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The short answer is No. Just like you wouldn’t plan a trip to Florida when a hurricane is approaching my state, now is simply not a good time to come here. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know that we are currently having an exponential rise in Covid-19 numbers. I’m hoping it will not turn into NYC-type scenario, but no one really knows for sure.
If the hospitals get overwhelmed here, this is the last place you want to be at. If anything happens to one of your family members (not necessarily Covid-19 related), you may not get the medical care you need.
So, I absolutely encourage you to postpone your trip if at all possible. There are just too many uncertainties at the moment. Are you OK with possibly being quarantined when you get home? Will you be fine with not being able to access beaches if Florida governor reinstates a stay-at-home order on a short notice?
So, that’s my advice in a nutshell. For a more nuanced answer, read the rest of the post.
Disney vs. Beach
I realize that people have different circumstances. Perhaps you have to be in Florida for whatever reason, and are wondering if you can safely add a few days of recreation. Obviously, I don’t control what readers of this blog do, so my goal is to give advice on staying as safe as possible. As a local, I feel I’m in a unique position to (hopefully) provide some valuable insights.
Let’s face it, majority of people come to Florida for two reasons: Disney and beaches.
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post on Disney World reopening plans. In it I strongly encouraged folks not to take advantage of it this summer. I will go a step further here. I urge you not to go. I’m sure Disney corporation will do everything in its power to make the experience as safe as possible, but there is only so much they can do. To be honest, if the numbers keep climbing the way they have been recently, I really doubt Disney will go ahead with reopening plans.
As far as beaches go, I feel much better about that option. Sure, some are quite crowded, but many are not. When Florida governor lifted stay-at-home order, we went on a short trip to Siesta Key and really enjoyed it.
Would I go there right now? Probably not. While the Siesta beach isn’t as busy as one in Miami, it’s still relatively popular. So, to be on a safe side, I have a tip for you. Choose an island that requires a toll to enter it. This will thin the crowds considerably because most folks prefer “free”. Sanibel is a pretty good option.
An even better choice is Gasparilla island. This is one of Florida’s best kept secrets. So don’t tell anyone, OK? 🙂 It’s an idyllic community with fancy homes and folks who fly there for the winter via private jets.
The good news is, you can enjoy Gasparilla Island State park for $9 ($6 toll, plus $3 parking). A bargain, if you ask me.
We live 1.5 hours from Gasparilla island, and going there for the day is always a treat. I absolutely love this place and recommend it highly. This is an exclusive slice of Florida, but without the pretentiousness that usually goes with it. The best part of Gasparilla island beach is that there are no crowds. Ever.
We went there during Memorial Day weekend, and here is what the beach looked like:
We walked a bit to the left and had zero interaction with anyone.
Again, this was during a holiday weekend. Of course, there are concerns about public restroom etc. Still, as activities go, this is definitely a low-risk one. If this beach is open, we will be going there, pandemic or not. Of course, we will be taking all the necessary precautions. This beach is mostly visited by locals, and last time I checked, Gasparilla island had less than five known Covid-19 infections. So, our chances are pretty good.
On to the bad news. There aren’t that many places to stay on Gasparilla island. You can’t use hotel points, though there are a few options via Chase UR currency since it uses Expedia platform. At this point in time, I absolutely recommend renting a standalone house via AirBnB. Heads up! When you join via my referral link, you will get $40 towards a rental, and I will get $20.
I have several hotel certificates that are due to expire in a few months, but I simply don’t feel comfortable using them during the height of the pandemic. If I lose them, I lose them, so be it.
Unfortunately, Gasparilla island is quite expensive when it comes to lodging. This is a playground of billionaires, and is priced accordingly. That said, there is always an option to rent something nearby, and simply drive to the island every day. Here is a pretty good/affordable option, and it even has a pool.
In about twenty minutes, you can enjoy an uncrowded beach.
If you insist on staying within walking distance of the beach, this is a very good option IMO:
I haven’t stayed in this particular rental, but the location is excellent (across the street from Gasparilla State park beach).
Of course, whatever you reserve, make sure you can cancel without penalty on a short notice. If that’s not an option, consider buying insurance that includes “cancel for any reason.” There are obviously many other beach options in Florida, but this is the one I feel comfortable recommending if you want to avoid people.
Covid-19 isn’t going to jump down your throat when you cross Florida state line. You need to actually interact with people. Eliminate (or reduce) “people” factor, and you cut your risks significantly.
Obviously, you will still need to get groceries, gas etc. Whether you are comfortable with the exposure risks, however small, that’s something only you can decide. Oh, and don’t expect all residents in Florida to wear masks. Some do, but most don’t. Unless it becomes mandatory statewide, I don’t expect the situation to change.
It’s extremely unfortunate that mask usage became so politicized, but that’s just the way it is. If this drives you crazy, stay home. Simple. What’s the point of going on vacation if you can’t relax and enjoy yourself?
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Author: Leana
Leana is the founder of Miles For Family. She enjoys beach vacations and visiting her family in Europe. Originally from Belarus, Leana resides in central Florida with her husband and two children.
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I understand your points and to be honest, I mostly agree. We are currently on our summer vacation. First stop was Scottsdale. I’m truly appalled at how frugal covid19 is to AZ residents. No one wants to wear a mask, they aren’t washing their hands, no one is taking it seriously. I’m afraid to leave the resort! Our hotel seems very clean and safe (you can only do so much).
We are suppose to go to FL after this leg of the trip. My entire family lives there. Best friend just had a baby, sister had a baby, and likely won’t get to see grandmother again after this. But, super concerned about seeing them in the first place after being in AZ even with social distancing, masks, snark see, etc. I’m really going to see family, especially one that I probably won’t get to see again, but then again, no one safety is guaranteed. I’m torn, because I would be fine with traveling right now if everyone was taking reasonable precautions, but that clearly is not the case.
@A This is a tough one, and I can see why you are torn. Obviously, I can’t tell you what to do, this is something only you can decide.
That said, I personally would be leaning towards going, especially if there is a family member who may not be alive much longer. But I would talk to each person and ask them for a straight answer on whether they are comfortable with this arrangement. If they hesitate even a little, I would not visit them. I do think wearing a mask and socializing outside is prudent. Better safe than sorry, right?
As I’ve mentioned in the post, most people in Florida aren’t taking the situation seriously. Don’t expect to see masks when you stop to use restroom at a gas station. I recommend going inside a fast-food place instead. Not sure if it’s much safer, but I personally feel more comfortable there.
For what it’s worth, we just went to Georgia where we rented a cabin. It’s a 9.5 hours from our home, but we decided it would be relatively safe to drive there. We minimized stops, didn’t eat inside, and wore masks when going to the bathroom. Was it enough? I’m not sure, it’s only been four days since we came back.
Not sure you read this post, but I highly recommend it https://www.erinbromage.com/post/the-risks-know-them-avoid-them
It helped me to determine what things we should absolutely avoid, and what types of activities have small risk attached to them. In general, if you avoid human interaction on the way to Florida, you are unlikely to catch the virus. Your biggest threat is from socializing for an extended period of time with your family and friends in Florida. But I believe masks and staying outside (a shaded spot or a porch) should solve that issue. The decision is yours, obviously.
The overreaction and hype is worse than the mild virus. 99.87% of people under 50 survive the virus. Most of those .13% have chronic health issues. If you are healthy, you don’t have to worry about anything. But there is overreaction to positive tests (in which 95% of people who test positive have no or mild symptoms). There is an issue with quarantines and what not.
Give it a month. Wait until August to go.
@Jackson Overreaction isn’t the way to go, that’s for sure. But neither is complacency. Statistics don’t tell whole story, as there are often long-term issues (see our previous post).
This disease has recently become quite personal for me. My mom’s best friend in Belarus ended up in ICU and almost died from Covid-19 (she is recovering). In addition, my sister had to go in for surgery and evidently caught it. She had severe shortness of breath for few days, and was terrified.
Yes, most people will recover, but this isn’t something any of us should underestimate. That said, sitting in a bunker until there is a vaccine is clearly not an option for most. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like there is a middle ground for many folks.
Thank you for telling it like it is. I’m not anti-recreation, as long as the fun is done in a responsible manner. But traveling to FL right now is just playing with fire. An individual may not get a bad case of COVID, but that same individual could easily pick up the virus considering it’s spreading like crazy down there.
We still have our Disney trip on the calendar for November, but at this point it’s highly unlikely we go through with it.
@Projectx I’m quite concerned for my state. We live in a small county, and have close to 500 cases at the moment. Unfortunately, mask wearing is almost non-existent, which is quite puzzling. I also see huge family gettogethers in my neighborhood. It’s like people just gave up and decided to go on with their lives. Of course, there are those who still believe it’s a hoax. It is what it is. This is my home, and we will have to ride it out.
Not gonna lie, we’ve been eying beach front rentals and considering a trip to Disney to enjoy low crowds. We don’t mind the mask wearing.
But the last few weeks changed our thinking. Looks like the only beaches well be seeing will be on Lake Michigan. And the only roller coasters I’ll be seeing is when my kids play that theme park game on Roblox.
Here’s hoping it’s safe enough for in person school in the fall. Not looking good there.
Guess we’ll be saving up our points for awhile.
@Cheapblackdad Yeah, I would put off a vacation to Florida for the next month or two. Things might be better in the fall. Emphasis on “might.” I hate all the uncertainty, but this issue isn’t gonna go away anytime soon. Stay safe, my friend!