Q&A about traveling during the COVID pandemic

Last week we left the SNOW and isolation of our home in Buffalo and took a little road trip down south for some fresh air and sunshine.  While we were away and since we've been home, we've been getting a lot of questions about traveling during COVID, so I've compiled a list with our answers!

Where did you stay?

We stayed in Mytrle Beach, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia, Greensville, South Carolina & Charleston, West Virginia.

Did you find good deals on Airbnb and hotels?

Unfortunately, no... the rates were not as low as we would have liked.  I imagine our Airbnb was a tad cheaper than usual rates, but we still paid about $230 a night and hotel prices were around $150.  We did ask one hotel about it and they said they were trying to maintain the integrity of their value by freezing their prices.  The unfortunate thing was that all amenities were closed including complimentary happy hours, buffet breakfasts and the hotel pools. 

How did you use precautions to protect yourselves from the coronavirus while traveling?

We brought lots of Lysol wipes and hand sanitizer with us.  At each hotel and Airbnb, we Lysol wiped light switches and handles.  During the drive, the kids pretty much always just peed along the side of the road.  There was one instance where Dylan wanted to run into a McDonalds wtih me to go, so I wrapped a bandanna around  his face.  He hated it and I felt horrible that I had to make him wear one.  Pretty much after that, he opted to only go outdoors if a mask was required indoors.  In each city, the weather was PERFECT so we were really able to spend all of our time outdoors! 

Do the majority of the people not wear masks in the places you've visited?

We were surprised how few people wore masks down South!  With the exception of waiters and store keepers, we hardly ever saw pedestrians with a facemask on unless it was required in a store (which we didn't see once in South Carolina or Georgia, but did in North Carolina.)

Are you nervous about the looser restrictions on masks and things in other places?

We honestly weren't that nervous.  Because the climate was that \much warmer than back home, we were able to stay outdoors virtually all day, so it was so much easier to social distance.  We did let our kids play on the playgrounds (which are open in Georgia) and they definitely had a hard time socially distancing from other children, but we honestly weren't too concerned about it.  

What are the best places for bathroom breaks?

Along the drive we did notice some rest-stops closed, however if you pulled off the highway to any gas station you could use the bathroom there.  

Are you nervous about travelling to other states?

We honestly weren't nervous at all about traveling to other states, we were more interested to see what different restrictions each state required and we made sure to follow all the guidelines of that state- and more, if we felt necessary.  

Are the pools and beaches open?

At Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the beach was open for public, as long as we were social distancing, however all the condo & hotel pools were closed... in addition to the amusement & water parks.  The whole area was pretty dead because of that, but it was nice for us to let our kids run free without worrying about the crowds.