Our first vacation during Covid-19…a REAL Southwest Adventure!
So, we did it . . . finally! We just returned from a 12-day adventure during the 2020 pandemic. We decided that we would utilize our Southwest Companion Passes and venture out into the world once again. It was a REAL Southwest adventure!
But where?
Our destinations of choice – Las Vegas, Nevada, the South Rim of The Grand Canyon, and Sedona, Arizona. For those of you itching to travel like we were, here are some critical differences you can expect to encounter:
MASKS!!
Masks are required EVERYWHERE, especially in all indoor spaces. There was not an indoor space that allowed us to enter without a mask on – and many required thermal temperature scans. Because I am in a family of hikers, we spent most of our time outside. The break from having to wear a mask was a welcomed one.
DINING!!
Another significant area of change for points-based travel during a pandemic is dining – including dining out and ‘complimentary’ hotel breakfasts. We love using our credit card points to stay in beautiful hotels all around the world.
But here’s the deal…
For a large family like mine, we have to book two rooms or suites at each destination. In addition to not having to spend cash for our accommodations, one of the greatest advantages to points-based travel is that FREE breakfasts are usually included in the room charge. Not having a cash expenditure for that most-important meal of the day is a huge blessing. It is also a HUGE savings for a family of six.
Pre-Covid, with the wide breakfast selections and substantial portions offered, my crew could eat a hearty, hot breakfast before heading out for whatever adventure awaited. Sometimes we’d have a light snack for lunch, and other times we wouldn’t eat anything again until dinner.
Oh, the savings!
Paying for only one meal per day is really good on the wallet, especially when the flights and hotel rooms are completely free. Right now however, all breakfasts are “grab and go” due to Covid – and buffets are non-existent.
The replacement option in most locations is a pre-packaged bag of light breakfast snacks, such as a yogurt, a muffin, an apple and a juice. Now to be sure, these “grab-and-go” options were tasty and filled an empty spot. They are also carb-filled “snacks” that won’t stick to the ribs of any of my grown boys.
Still, we were beyond grateful to have them, and instead opted to pay for breakfast while saving the “grab and go” fare as snacks for our hiking backpacks. (I’ll give two shout-outs here: one for Miss Imelda, at the IHG in Tusayan, for lovingly preparing our grab-and-go bags with joy, a warm laugh, and “hot, really good” coffee – and a second for the Hyatt House Staff in Tempe for the complimentary king suite and surprise French Toast on the last day of our trip!)
Where we spend our money…
I would say that, after meals, we spend the most amount of money on spectacular excursions. (For example, click these links to see what we did in Kauai and Maui on last year’s 14-day tour of three islands in Hawaii.) Each of these excursions cost around $1,000 for a family of six.
Usually, I’d say that’s A LOT of money to spend on a one-day adventure. But when flights, accommodations and most food are paid for in points, you have the freedom to splurge a little (or A LOT) . . . and we will NEVER forget those spectacular adventures!
Do your research…
That said, excursions in a pandemic are limited and require a great deal of advance research. So plan ahead, or plan to be creative and come up with your own amazing “self-guided” excursions. Note that YouTube and Pinterest are tremendous resources for “top things to do” videos, and one’s that we use often for guidance in planning our adventures.
CAPACITY!!
The next biggest challenge for travel during a pandemic is capacity. A lot of places will only allow so many people inside their buildings. We ran into this problem at two locations on our trip: once in downtown Las Vegas at the M&M Store, and also later at the Hoover Dam.
Melt’s in your mouth, your hands, and out on the sidewalk!
At the M&M store, they graciously gave out umbrellas to wait in the 119-degree heat (yes, that’s 119 . . . not a typo). As three or four people would leave the store, they’d let in the next group of the same number. My family waited for about 30 minutes. It was worth the wait though, as my 14-year old thought it was incredible to pick out and try unusual flavors of M&M’s! What’s not to love about jalapeno M&M’s, right?
A surprising roadblock
Our second road-block was literally just that. The state of Nevada completely closed the road to the Hoover Dam – we weren’t even allowed to drive to the entrance. It turns out that Las Vegas, Nevada, was the most visited place in the United States during the Labor Day Weekend, and because of the confined spaces on the Hoover Dam tour, they decided to close the entire attraction.
Let’s Get to the Point!
As you read through the posts and pictures over the next few weeks you’ll see that, despite the masks, the thermal scans, the extra dining costs, and the limited excursions, our adventuring-spirits weren’t dampened a bit . . . as there was so very much to see and do. If you strategically plan your travel, and are cautious and respectful to adhere to the rules of the city, state (or country) you are visiting, finding adventure and refreshing during Covid-19 is VERY do-able.
A refreshing southwest adventure!
And don’t we all need some adventure and refreshing about now! The Benz Group had a fantastic trip, and we’ll look back with great fondness for the time we were able to spend together – both at home and on our southwest adventure – during this unprecedented year which has been such a challenge for so many!
How we travel…and how YOU can too!
If you’d like to learn more about how we travel to wonderful destinations, almost entirely on points accumulated through customary “everyday” expenses, feel free to reach out to me HERE! Also, here’s a link to the step-by-step process that we followed to see places that I once thought were completely untouchable for an average family of six, like mine! As well, please follow along on my social media channels, on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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We are a family of 6 as well, and it totally adds up fast! These are great tips for making the most of it all!
Thanks Megan. When my kids were little, we used to pile them all in one room, but now that they’re big, they like their own space. Thankfully there’s still a few places that we can squeeze into (like the Hyatt House or Hyatt Place for example)! Thank you for your kind words.
What a fun trip! That M&M store looks amazing! And that’s too bad the Hoover Dam was closed when you went. I’m sure that would have been so cool to see!
Sydney, we’ll definitely be back, as we haven’t seen the Grand Canyon to the north and we’d love to go to Zion, Antelope Canyon, and Horseshoe Bend! Hopefully we’ll get to see the Hoover Dam then!
Looks like a great first vacation during covid times!
Leeandra, it certainly was. Can’t wait for the next one! Hoping that Covid will be a thing of the past!
We love the M&M store in Vegas! The video is always a family favorite.
Mariah, we loved it too! Four floors of candy goodness!! And I agree!
Even though you had some struggles. It looks like a fun adventure for the whole family! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks Holly! The struggles were small compared to the great adventures!
Glad you didn’t have to wear the masks hiking. Oregon’s governor wants us to wear them every time we step outside!
Ashley, I don’t know how you’d hike with the masks on. We did see a few people going up to Devil’s Bridge with them on. I hope they’re OK – I don’t think I’d have been able to breathe. It was a really awesome adventure nonetheless!!
Wow looks like you had a fun trip and that is awesome that it was paid for with points!
Brianna, thank you. Points have changed our lives forever! We are so thrilled to be able to show our kids the world!
Glad you guys found a way to make the most of it!
Thank you Tiffany! It all made for a grand adventure indeed!
It looks like a good time was had by all. I would not have thought of checking YouTube videos and Pinterest for things to do, but it makes complete sense.
Beth, both YouTube and Pinterest are a wealth of great information. We don’t travel anywhere without searching both!
I am so happy you were able to enjoy your vacation. 2020 has made traveling a completely new adventure.
It definitely has, Sabrina! But still completely do-able with careful preparation and caution!
Like you, I’m enjoying a lot of time outside right now. It’s a great break from having to wear a mask. And Sedona and the Grand Canyon are awesome places to visit.
Chelsea, Sedona was one of our very favorites so far (and of course EVERYONE should see the Grand Canyon in person)!
Sounds like a great time even through these crazy times!
It certainly was, Alyssa!
We’ve encountered similar situations while traveling, but nothing to throw us off the fun track!! Headed to South Rim tmoro!
Debbie, it is absolutely STUNNING! My son said, “Pictures don’t do this justice…you absolutely HAVE to see it in person!” Have a wonderful time!
Using points is such a great way to travel. I have got to open a credit card soon. They just sent me an amazing offer!
Lisa, I’d be happy to help if you have any questions! There are SO MANY great offers out there right now. Blessings!
We’ve traveled with points, too, and also love the free breakfasts. We would usually pay for one meal a day, a huge savings. We’d rather spend our $$ on other things while on vacation!
Kristin, I completely agree! Although Daddy Starbucks does enjoy trying the local flavor!!
Looks like a great trip. It does add up fast with a large family.
Elaina, it sure does! Having the benefit of free breakfast and filling up those bellies saves TONS of money!
Looks like a terrific trip, despite the masks 🙂 Your picture of the tree at the canyon is absolutely gorgeous!
Maria, thank you for your kind words. I live in a house full of photographers and videographers!!
That looks so fun! Glad you were able to travel safely. I wouldn’t have the guts to do it yet, especially with the heat in Vegas! 119?? I’d melt faster than the M&M’s! 😊
Ramae, Haha! That’s how my boys felt. Although being from Nashville, TN, with TONS of humidity, we were surprised at how tolerable 119° was. It was definitely HOT, but we sweat more at 99° at home! Thank you for your kind words!
So that was a bummer that the HOOVER Dam was closed…I hope you enjoyed the rest of your sight seeing!
Thank you Barbara! We’ll definitely be heading back through Vegas to see all the sights on the north side of the Grand Canyon (Valley of Fire Park, Zion, Horseshoe Bend, and Antelope Canyon). Since it’s within an hour of Vegas, we’ll get to see the Hoover Dam then.
Can’t wait to take my kids to Vegas when they are a bit older! Sounds like you guys had an amazing adventure, even with COVID!
Marianne, we sure did! Even during Covid we were able to have an adventure of a lifetime!
We recently flew cross country too. It’s a really different time traveling, but I was really satisfied with Southwest’s safety measures. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Jessica, I couldn’t agree more! Southwest Airlines is going above and beyond – we were so grateful!
Looks like a fantastic trip! I am missing traveling sooo much!
Cindy, we were too! It was definitely a wonderful adventure!
I haven’t traveled too much this year. It’s been busy with a lot of changes for me. I have been to Sedona once a couple years ago and I’d love to go back for more than a couple hours.
Alice, we absolutely LOVED Sedona! I just wanted to let others know that with proper preparation and careful consideration, travel is still a possibility! Blessings!
Glad you had a fun trip! I’ve experienced some of those same restrictions this year, however I’ve been grateful too to explore a bit this year.
It was a fantastic trip, Cindy! More details to follow!