5 Unique Vacation Ideas For 2021

Guest post by Sheryl Wright

As the world emerges from 2020, pretty much everyone could use a vacation. However, you may still want to isolate as the pandemic winds down. For the safest and most enjoyable vacation experience, staying as isolated as possible during your time away from home may be the safest.

Get Outside

Skip the hotel and get out of your tent. The art of camping in California can be practiced in the mountains, in the forest, or on the beach. If you’re not keen on tent camping, there are multiple options to rent a cabin or even to rent an RV

If you’re ready to up your camping style, keep an eye out for

moving sales
thrift shops
yard sales

and look for camping gear, used kitchen gear, and other tools that you can put to use in your camping supplies. Visit your local hardware store and grab some good leather gloves. You’ll use them when collecting firewood and when handling food over the grill.

Get on the Water

Another way to enjoy the great outdoors while still isolating is to rent a houseboat. If you don’t have close access to the ocean, consider a trip to Lake Mead or to Kentucky Lake.

Pack in the food you want to enjoy, several books, and your favorite pillow so you can enjoy downtime on the water. Your vacation rental won’t be going anywhere, but you can soak up the sunshine and enjoy the fresh air during your 2021 vacation.

Go Incognito

Disappear for ten days. There are several places in the Midwest, such as the Arbuckle Mountains in Oklahoma, where you can rent a cabin and hole up for a time while you do next to nothing in comfort.

Many of these little cabins don’t get a lot of press but offer both heat and air conditioning. You can find a secluded cabin on Keystone Lake near Tulsa, swim during the warmest part of the day, and relax while you watch the sunset. While many folks don’t consider the Midwest to be a prime vacation country, a completely disconnected and restful vacation can be enjoyed right in the middle of the country.

Go Old School

Consider a trip to southern Colorado and a stay in a covered wagon camper. There are many campgrounds that offer the chance to stay in a Conestoga wagon for a week. Even better, you can be a pioneer with a refrigerator.

Of course, the point of a glamping trip is the chance to enjoy the great outdoors. Luckily, you can often rent a Conestoga camper at the edge of a forest or along a river.

A lot of your camping vacation will center around food. Treat yourself to simple dishes that don’t require a lot of prep. Pack in burgers, deli meats, the fixings for sandwiches, and other items that you can quickly turn into a meal. If you love cooking over an open fire, make sure you invest in the tools needed to stay safe.

Go Off-Grid

The right RV can make it possible for you to really get away from any need for hookups at all. To boondock, you will want an RV with

full freshwater tanks
empty grey water tanks
empty black water tanks
full batteries
solar or a generator
plenty of gas, and
food for your whole trip

Once you’re set-up, boondocking is pretty simple, but it will take some planning to be comfortable. For example, you can extend your boondocking trip by camping near a lake. Instead of a daily shower, you can take a swim. Avoid using the lights inside the camper to save on power and cookout on a firepit instead of using propane in the rig.

Avoid overusing the bathroom facilities; gents can use the bushes and ladies can use a personal funnel in the same manner. If you plan to dig cat holes for solid waste, check the rules and risks around water in the spot where you’re camping. The more careful you are about your resource use, the longer you can stay out in nature, in comfort, and far away from people. If you crave isolation but really can’t function in a tent, boondocking in an RV is a terrific option.

If you’ve been missing travel, you’re not alone. Long trips, or overseas travel, may still be out of the question. However, with a little planning, you can still enjoy a great vacation, recharge your batteries, and enjoy both the bounty of nature and the cities you’ve always wondered about.

Sheryl Wright is a freelance writer whose passions include inclusive business, interior design, and travel. She currently lives in Nashville, TN, with her cat, Saturn.