Corona (COVID-19) is a worldwide pandemic now. No single country is able to escape the consequences of this virus and the impact on our global economy is already gigantic.
Many European countries are going in lockdown now, or soon. Schools and shops close, streets are dead and travelling… ? Are you crazy?
People are advised to stay home and not get in touch with anyone besides their housemates. Holiday plans are cancelled and you won’t be able to find a single insurance company covering those costs.
So… what am I doing here writing these posts about travelling?
Well, at this moment I am advising you not to travel, which is probably a very stupid thing to write on a travel blog. But I will add a slight nuance to this. I advise you not to travel abroad (which is getting harder anyway), not to go on a city trip in the foreseeable future, but I advise you to seek alternative travel possibilities (in nature for example)!
Indeed, it is a very bad idea to go to a place where a lot of people come together on limited square meters. However, taking your car and driving to a forest for a hike won’t harm anyone. On the contrary, you will get the fresh air you need to strengthen your immune system!
In the rest of this post, I will provide you with several corona travel tips for a short getaway. The country being in lockdown does not mean you have to stay locked up inside those four walls!
Corona travel tip #1: Go on a bike tour
One of the most obvious suggestions for travelling in corona-times is a bike tour. Put your bike in the car, drive to a rural area and enjoy the view and sun on your back! This open-air activity is much healthier than watching Netflix all day in your apartment!
(You can of course just grab your bike and ride right away, but the idea is to encounter as little people as possible.)
Corona travel tip #2: Go hiking
This follows the same logic as the bike tour. Get in your car (for once, I advise you to take your car and not public transport), drive to a region which you know is a good hiking spot within your country and just walk!
Good spots are rural areas, the beach, forests, your neighbourhood… I am sure you can find many nature preservation areas in your region that are open to the public!
If you take food and drinks with you, you can make this activity a very fun day trip! But always make sure to keep your distance from other hikers.
Corona travel tip #3: Enjoy some architecture
Did you ever notice that the facades of many buildings can be very beautiful? Take a walk through the city and enjoy the view of historical or modern architecture! A lot of cities provide self-guided tours which will guide you across many monuments.
Belgium is the perfect location for this, its medieval cities are very charming and romantic to walk through, especially at night! But I am sure that your nearest city has some pretty architecture as well!
Corona travel tip #4: a virtual museum tour
You can also just stay inside, on your couch and virtually visit a museum! Via the website Google Arts & Culture, you can visit more than 1200 museums. All of them, by not moving a single centimetre!
Corona travel tip #5: open-air art
Some museums have open-air sections that might still be accessible to visitors. Moreover, in a lot of parks, you can find art expositions outside. You don’t even have to pay for it!
For example, in Antwerp (Belgium) you can find a sculpture park that is open for public. Here in the picture, you can see the Little Mermaid in Copenhague, which you can still visit (provided you keep your distance from other visitors).
Thus, number 6 of the corona travel tips is to find your own art spot in your region! Good luck!
Corona travel tip #6: gather your memories
I have an insane amount of pictures on my phone and camera from previous trips. Today might finally be the day to sort them all out! Moreover, those memories will take you back in time immediately to the destination you’ve visited over the past years.
You can make a photo book out of it or process them in another way. I made my personal travel wall, which is literally a wall with the prettiest pictures of all the travel adventures I’ve had over the past years!
Corona travel tip #7: plan your next trip!
Where would you like to go in the future? For me, it is one big mystery. I would like to go everywhere and see everything! But realistically, plans have to be made (even if they are minimal).
So, pick a destination and start your research. Where would you like to go next? For how long? What would you like to do there? In what kind of accommodation would you like to stay? Early bookings are often much cheaper than late-minute decisions!
In case you already want to book a flight, look at the flexible plans the airline provides. For a little supplement, you might be able to change your flight to another date if the corona-crisis impedes you from departing.
In case you would like to visit Canada, I recommend you to read my blog posts about East-Canada! Would you like some tips on how to travel on a budget? Read my travel tips!
Now is the time to start planning and dreaming! Let’s do this!
Conclusion
Plenty of things to do in Corona-times! I hope these corona travel tips helped you to see that although you should be very careful and keep your distance from others, this doesn’t mean you have to lock yourself up!
Take good use of your lockdown, be careful, be productive and be safe! Do you have recommendations (other corona travel tips) for others who are in the same situation? Let me know in the comments below!
More ideas concerning staycations can be found here!
Great tips!! This lockdown is hard on everyone. I love to travel, but I’m using this time to think about future travels and enjoy photos and memories of past trips.
Thank you! I hope this crisis will be over soon and by then we will be more than ready to leave on our next trip!
I think it’s going to be a long while before we can start to explore the far corners again. Those of us that truly need to travel will appreciate these recommendations
Right now it is best not to travel, I hope you found these alternative tips useful!
I love this! There is so many ways that we can keep busy without travel! I recently wrote a similar post about Staycations from your sofa. I also included Virtual Museum tours.. such a cool idea!
Thank you! It’s a challenge to keep yourself productive and busy these days. Virtual museum tours are indeed a great way to experience some kind of holiday-feeling. I would love to read your post!
Its so strange to tell people not to travel but here we are in very strange times! I have already been gathering a list of museums that are doing virtual exhibits and I try to check them out each day for inspiration. And we have been hiking every day. Thanks for the tips!
That’s great! I love it that you’re putting these tips into practice!
Great tips for this hard period! I am already planning my next travels and when the borders will be open – I will go and enjoy that chance! 🙂