Where will your first post-Covid vacation be?

[MamaLema]

I have never done a Canadian vacation in my life but that’s the first vacation I will go on to support our economy.

 

[Bowen Family]

We’re looking at moving our entire May 2020 WDW trip to May 2021. In the interim, as soon as is permitted we’re booking a cottage in Prince Edward County (a large island 1/2 way between Toronto and Kingston) this summer. The County is our non-Disney happy place and our time there just feels like summer should.

And like others here, will do more domestic travel than normal to help small Canadian businesses rebound. Probably Niagara on the Lake, Ottawa and Montreal.

 

[hdrolfe]

We’re looking at moving our entire May 2020 WDW trip to May 2021. In the interim, as soon as is permitted we’re booking a cottage in Prince Edward County (a large island 1/2 way between Toronto and Kingston) this summer. The County is our non-Disney happy place and our time there just feels like summer should.

And like others here, will do more domestic travel than normal to help small Canadian businesses rebound. Probably Niagara on the Lake, Ottawa and Montreal.

My parents lived in Wellington for 16 years after they retired, moved closer to us in Ottawa two years ago (to Smith Falls). We loved going down there for visits but it was getting more and more "touristy" with so many people from Toronto area buying properties, helped the value of their home pretty much double in that time though! Sandbanks is so lovely, so many nice beaches really.

 

[Bowen Family]

My parents lived in Wellington for 16 years after they retired, moved closer to us in Ottawa two years ago (to Smith Falls). We loved going down there for visits but it was getting more and more "touristy" with so many people from Toronto area buying properties, helped the value of their home pretty much double in that time though! Sandbanks is so lovely, so many nice beaches really.

We’re from Toronto and we hate what Toronto has done to Wellington! Agreed, it’s become too much of a scene.

We book a place in the more rural South Bay and Waupoos area of PEC. It’s just heaven there. And so much great local food and drink. Can’t wait!

 

[Pumpkin1172]

If they want to promote more travel in Canada, the airlines need to reduce the prices of their flights to cross the country. Being from Alberta, we would LOVE to travel to the east coast, but at this point, the cost of doing that is WAY out of our price range just for flights, not even to mention, car rentals, hotels, food etc etc etc.

If I look at taking a trip in late Aug for the 4 of us, it is 3200.00 for flights alone!!!!!! I can fly anywhere outside of Canada for way cheaper than that. And let's be honest, hotel rooms are NOT cheap either. I can find cheaper flights and hotels and food outside of Canada. I would LOVE to go to the east coast, but at this point, it's out of price point.

So we will just vacation in the little piece of our beauty here, maybe venture into BC and spend some of dollars there. But at this point, until the economy picks up, we will probably be sitting tight and trying not to spend any extra money because the is only the beginning of this mess. If we both come out of this with our jobs, we will be ahead of many other Canadians.

 

[Kaadk]

For us, it's all going to depend on the timing of everything. We have a Disney trip planned at the tail of August, that's already been fully paid for (not just Disney, but also park and fly, airfare, shuttles, SeaWorld, etc...). Additionally, we have an RV and usually do several camping trips throughout the year, of which we've had to already cancel some trips, and can't book others because the campgrounds are closed.

So, if things open up where we can go camping before Aug, then we'll be camping wherever we can get in. Most likely I'd try for a provincial park, as they have some of the most spread out and 'socially distanced' campsites compared to commercial campgrounds, but I'll take what I can get wherever. If things open up just in August, it'll be our Disney trip. If we didn't have so much invested, I would have considered cancelling, but with the entire trip booked in full, and so little of it actually refundable, I'm hesitant to make any changes on the off chance that the trip CAN happen. If things don't open up until after August, then I don't really know what will happen. Camping season would be done, but at the same time, I don't think I'd have any set plans with the trip funds I can recover until I get closer and learn what limitations are placed on those various funds.

 

[BLAZEY]

Probably go to my aunt and uncle's cabin at the lake which is a 3 hr drive from here, provided we get the invite of course. We go every summer for a long weekend. My husband doesn't like travelling (with the exception of Disney) so most of our trips in the last 6 yrs have been to either DL or WDW. DD11 was just at the age where it has something for everyone. DD would love to got to Japan and I would love to take her to visit my friend there, who I haven't seen it about 20 years. Our girls are a week apart in age!

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

Exchange is the highest it has been since the pandemic started:

 

[Kaadk]

Exchange is the highest it has been since the pandemic started:

View attachment 498493

I was reading an article about why, but won't mention it further. Check the news if you want to know, but it's not related to the pandemic.

It does suck a little for us right now, as we're in the process of getting things cancelled and refunded. A tanking US dollar means I might not recover the full funds I spent so far on our trip. I'm going to have to watch the refunds carefully to see how they stack up against the cost on the cards when we first booked.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

I didn't mean to insinuate that the fall of the dollar was DUE TO the virus, just that it started to drastically drop around that time.

 

[jump00]

We’re from Toronto and we hate what Toronto has done to Wellington! Agreed, it’s become too much of a scene.

We book a place in the more rural South Bay and Waupoos area of PEC. It’s just heaven there. And so much great local food and drink. Can’t wait!

We‘ve had a cottage in Picton since the 1970’s and can’t believe the changes. I have so many fond memories of Sandbanks, the Regent theatre and all the lovely little shops and restaurants. My parents both moved into a fantastic retirement place (MLP) and we all agreed to sell the cottage and their house in Picton. It was tough but since our vacations are in Florida (a few times a year) it just made sense. Our kids are grown and since my parents just passed away (dad last year and my mom [suddenly] last month) I don’t feel a need to. But...... we will definitely go back to visit!!!!

 

[hdrolfe]

We‘ve had a cottage in Picton since the 1970’s and can’t believe the changes. I have so many fond memories of Sandbanks, the Regent theatre and all the lovely little shops and restaurants. My parents both moved into a fantastic retirement place (MLP) and we all agreed to sell the cottage and their house in Picton. It was tough but since our vacations are in Florida (a few times a year) it just made sense. Our kids are grown and since my parents just passed away (dad last year and my mom [suddenly] last month) I don’t feel a need to. But...... we will definitely go back to visit!!!!

Sorry for your losses

That area is really nice, my parents retired from Ottawa and moved to Wellington down in that area, they were there for 15 years but things have been changing a lot. They moved to Smith Falls to be closer to us kids and grandkids almost two years ago now. (I think it was me that Bowen Family was quoting actually ha ha). I do love that Sandbanks area though. My son misses visiting them there since we had to stay overnight, no day trips like we do to Smith Falls, and there were beaches and "things to do". I hope to go back with him and rent a cottage or something, but not this summer. My parents still have friends down there and the provincial parks have so many cars lining the roads nearby with people trying to to go the beaches, the area is so popular with people from Toronto and Quebec. That was one of the nice things, because of the influx of tourists, they have the amenities for a much larger town.

 

[nicmc1986]

We were supposed to go to Disney in September for a big family vacation but we've moved our vacation to May of 2021. I'm hoping the borders open soon. We have a travel credit for an all-inclusive vacation that we planned for April but it was cancelled. If all goes well, I'm hoping to be on a plane in December to anywhere hot. My friends are also going to Disney in September which I've been added onto the reservation but that's only if borders will be open and no self-isolating is required when we come home.

 

[Kaadk]

We were supposed to go to Disney in September for a big family vacation but we've moved our vacation to May of 2021. I'm hoping the borders open soon. We have a travel credit for an all-inclusive vacation that we planned for April but it was cancelled. If all goes well, I'm hoping to be on a plane in December to anywhere hot. My friends are also going to Disney in September which I've been added onto the reservation but that's only if borders will be open and no self-isolating is required when we come home.

I doubt we're going to be able to get away from the self-isolation for a while yet. With more and more availability in remote work, etc... businesses aren't seeing self-isolation as much of a problem as it was to start. I've seen several businesses basically moving to a "We're open, but we prefer you stay home if you can" mentality anyways. And as long as those businesses are fine with it, there's not as much pressure on them doing away with self-isolation, so the people who work for companies that can't work from home are the ones that are going to suffer.

I figure the border will probably be open by December. Heck, probably by July. But I predict self-isolation requirements will be in place through the end of year at least, if not through 2021 as well. Once a viable, proven and mass produced/distributed vaccine is available and has been administered, we might see self-isolation (after a trip) go away, but probably not before then.

 

[hdrolfe]

I doubt we're going to be able to get away from the self-isolation for a while yet. With more and more availability in remote work, etc... businesses aren't seeing self-isolation as much of a problem as it was to start. I've seen several businesses basically moving to a "We're open, but we prefer you stay home if you can" mentality anyways.

This. And it's funny because I work for the feds and have had bosses who were fine with people working from home, and others who were like "check in with me every 5 minutes so I know you are actually working" if they'd let you do it at all. And now, we are being given so many tools to work this way, it feels long term to me! I love it, but I have a couple friends who are really struggling with it.

 

[bcwife76]

We might head up to the Yukon! We cancelled our August Orlando trip last week The border between the Yukon and BC reopens on July 1 so we are thinking of flying up to Whitehorse in late August!

 

[Pumpkin1172]

We might head up to the Yukon! We cancelled our August Orlando trip last week The border between the Yukon and BC reopens on July 1 so we are thinking of flying up to Whitehorse in late August!

I'm sorry you had to cancel your trip I'm really really hopeful that with the " reset " button that Disney has had to push, once they get more things worked out, and also some time has passed as to how all this craziness with the virus is going to pan out...that there will be an even better "Disney Magic " that people will be able to experience.

Everyone who has plans are so angry ( and rightfully so ) and upset with Disney for what they are doing....but in the bigger picture...I can totally see this turning into something even better for a Disney Experience. It is not going to be today, or tomorrow, or heck even next year....but in the coming years The Disney experience is going to be amazing!!!!

 

[Kaadk]

I'm sorry you had to cancel your trip I'm really really hopeful that with the " reset " button that Disney has had to push, once they get more things worked out, and also some time has passed as to how all this craziness with the virus is going to pan out...that there will be an even better "Disney Magic " that people will be able to experience.

Everyone who has plans are so angry ( and rightfully so ) and upset with Disney for what they are doing....but in the bigger picture...I can totally see this turning into something even better for a Disney Experience. It is not going to be today, or tomorrow, or heck even next year....but in the coming years The Disney experience is going to be amazing!!!!

Too bad we aren't living in the world of Total Recall, where we could just go get the memory of a Disney Vacation implanted.

 

[jump00]

Sorry for your losses

That area is really nice, my parents retired from Ottawa and moved to Wellington down in that area, they were there for 15 years but things have been changing a lot. They moved to Smith Falls to be closer to us kids and grandkids almost two years ago now. (I think it was me that Bowen Family was quoting actually ha ha). I do love that Sandbanks area though. My son misses visiting them there since we had to stay overnight, no day trips like we do to Smith Falls, and there were beaches and "things to do". I hope to go back with him and rent a cottage or something, but not this summer. My parents still have friends down there and the provincial parks have so many cars lining the roads nearby with people trying to to go the beaches, the area is so popular with people from Toronto and Quebec. That was one of the nice things, because of the influx of tourists, they have the amenities for a much larger town.

Thank you. Wellington is such a lovely place. I’m glad your parents have moved closer - but I’m sure they miss the area. Picton and the surrounding area has some of the best shops around!!!!

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

I managed to find a solar cover for my 15 ft Intex pool. Had to buy one that fits a 18 ft pool, but that's okay. Without an actual heated pool, the season is only around 2 months in Halifax!