While there is a lot of talk about the return of travel, and the desires of many to reconnect on trips with family and friends, is it possible that there will also be a boom in solo getaways?
As a mom in a family with two children learning at home and two parents working from home, I have started relishing the thought of a solo getaway, all by myself, all on my own, with not a single family member or loved one around.
I dream of strolling alone through an art gallery without checking on the status of zoom school, enjoying a glass of wine without the nagging sensation of having to cook a meal for picky eaters and sitting down in front of the television to watch a show without having the remote snatched away or groans from the peanut gallery "do we have to watch this again?"
During a recent U.S. Travel media presentation, Samantha Brown, host of PBS "Places to Love," hit the nail on the head.
"Sixty-three percent of Americans are desperate to travel. Desperate, that's a spot-on word," she said. "Travel is one of the few things we have in our lives that really marks that fresh start."
That is very true. At this stage of the pandemic, desperate is an apt description of what many people are feeling. But it's what she said later that truly resonated for me when it comes to travel.
"Even though we all want to travel with our families, some of us have been with our families way too much," said Brown. "We are really looking for a solo trip. I don't even need a luxury hotel…I just want a weekend to myself where I can do whatever I want."
Yes! In addition to an epic vacation with my kids and my husband, I would also really like to disconnect. Not from the world, but from all of the responsibilities around work and parenting during this pandemic.
For me, the ideal trip would be adventurous with a healthy dose of relaxation and a side of luxury. But these trips could be anything: Cityscapes to high-end hotels where everything is at your fingertips. They could be adventurous solo treks or health and wellness retreats in secluded locations.
So for those of us planning vacations with family and friends for a future time when travel is reopening, don't forget to plan something for yourself, too.
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