Do you have a favorite online travel resource or experience you’ve been using during social distancing?
I still have 2 of my 3 children at home, sixth-graders ages 11 and 12. I have been trying very hard to give them a diverse educational experience while they are out of traditional school.
One thing we have done is virtual museum tours. It is very unlikely I will ever be able to take them to Uffizi Gallery in Florence or the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, but with online tours, we can view the masters together.
We also like going to YouTube and finding other families that like to travel. Right now, we’re hooked on the Bucket List Family. The kids and I watch the episodes together and then we talk about all the fun things they see and do.
Lastly, we like to play “I Won the Lottery.” We pretend that I just won the biggest lottery ever and we can afford to go anywhere in the world we haven’t been to already. They research different ways to get there, the best places to stay and why, the top attractions, and what foods we should try. We have had some fun adventures and they have chosen some shocking destinations.
Where are you planning to go once it’s OK to travel again?
Once it’s safe for us to travel again, I need to see my eldest daughter in Orlando. I have not seen her since February and I miss her terribly. She is getting married in October and her wedding dress is here with me in Texas.
As a bonus, she works for Disney and I have been blessed to have visited the Orlando area theme parks more than 20 times (I stopped counting once I made 20 separate trips). I can’t wait for the parks to reopen. Disney World is my happy place. I have not a care in the world when I’m there—I get to be a kid again. I have stayed in all types of resorts there, but my favorite by far is Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
The location can’t be beat: It’s on the monorail line, there are incredible views of the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the beach, and their quick service food court had Dole Whip!
Have you made any flexible plans to travel?
I have airline tickets and hotels for my daughter’s wedding in October, and a hotel reservation for Cancun in November.
What activities have you taken up during social distancing, other than working from home?
My family and I have been trying to give our children more responsibility (with supervision). Our 11- and 12-year-olds have been learning how to do their laundry and cooking more.
My husband and I love to cook and have dozens and dozens of cookbooks. We have worked out a system where each child creates a menu of new recipes they want to try and cook. In the beginning, we were seeing options like pizza and nachos. The other night we had spiral zucchini noodles with a pesto sauce and spring mix salad with apples, goat cheese, and candied pecans. Can you believe the difference 45 days has made?