Most of us have experienced the rollercoaster of strong and overwhelming emotions in response to the coronavirus; emotions ranging from anxiety to grief, and isolation. We are collectively grieving the loss of life as we knew it before COVID-19. This includes the cancellation of summer vacations and travel plans.

Travel is a big part of my life and I’ve had a difficult time coming to terms with the fact that international travel is cancelled for 2020. I’ve had to redefine joy for myself and identify opportunities to fulfill my love for travel locally while practicing social distancing. Here are some tips for how to satisfy your wanderlust:

Take a road trip

While international travel might not be feasible now, there are plenty of cool places to visit that are close to home and accessible by car. 2020 is the year of the road trip for many reasons. Traveling by car is one of the safest forms of travel in the pandemic era. Plus, there are fewer cars on the road and gas prices are cheaper.

My favorite road trip is from the San Francisco Bay Area to Monterey, CA where I can drive along Highway 1 and experience California’s breathtaking coastline. The famous 17 Mile Drive in Monterey County is one of the most scenic drives in the USA. The seaside roadway hugs the Pacific coastline with lots of beautiful sites along the way including the Del Monte Forest, Pebble Beach, and Lover’s Point.

Be a Tourist in your City

Sometimes we get so busy with work and our routines that we pass up opportunities to explore our own cities/towns. I started to explore my own backyard and realized how much there is to experience. I decided to be a tourist for the day in San Francisco where I visited the Lincoln Park steps and had a picnic at Baker’s Beach.

Call up a friend who you know likes to show visitors around your town and ask them to take you to some of their favorite spots. They will most likely take you to places you never considered visiting.

Another idea is to move through your city differently. If you normally drive everywhere, this is an opportunity to use a different form of transportation. For example, rent a bike or an electric scooter to paint the town. Go on a self-guided street art tour or take silly photos in front of popular tourist destinations, even if you have already been to these places. It’s a fun way to “rediscover” your city.

Create a Travel Vision Board for 2021

A travel vision board is a creative and visual representation of your dreams, destinations and bucket list. This provides an opportunity to visualize yourself on a white sand beach sipping a mojito in Aruba or dancing in the streets to a brass band in the French Quarter of New Orleans!

A vision board will help you remain focused and motivated on planning your dream vacation post-COVID-19. I create a vision board every year and it is such a fun and creative process. All you need to create a vision board is inspirational quotes and photos of places you would like to visit. These photos can be sources from magazines and the internet.

It is important to hang the vision board someplace where you will see it daily. Put it near your bed or desk so that it can be seen daily and remains a source of inspiration. You can also create a digital vision board using Pinterest. If you go the digital route, make sure it is visible on your phone or computer’s wallpaper.

Below is a sample travel vision board found on Pinterest: