to travel as this pandemic continues is a personal one and depends on each person’s unique circumstances. If you decide travel this year, please be safe. If you personally prefer to stay home, that is awesome too. None of the gorgeous destinations in the world are going anywhere this year and will still be welcoming you with open arms when you’re feeling better about travel. Focusing on your health is definitely a top priority right now.

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Where you’ll stay

Since contactless interactions will be key, rental properties (think Airbnb & VRBO) will stay in high demand. If you have never stayed at a rental home before, this might be your year to try it! Enhanced cleaning protocols are standard for these properties now, and often you are able to check in to the property without seeing anyone else. Add in the fact that you can get your own kitchen, laundry, and other amenities and rentals become the ideal retreat for social distancing while traveling.
Hotels have also altered their business models to allow for social-distancing measures that will continue into 2021. Contactless check in, empty and minimal lobbies, and less frequent visits from cleaning staff will help you social distance. However, at the end of the day, you are still staying in a hotel building with strangers, so there is definitely some risk, especially in the common areas.
Personally, our family will continue to travel with our own bleach wipes and wipe down high-touch surfaces ourselves as an extra level of caution.

What you’ll do

The theme of the year will be plan, plan, plan. Excursions generally require reservations in advance; and our hunch is that day-of bookings will be more hard to come by than normal. Even time in common areas (like pools and lobbies) may have to be arranged through a reservation system.
Enjoy local cuisine through contact-free pickup or delivery using restaurant websites or apps like Uber Eats, GrubHub, Postmates, and DoorDash.
Stay in one place longer. As more and more people shift to location-independent work and school remains virtual, families will probably opt to stay in vacation destinations longer and enjoy work & school with a slight change of scenery.
Experience each destination more like a local as you stay longer. Take a walk each morning. Find your go-to breakfast take-out. Find your favorite spot in the sand for sunset.

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Wrapping it up

As a vaccine becomes more readily available and rolls out to the masses, it’s exciting that the world will be open for travel again. But 2021 will be a year unlike anything we’ve ever seen! There are the secrets and hacks that will make a difference in your 2021 family travel plans:

#1: Plan ahead! The biggest and best advice we can give you is to come up with a plan, find transportation, lodging, etc. with generous cancellation policies, and BOOK IT UP! We want to travel, you want to travel, the whole world wants to travel! It’s best to get rates and reservations locked in now and have the option to cancel in the future, rather than wait too long and have more expensive or more limited options when you are ready to travel.
#2: Plan on PPE. Even if you have your vaccine, there will still be plenty of people who won’t have one in the near term. This means the virus isn’t going to disappear, and that protective measures like facemasks, hand washing and social distancing will still be the norm.
#3: Have a Plan B (and C): There are still so many of unknowns about the future, traveling, and how everything will shake out in 2021. Do your best to come up with a plan, but be sure to have an alternate too. States / countries could lock back down, your vaccine might be delayed, your work or school schedule could change… there are so many variables that it’s best to plan alternate dates or locations for your trip.
#4: Be safe: Our last and most important tip? Use good judgment. Don’t do anything you aren’t completely comfortable with. Now is not the time to be pushing boundaries and risking your health (as well as the health of others!).

Stay safe out there, friends!

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