What Makes a Perfect Pandemic Vacation?

Let's be real.

"Pandemic vacation" is a bit of an oxymoron.

(Kind of like "vacation with kids" 😝.)

What are the qualities of a perfect pandemic vacation?

Is this a question you've also been pondering?

I really wanted to go to the beach for our family vacation the last week of July.

I'm an Oregonian who lives near the Mediterranean. I don't think I'll ever get over the novelty of basking in a warm sea.

It's the best.

Yet this year, planning a beach vacation got complicated.

First we had to pick the right beach.

We needed mellow surf for the kids.

We needed a wide, long, less frequented beach. Since everyone is traveling close to home this year due to Covid-19, the smaller beaches and coves have been overcrowded.

After hours of research and texting friends, I had narrowed it down to several locations.

Then I started work on finding accommodations:

What would be available and affordable in high season.

Which areas had outbreaks or might have outbreaks soon.

What towns had the most options for renting detached houses, rather than hotels or apartments or other shared spaces.

Then, my husband and I further complicated things by contemplating inviting his parents along.

Questions started mounting, along with stress.

Then we scrapped the whole beach plan.

My husband found a house with a pool through Airbnb that was near Montserrat, a gorgeous, mysterious mountain not far from our house.

I was sad to trade the Mediterranean for a pool, but it seemed a good idea to make everything simpler, especially these days.

Our time at our vacation house ended up being pretty perfect.

It was nearby, low hassle and safe.

We relaxed.

We could forget almost entirely about Covid-19.

It was hot and sunny, just right for enjoying outdoor meals and a swimming pool with this view:

When I think about my state before leaving, I see a cartoon drawing of the stereotypical mother of two small children, pulling at her frazzled hair, mouth grimaced in extreme frustration, surrounded by mountains of laundry and toys.

It probably didn't actually look like that, but that's how it felt on the inside.

So I definitely noticed a difference when we got back.

I still had a messy house and two small children clamoring for my attention, but I was able to deal with it again.

Even energized to dive back in.

AHHHHH.

That was nice.

So here's what I learned from my first pandemic vacation:

👉🏽 If in doubt about coronavirus infection rates, outbreaks, safety, etc. simplify your plans and eliminate as much risk or worry as you can; and

👉🏽 Pretty much anything is going to be awesome if it's NOT at your house or apartment.

Take a break. It's so good for you.

How about you?

Did you already take your vacation -- or do you have one in the works?

What tips do you have for planning a “pandemic vacation”?