U.S. Summer Vacation vs. Europe Getaway?

We are staying in the USA and will visit the Redwoods at the end of summer after school has started. No European trip this year. Too many variables to deal with. Europe isn’t going anywhere so we are in no hurry.

I am in the U.K., not the USA, but I am staying in the U.K. and heading to Scotland.

Yesterday, the U.K. government announced the red - amber - green list of countries that we can/ can’t travel to. The green list includes Australia and New Zealand (they aren’t permitting us to enter, so pointless), the Falkland Islands, St Helena and the Faroe Islands, none of which are mainstream destinations. In practice, Israel, Iceland and Portugal are the only mainstream destinations on the green list and according to the BBC this morning, bookings to these places have rocketed with price hikes accordingly. There’s no quarantine upon returning home, but you have to pay for a PCR test - average cost c $170 - £120.

Amber countries mean we have to self isolate for 10 days upon returning to the U.K. and pay for a further PCR test. Red countries such as Turkey mean 10 days isolation in an official quarantine hotel at your own cost plus paying for PCR tests.

There aren’t likely to be any bargains around once places open up, as the whole of Europe is desperate to travel.

I’m staying here this summer - about 9 months ago I used my airline miles to book a trip to Hawaii for this summer. At the time it was amazingly inexpensive as far as how many miles, and my gamble looks like it paid off. I don’t think I’ll ever get such a good deal again so im not giving it up. Plus who can complain about Hawaii?

I do have European airline credits and if it is looking good I hope to go in September or October. I have some tentative ideas and once I hear how the reopening is going I will book it or not!

I must admit I feel very fortunate to be traveling in 2021 compared to my family in the UK who have been absolutely nowhere. I took a week to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, going to the Virgin Islands next month, and have a couple of city breaks (Chicago and Boston) planned for later during the year. But, I also have tickets to visit the UK in July. I was very disappointed the US did not get on the UK's "green list" yesterday. I was really hoping we would make the list, so I wouldn't have to quarantine and go through several Covid tests upon entering the UK. If the UK is reviewing the list every three weeks then I think I have about three chances for the US to get on the list before essentially my summer window of travel is over. (I am back in the classroom by mid-August).

Margaret

I have 3 trips in the US scheduled, one a road trip to Savannah to visit a friend. The next, I’m flying to Michigan in the Upper Peninsula, to visit cousins. The 3rd, Tanglewood in Western Massachusetts, with a friend over a long weekend in July.

Then, I have booked direct round trip flights Atlanta>Venice>Atlanta, if all works well, for the last week of August. We won’t know until sometime in June if our small group tour will run.

If feels great to be making plans to go places again!

If Europe opens this summer to vaccinated Americans, I'm going.

There has to be no quarantines, sights are open and restaurants can at least offer takeout.

I'm not expecting any announcement until the G7 the second week of June but will be happy if it comes earlier.

I'm already traveling in the U.S.

We are going to Florida to visit family for two weeks, flying. Got a great deal on tickets. We plan on going to Croatia in September just waiting on the tickets because new routes are being announced weekly. Since we are retired we can go any day of the week. There are now direct flights to Dubrovnik from Newark, but we have to fly into Zagreb. Waiting to see if a new route opens up. If we get there, always that slight chance things could close down, we were hoping to take a driving trip to Florence for a few days, stopping maybe at Padua or Bologna. If we do, it will be last minute.

I don't usually travel to Europe in the summer anyway so even if France or UK opens, I'd not go until Fall.

Doing my usual June trip to Yellowstone but I'm adding on since I had no expensive Europe trips last year. The Yellowstone lodging concessioner has not been able to open all their lodging so my 1st 7 nights were cancelled. I've flexed and am adding in Grand Tetons for 3 nights plus several nights in other locations before my 7 nights at Old Faithful.

For people who have not booked US travel yet...before you start anything check on the availability of car rentals. Many posts on TA indicating no cars for a lot of the summer from the typical airports for Yellowstone and Glacier (Bozeman, Billings, Missoula and Kalispell). One person just posted they rented an RV for 12 nights for $4,000 which was cheaper than renting a car for $6,000. This was a one way rental out of Rapid City which is notorious anyway for huge drop off fees but really, this is ridiculous.

From a Canadian viewpoint, my wife and I just discussed it this morning. We're in another local lockdown as the 3rd wave has hit Alberta hard and we've decided to cancel our Banff and Jasper trip that was scheduled for June as my wife is out of work until the lockdown ends. So instead, we're booking a couple of weeks off in the Fall and if the planets align, things open up, quarantine restrictions are lifted and we find a great deal, we'll be off and running. Could be Banff/Jasper again, could be to visit family in Manitoba, maybe baseball in Southern California or an incredible seat sale takes us overseas.

Domestic car rental prices are a real issue. I need one to take care of family business in CA and it will cost about 2-3 times as much as normal, and I did book very early. Inventories are way down and prices are way up.

Consider coming to Alaska. It will be a much quieter experience but as beautiful as ever. Our economy has been heavily impacted with no cruise ships allowed for a second season. If you are an independent traveler, there is much to do. And, vaccinations are free. Stay long enough and you can get your second one for free as well. Some cities may require testing, but it is also free.
https://covid19.alaska.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/04.26.21-Health-Advisory-2-Interstate-and-International-Travel.pdf

I just returned from a week-long road trip to the Bay Area, and I plan to fly to New England to see friends in July. No expectation of travel to Europe before fall, and that looks less likely as time passes.

No Europe for me this year. I have not traveled at all during the pandemic but now that I’m fully vaccinated I’m planning a trip to Cape Cod in September. Then hopefully two trips to Europe next year, Switzerland and Ireland.

Have a family 11 person trip planned to Glacier, Yellowstone and Tetons NP late July/early Aug. In place of cancelled Alaska cruise. Staying in park lodges so this was planned already last summer. We do also have a 45th wedding anniversary smaller ship cruise booked roundtrip Venice/Adriatic for mid Oct. Still waiting if this can happen.

Well I’m planning on Europe and 2 domestic trips, weddings + additional days, July-October.

I left my state for the first time in year and a half this week. Went to a state without a mask mandate and it was all so ordinary: hotel full, indoor pool full, breakfast room operating, it was normal like nothing had happened. Rush hour traffic at home has escalated badly in the last week. Almost back to normal.

Tom_MN, As someone who has been completely vaccinated for awhile now, I feel that I need to act mostly pre-Covid normal(we will still avoid crowds and restaurants at crowded times; of course restaurants are having trouble hiring enough workers, so it's better to go at off-hours anyway) to show my unvaccinated friends the value of the vaccine.

Staying here no matter what. My 2020 GR vacation has been postponed again until 2022.

France is opening to fully vaccinated Americans on June 9. I’m sure other countries will follow. I’m hoping to get to Paris and Provence in late June or mid-July.

Made reservations for Iceland and Paris in December of 2020. I could see the writing on the wall. If the poop hits the fan I can cancel 30 days out and get my money back, but I'm confident I'll be travelling overseas in July.

Our backup plan is a trip out West to Jellystone, the Badlands, and that region, but I'm a little hesitant as national parks are anticipating record numbers of tourists this summer. It's not much fun visiting a park for the peace and beauty if you're dodging crowds of people. Another possibility is a VRBO beach house on a fairly remote section of the Outer Banks.

As we've gotten older dealing with crowds becomes less enticing.

Over the summer I've got some camping weekends and a week on Cape Cod planned—all driving trips for me.

A two-week walking trip in Spain booked for the last two weeks in September. I feel pretty comfortable with the timing, and
while my travel usually prioritizes connecting with contemporary culture, this itinerary is designed for spaciousness.

I have no interest in jumping on a plane just because I can, landing in a country still awakening from the trauma of the last year.

Although France maybe opening to Americans 9 June, it isn’t what I would describe as fully open. The caveats are that Covid must be under control (it isn’t in Paris and other areas at present) and you will need a pass sanitaire (details not yet published from what I can see). Areas will open and close at short notice, depending on the local infection rates.

Nighttime curfews will continue until the end of June and restaurants are closed indoors.

That’s not my definition of fully open, but it is progress.

If it was just me and my husband we would consider chancing Europe. But with two kids in tow, I’m not going to deal with international travel until there is the elimination of things like quarantine and mandatory testing. See this article about how a man’s trip with his children to the Bahamas turned into a quarantine nightmare. https://thepointsguy.com/news/spring-break-quarantine/

US Summer vacation. Can't wait!

Both US and Europe! We had planned to only travel to a few favorite places in Central and Eastern Oregon this summer (we live in Portland), but decided to go to France in August too when it was announced vaccinated Americans would be allowed entry. Playing it safe(r) with refundable flights and apartment if things change in France. If this past year of taught me anything, it is carpe diem!

No Europe for me this year but my husband has two business trips scheduled for later this year. Hoping to go to Prague and Krakow in March.

We just bought a house in our favorite US tourist destination so will be spending a lot of time there.