Backyard Camping- My Way of Traveling During the Coronavirus Pandemic
After a mad rush to leave Spain and make it back to Minnesota during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, I found myself in a 2 week quarantine in my childhood home.
Read: CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: TRAVELING HOME FROM SPAIN DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC
As someone who spent the first part of 2020 hiking in Spain, snorkeling in Hawaii, living out of a campervan in Australia and doing a month long road trip across America, I was perfectly content to nestle up and do more “normal” activities like binge-watch a series on Netflix or sleep in on a Saturday. But as we entered the third…then the fourth week of quarantine, I was itching to get back to my usual lifestyle. Which involves a little more time in nature and a lot more adventuring.
Don’t get me wrong, the time spent at home has been a surprise blessing. It’s been a very long time since I’ve had such uninterrupted time at home or plenty of free time to work on my blog and catch up with friends. (Only over Facetime, of course.)
But I was ready to get back outside and having another adventure while still abiding by #stayathome 🙂
Quarantine Camping
So I decided I’d find new ways of traveling in my home state. That meant making s’mores over an open fire in the backyard. Driving to lookout points nearby. Going for a walk in the woods. Even setting up “van life” in my car!
Now I realize not everyone has the luxury of having a backyard. (For those of my friends and family quarantined in small city apartments- I feel you! I wish there was something more I could do.) But here in Minnesota, backyards are wonderfully common. So it’s a good state to have to self-isolate in. And despite the snow on the ground in March, things have finally started to thaw around here as we tiptoed into April.
Sunrise and Sunsets
When I’m traveling, I always make a point to go watch the sunrise and sunset over an epic location. Some of my happiest travel memories have included watching the sunrise over the Pyramids of Egypt, the Spanish Steps in Rome or from a mountaintop in South Africa. But when I think back to all the years I’ve lived in Minnesota, I couldn’t remember ever getting out of bed to go watch the sunrise. I must have at some point. But I truly can’t recall even once.
Well if I’ve learned anything from two years of being on the road, it’s that there is endless joy in seeing a place with a fresh set of eyes- full of wonder and appreciation! It’s easy when we are traveling to do this, of course. It’s harder to look with wonder upon a place we have been a thousand times. But that’s how I want to live my life. Whether I’m exploring an exotic tropical island or simply tucked safely at home in quarantine. There is no shortage of wonder to be found 🙂 Even right here, in little old Minnesota.
Traveling has become more of a state of being for me. Appreciating and going through even the simplest moments of life as if they were a dreamy trip in a far off place.
While I look forward to being able to travel again, we can always seek out beauty, adventure and excitement anywhere in the world. No matter where we are or what we’re doing.
I mean, just look at this sunset! Totally free and no plane ticket needed. Thank you Minnesota.
Getting outside
While the parks are no longer open for camping, Minnesota still has countless parks in every corner of the state which are perfectly legal to visit so long as you practice social distancing. Go for a walk, kayak on the lake or take a picnic. If you have kids, the playgrounds won’t be open. But other than that, the parks are available for you to go enjoy. Rather than binge watching yet another TV show, go get some fresh air 🙂
Quarantined In A Blizzard
But earlier didn’t I say the ground began to thaw as we headed into April? Well, there were a few days of unsolicited heavy snow that dumped down on us Minnesotans. After a brief (but total) white out, we are back to sunshine and spring as usual. Although wasn’t the recent spring blizzard beautiful?
Self isolating on the water
There truly is no better place to self isolate than the land of 10,000 lakes. (But did you know Minnesota is actually home to more than 10k? It’s a whopping 11,842 lakes!) While kayak rental shops aren’t open, there are many affordable kayak options on Amazon. This kayak is less than $70. Best of all- it’s inflatable which allows for easy storage. And you don’t need a truck to transport it to and from a nearby lake!
Backyard Camping Gear
Set up camp in the backyard, take the kayak on the lake or go hang a hammock in the woods. There is no shortage of ways you can travel your own backyard during the pandemic.
Yeti Mug
Hammock
Sorel Boots
Pink Beanie
Tent
Wow I miss MN! These photos are absolutely GORGEOUS! Wish I could be on a lake with you right now! ❤️
Thank you Emilee!! I wish you were too! I can’t wait to see you in the near future 🙂