It’s summertime, and we understand how much everyone needs a vacation after all the commotion 2020 has caused thus far. But, unfortunately, COVID-19 cases are still rising in many areas, which means you need to be prepared to take extra precautions before venturing out to another area. Before planning your trip, do plenty of research on the area you’re visiting to understand what their requirements are and how the virus is affecting that region.
Right now, it’s recommended people stay within the country, if they’re going to travel on a summer vacation, to avoid potentially getting stuck in a foreign country and to prevent the spread of the virus. Luckily, there are thousands of beautiful places to visit in the U.S.
Beach cities like Charleston, SC are a great place to get a Folly Beach rental and spend your quarantine vacation hanging by the beach to avoid large crowds while still sitting back and relaxing. Here are some tips on planning a beach vacay in these strange times.
How to Stay Safe on a Family Beach Vacation
1 – Wear Your Mask
A pretty standard requirement in this day and age, masks are required in the city of Charleston, which means you should have several clean masks to carry with you at any given time. If you’re going to enter any kind of establishment (restaurant, bar, shopping store, etc.), you’ll need to have your mask on and covering both your mouth and nose.
While eating at a restaurant, you are allowed to remove your mask once you have food or a drink in front of you, but the businesses do ask that you wear your mask upon arriving and exiting the building. If you’re going to be walking up to a bar, you should also pull your mask over your face as a precaution for the person working.
Experts are currently recommending that people wear their masks on the beach, even if it is going to get you a strange tan line. But, if you make a conscious effort to find a more deserted area where you can put a lot of space between you and fellow beachgoers, you can consider removing the mask, as you will be well over six feet away from others. If you’re going in the ocean, it goes without saying that you can remove that mask, but be conscious of how close you are getting to others.
2 – Pay Attention to Social Distance Requirements
Virtually every town and city in the country is still currently recommending that people socially distance themselves when in public spaces. This is an extra precaution to ensure that if someone is sick or an unknown carrier of the virus, they are putting enough space and protection between themselves and others to hopefully avoid passing it to someone else. Although it can be difficult to retrain your brain to keep space between you and others, this is a considerate practice that helps others keep from being potentially exposed.
When staying in a Isle of Palms vacation rental in Charleston, you’ll have easy access to the beach, but you should still be aware of your proximity to others. Even on the beach, it’s important to put more than six feet between you and the others surrounding you. The beach is one of the easiest places to socially distance yourself because there is so much space, but we recommend avoiding the most crowded areas to make social distancing easier and more effective.
3 – Stay in a Vacation Rental
A getaway to a hotel is always a treat, but vacation rentals offer much more space and amenities to families traveling and, during the pandemic, these also may be potentially safer. When staying in a hotel, everyone has their own room, but there are many common spaces that both guests and outside visitors use. It’s more difficult to constantly sanitize a lobby or any other area where people are coming and going at all times of the day than it is to thoroughly sanitize a vacation rental after the previous guests have checked out.
4 – Research the Area’s Regulations
Prior to visiting your destination, it’s important you look into what that city and state’s current pandemic regulations are. Over the last few months, we’ve all noticed that policies and restrictions seem to change on a daily basis and as officials try to manage an unprecedented situation in the best manner possible. Stay up-to-date on your destination’s latest announcements to ensure you know what to expect and what is expected of you when you arrive.
5 – Walk Along the Beach
Basking in the sun is one of the best parts about going to the beach, but, if you notice large crowds in the middle of the day and you don’t feel confident in your ability to socially distance your family from the other groups, you can still enjoy the beach by taking a stroll along the shore. Many beaches are known as gold mines for finding shark’s teeth, so bring the whole fam out and see what you can find. During your stroll, you may even discover another more-unoccupied area of the beach where you can set up camp away from the crowds.
6 – Avoid Group Activities
We love a good friendly game of beach volleyball as much as the next person but, during these times, it’s important to keep a distance from people that you haven’t previously interacted with. Group activities and sports make it easy to get close to others, so, unfortunately for the time being, it’s best to skip these. Bring your own games to the beach and create a family competition to get some exercise while still remaining socially distant.
Have Fun, Stay Safe
Even with these strange times ahead of us, vacationing is an important way to take a mental break and bond with your family. Beach vacations are a good way to get away while also allowing you to be able to follow the recommended precautions like wearing a mask and putting distance between yourself and others. If you follow these tips, you’ll be able to have a safe and memorable trip.
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