Remote Vacations Are On the Rise, but Not the Way You Think

by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 12:25 PM ET, Mon July 12, 2021

Results from a recent survey by VacationRenter found that remote, socially distanced vacations are on the rise, but the results might not be exactly what you'd expect.

Since the pandemic, more than half of the survey's 1,027 respondents had taken a remote getaway, the majority having stayed in a cabin around one to three hours away from their homes. Around one quarter of participants drove a bit farther, four to six hours away. Most people stayed with their partners and their families.

While these results are not so surprising, almost half of those who went on vacation stayed in a cabin off the grid, 83 percent having no access to the internet and 74.5 percent without cell service. The large majority (83 percent) of those who stayed off-the-grid felt better, more at ease and more relaxed without internet or cell service.

The reasons for staying off the grid were varied. Most wanted to spend time in nature (74.5 percent), many also wanted to spend time in a quiet place (63.1 percent), while almost the same amount wanted to get away from their daily lives and routines (62.7 percent).

For the travelers who chose not to stay off the grid, their main reasons were wanting access to entertainment via the internet, like streaming services (50.6 percent) and contact with family (44 percent), and being worried about missing out on important information (36.8 percent).

Four out of five respondents said their remote getaway improved their mental health, even when 26.3 percent of those who vacationed remotely also worked during their vacation. Of those who worked remotely, 65.2 percent noticed an increase in productivity. Almost everyone surveyed said they felt less stressed after staying at a remote cabin or campground, at 95 percent.

Will this trend in taking more remote, nature-centric vacations continue? The survey results suggest that it will. Of those planning a remote vacation this year, 66.5 percent were interested in staying off-the-grid, while 88 percent agreed that the pandemic made them more interested in taking a remote vacation this year.

The most popular areas for remote getaways are the mountains (36.3 percent), beaches (32.2 percent) and forests (29.9 percent).

For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.