Is it possible to see the world safely in the middle of a pandemic? I think so! We recently returned from one of the best trips we’ve had yet without compromising our health.

Where to go?

As much as we would have loved to see the beach this year it just wasn’t possible to do in a way we felt comfortable. Instead, I took this opportunity to plan a trip to some place we had never been, the mountains! I HIGHLY recommend. One of the biggest reasons I recommend the mountains, particularly during covid, is because you’re safer in nature! So long as you can socially distance yourselves and are outside the risk is reduced. So off to the mountains we went.

*Though, if you can find a beach with private access and aim for off season, I think you might be able to pull it off*

Picking a place

This part required a lot of consideration. We looked for not just a home to sleep but a home on a lot of land and full of things to do. We found the perfect home on AirBnB. The home sat on 120 acres of land and on a mountain. And the basement was a game room. The yard space had a playset and swing set, pool and hot tub. There was a cement pad with a basketball hoops set up and a fire pit with chairs. There was a bucket on the deck with lots of toys, balls, and play things. There were also secluded walking trails and hiking trails up the mountain. These were a crucial part of our decision making. We needed a place where there was plenty to do. Not once did we ever have to leave the property. We were able to have a great time, enjoy a variety of activities, and not need to see another person outside of our bubble. There was nothing quite like waking up to Mountain View’s, drinking coffee, crisp fall air, and seeing the horses wander fields in the distance.

How to get there

We wanted to avoid public transportation at all costs. No boats, planes, buses, or trains. The mountains were a 4 hour drive. For us this was totally doable because we loaded our four kids into the minivan (Yes I am a minivan mom and I highly recommend!) with snacks and gave them their headphones so they could watch movies quietly so as not to drive us crazy with the kids songs! I recommend finding a place that is far enough away to feel like an escape but close enough that you could get there by car.

Additional Tips

• Bring your own cleaning supplies (sanitizer, Lysol, etc) to do a quick wipe down of your own

• Cook! Bring your own groceries or grocery order/pickup when you arrive. Cooking limits your exposure to others because you don’t have to eat out. Before leaving, I prepped meals so I didn’t have to do any serious cooking. I also packed my instapot (Y’all know how much I love my instapot!)

• Bring your masks!