Cheers to 4 Years of Socially Distant Travel Recommendations

Four years after I launched JaimeSays.com, it turns out that purposefully quiet travel is extremely in vogue! Nowadays, it is called “socially distant” travel, but regardless, the premise is the same. I seek to share locations that are not particularly crowded, not popular on a national scale, and that take make you feel welcome and joyful. I’ve learned of many of those places over the years, and here are some of my favorite socially distant travel recommendations in the United States.

North American Pizza and Culinary Academy — NAPCA in Lisle, Illinois.

Socially Distant Travel Recommendations: Northern Illinois

Hanging out in Chicago is not ideal, but DuPage County has great things to see! Some of my favorites are cooking classes at the North American Pizza and Culinary Academy and the visiting the Willowbrook Wildlife Center.

Michigan

I love a quick weekend getaway to Michigan just as much as the next Illinoisian, but there’s something special about going the distance in the Mitten. Petoskey, Charlevoix, and Boyne City in Northern Michigan happen to have some of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen, and plenty of cultural and outdoor recreation, all four seasons.

Prefer to go somewhere, really isolated? The Upper Peninsula is the ultimate socially distant travel destination. Full disclosure: it’s hard to find anything very upscale, and it’s not a foodie destination. Luckily, fresh air, open spaces, and limited people are guaranteed. Expect to see some crowds at the the height of summer season, but they are minimal. Consider a trip up this fall for the changing of the leaves and check out the shipwrecks of Lake Superior.

Kootenai Idaho Float — Floating the Kootenai River with Longdrift Outfitters out of Sandpoint, Idaho.

Idaho and Montana

It’s no secret that Idaho is my favorite state, with its neighbor Montana right up there. There is something about the diversity of the Idaho landscape that speaks to me. From the forested panhandle to the high desert of southern Idaho, it all makes my heart skip a beat. While it takes a little extra work to get to places like Salmon and Redfish Lake, it’s worth the effort. In fact, I’m in Idaho as I’m writing this! With the unrest of Chicago and the Midwest hanging over our heads, we wanted some quiet. Ideally, we would have had three or four more days off so we could start in Sandpoint and end in Whitefish and Kalispell, Montana but we didn’t have the time. Perhaps you have 6-10 days to try that route!

Whitefish Goat — A statue of a mountain goat outside of the Whitefish Train Depot.

There are certainly a plethora of places about which I have yet to write. Maybe I haven’t visited yet, or I haven’t been in the right mindset to write. It’s true; my posting has been significantly less consistent in the last five months. Like so many, I have wrestled with the turmoil of COVID-19, my job, and my physical and mental health. I’ve spent this time prioritizing myself and my family first. Stay tuned for posts on Medford, Oregon, and more Midwest locales to consider for a socially distant getaway. If you have any recommendations, I’d love to hear about them!