Let me preface this post by saying I am one of the luckiest people in the world. I am healthy. My loved ones are healthy. I still have my job, as do my friends and family. There have been some bumps along the road, but overall, I have been experiencing this pandemic without much difficulty. I know how lucky I am.
That said, I miss normal life. Most of all, I miss looking forward to things. While I know this will end eventually, not having an end date is tough. We were scheduled to go back to DisneyWorld in August, but we had to cancel for obvious reasons. I’m working on rescheduling, but honestly, there’s no date that makes me comfortable yet. For now we’re postponing it by a year, but with things looking a bit bleak in Florida, I’m not convinced that even 14 months will be enough.
That brings me to the whole idea of travel. Now that I can’t travel I want to more than ever! I’ve found that planning trips has been great therapy through all of this. It relaxes me and gives me hope, even though I know these trips may never happen. It’s a fantasy, and say what you will about it, but it helps me. Scrolling through Pinterest and fantasizing about where I’ll go is my new therapy, and I love it.
Although I would go just about anywhere in the world, right now it’s sunny destinations with saltwater and palm trees that really get me excited. Here are my current top picks.
Paradise Island, Bahamas
When it comes to the Bahamas there are a lot of great places to go, but I can’t stop thinking about the Atlantis resort. Everyone I know who has been there raves about it. My boss’s kids even say it’s better than DisneyWorld. I don’t know about that, but one advantage it definitely has over Disney is the ocean. I used to get to the ocean every year, but now it’s been about six or seven years since I’ve dipped my toes in salt water, and I can’t wait to get back!
Learn more about the Atlantis Resort by visiting their website.
DisneyWorld, Florida
Always on my list is DisneyWorld in Orlando, Florida. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a little magic. But in all honesty, DisneyWorld is one of my favourite vacation spots. I’ve been fortunate enough to stay in some deluxe hotels, and I find the experience to be so relaxing and luxurious. Yes, theme parks can be a bit intense, but the customer service and attention to detail throughout the resort is like nothing I’ve found anywhere else. We went last year and it was amazing. This year we had booked the Grand Floridian because there was a great sale on, but now that we’ve had to cancel I’m not sure we’ll be able to get that again. However, I’ve since decided that the Beach Club Resort might better suit my family. The pool area, Stormalong Bay, is apparently the best on Disney property, and we are definitely a water-going family. Here’s hoping for August 2021!
Visit the DisneyWorld website.
Spain & Portugal
I know this is a pretty broad destination idea, but I would happy to go just about anywhere in Spain and/or Portugal. The architecture, the language, the sites, the food! I love travelling in Europe and right now I’m obsessed with tropical vacations. Spain and Portugal seem like the best possible way to get both in one (or two!). It’s funny, while I always would have been happy to go to either of these countrys, they were never really at the top of my list. For some reason, in the last few months, they’ve shot right up into my top five. I don’t know what changed. Obviously I have a lot more research to do to narrow down where exactly I want to go, but I’m on it!
If you want more info on where to go in Spain and Portugal check out Lonely Planet’s guides.
Florida Keys
The reason Florida keeps showing up on my travel lists is that because I live in Canada, close to the border, it’s very accessible. Unlike with Europe or South America, if airplane fares are too expensive, or if for some reason I get stuck, I can get there by car. It’s a tropical destination that just feels easy. I’ve been to Orlando (obviously), and I’ve been to Miami several times, but I’ve never made my way down to the Keys. I imagine there would be a lot of snorkelling, walking on the beach, wildlife spotting, cocktails, and great, relaxing meals. Right now that is exactly what I want. I also really love the architecture in that part of the Southern USA. It’s all so charming and picturesque. A true escape from my everyday.
Check out all there is to do in the Keys here.
There are other places I want to go. I would love to visit my friend in Utila. I would love to get to Paris and Italy. I’m still dreaming of Africa and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. But for now, these four sunny destinations are consuming my thoughts. I think it’s because I can actually see them happening. Once we get the all clear from health experts, I’m making at least a couple of them happen!
What about you? Do you dream about travel to help ease pandemic anxiety? If so, what are the top spots on your list?
