We have had the same experience with TSA the last two times we’ve flown - ID only.
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Ok toledo - i love road tripping - and 1900 miles in 3 days is a long trip! Hope you had good podcasts and books! Planning some road trips this spring and summer for ourselves in our newly inherited v8 17 yr old old-man -few-miles caddy.
I do not understand this though. what am i missing?
I think it means @Toledo stopped at some Choice Hotels to use restrooms when she hadn’t stayed at THOSE Choice Hotels.
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thumper is correct. Restrooms are the toughest part of a long road trip
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H and I have done a lot of road trips during the pandemic especially in the winter since we are avid skiers. We find that the truck stops are a great option for bathrooms. The ones we have stopped at in the western states have all been very clean and not crowded.
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We figure that we’ve spent more than enough $$$$ at Dunkin Donuts and McDonald’s over the decades to use their facilities when traveling. They owe us (!)
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When I look for airline tickets I have found sometimes it is cheaper to buy 2 one way tickets instead of round trip. The ticket from NY to SC was over $500 on UA, but when I priced it out on expedia I was able to get it for $350 (with premium class upgrade) by flying UA one way and Jetblue one way. I did the same for my trip to Italy.
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For domestic flights, there’s no reason to book round trip. One way flights offer more flexibility. However, for transoceanic international flights, especially on foreign carriers, it’s often significantly cheaper to book round trip.
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I booked a premium economy out and business back. For me booking with 2 different airlines were a lot cheaper.
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I never use restroom facilities at a business without buying something there. It’s not corporate that has to pay the local bills if they’re franchised. Corporate just takes a cut of the tally. It’s easy enough to buy some fries or a chocolate bar at the very least - or gas at gas stations.
We haven’t had issues using interstate rest areas. We’re masked and inside for a very short period of time.
There’s nothing like doing chores when the outside temp is in the teens… < one week to Vitamin D recharging begins assuming we pass the Covid test (been studying hard!) and no mask (or whatever) idiot has booked our flight.
When we return in March spring should be here (or soon here).
God makes younger kids to take care of critters in Feb. The eagerness in their faces to do the job takes away any guilt I feel. The critters might actually get more attention from them!
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Is anyone else planning travel to Europe for this coming summer? It looks like we’re going for it- planning a two week trip to Italy in early June! Are we crazy?
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In Florida right now and loving it. Haven’t even thought about a mask in a week. Can’t beat the normalcy of being here and escaping the below zero weather.
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USVI still requires masks and supposedly enforces it with fines. I’m hoping that’s the case in reality. Time will tell.
Last year we went to FL camping and it was safe enough for us with what we did, but I know some people who live near us who brought Covid back from their FL trips over the past year. We didn’t even consider FL for this year. I live in a place where many people don’t care and definitely prefer places where people do, esp since I ran out of sympathy cards on hand this past week.
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You are not crazy- go for it. Just make sure your hotels/tickets are refundable or can be changed without fees!
Where in Italy?
Europe is pretty easy. Came back early from my home in Germany to make sure I didn’t get stuck but all is well if you stay up to date on border requirements and testing policies daily.
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We decided to postpone our trip to Europe. I just don’t want to wear masks everywhere while on vacation. I also don’t want to have to cancel plans again like I do in 2020. What a pain. We’ll hang out at our cabin this summer and look forward to traveling internationally in 2023.
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I think that in pre covid times, I wouldn’t have used the restroom without buying. But I’ve got off the interstate and gone to multiple places that weren’t open and nature calling. I guess until the pandemic is going better, I’m going to give myself some leeway.
And in more populated parts of the country, I feel that rest areas and stops are more plentiful than some other parts of the country. Here we have some wide open 2 lane highways, the rest areas close in the winter and nature calls.
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I don’t get it… why in pre-covid times, but not now? What we do hasn’t changed due to Covid. Since we generally choose to stay off interstates when we’re road tripping I fully get that there aren’t always rest areas. There are always gas stations or stores though and it’s super easy to grab a snack to help pay them back for providing a restroom instead of making them eat the cost for the facilities and cleaning, etc.
It isn’t that easy. Since covid, many fast food restaurants don’t allow people inside. I was in one gas station where the line was 6 deep, waiting to pay the cashier. Over half of gas station restrooms were not real clean, in my opinion. Things HAVE changed since covid.
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