Tag: Covid-19

Salem Info Booth During the 2020 Pandemic

Posted in Halloween, History, Quarantine, SalemTagged , , , , , 2 Comments

If you’ve seen any of my previous posts on volunteering at the Haunted Happenings/Salem Main Streets Visitor Information Booth, or this hopeful post from 2019 exclaiming how Halloween 2020 was going to be epic (5 weekends AND a Full Moon on a Saturday Halloween?!?!?), then you can probably guess that my depression grew deeper and deeper as October came closer and the cases were increasing.

At the end of August, our Mayor cancelled the October 1st Haunted Happenings Parade and the Halloween Night Fireworks (the official beginning and ending of the season, respectively). The weekend street fairs then were cancelled and moved to online marketplaces. Businesses were given strict regulations on capacity inside their stores as well as their outdoor queues, and all restaurants had to serve guest outdoors at distanced tables. Given that many Salem businesses rely on the October Tourist money for a majority of their annual earnings, it was a difficult time for everyone. We even canceled the Info Booth.

In an effort to keep the city safe and keep the crowds away, the city cancelled all outside advertisements and promotions, however, the crowds still came and stood in line to visit shops and restaurants. Attractions and walking tours had to go to a timed reservation model, many of which sold out within minutes of going live. Destination Salem launched an app they had been developing to help tourists navigate the city. It proved invaluable, especially since it sent notifications as soon as attractions or tours sold out.

Destination Salem app ad
I highly recommend downloading the app if you ever come to visit Salem – at any time of year – you can filter the maps to whatever it is you are interested in, and it links directly to event, attraction, restaurant, shop, and tour websites.

It became clear that people would come, no matter the circumstances. Massachusetts had a travel ban on several of the surrounding states, and there were strict rules about travelers flying in, but still we had people driving up from New Jersey and New York for the day without any plans or reservations. The Mayor and Haunted Happenings staff made the media rounds declaring that Halloween in Salem was cancelled and to please stay home, pleading with people to postpone trips until another time or for October 2021. Still, the crowds came. Attractions that went online for reservations at midnight, were sold out within minutes, or had their websites crash with all of the sudden, concentrated attention. The city closed all public parking garages at 10am on the weekends leading up to Halloween. With sidewalks being used for outdoor seating at the restaurants, or for the queues to get into shops, many streets were blocked off or temporarily made to be one-way, even the pedestrian street. Still, the crowds came. The city mandated that all downtown businesses must close at 5pm on weekends, with restaurants allowed to stay open until 10pm. Still, the crowds came.

This image appeared on billboards along the routes into Salem, and made the rounds on local news stations.

Because people were showing up and facing long wait times, sold out attractions, and uncomfortable crowds, it was decided that the Info Booth should be reinstated, but in an altered form. We set-up an awning outside the National Park Service Regional Visitor Center (which had to close it’s exhibits, screenings, National Parks Info Desk, and restrooms for safety, so was only open as a shop with limited hours), and worked in shifts of 2 (typically, we would have 4). Using the app, we would update a dry erase board with a list of sold-out attractions. We had maps and “I wore my mask in Salem” stickers, as well as hand sanitizer and posters promoting the app. I refused to hand anything out, or to touch anyone else’s map, so I brought a pointer that I had attached a small pointing hand to. Other volunteers brought laser pointers or used a pen.

Tourists would walk up, see the board of unavailable attractions, and they would all ask the same thing:

What ISN’T sold out?

The first thing to sell-out every weekend was The Salem Witch Museum, so I would tell them this story:
“One of the most popular questions during a normal season is ‘Where is the Witch Museum?’, to which we all like to respond: ‘Which Witch Museum?‘ You see, we have several. The Salem Witch Museum is sold out, but we also have the Witch Dungeon Museum, the Witch History Museum, the Salem Wax Museum, and the Salem Witch Village. In addition (in normal years), Cry Innocent at Old Town Hall is a live reenactment of one of the witch trials, the Peabody Essex Museum is currently showing a special exhibition of artifacts from the trials (through April 4, 2021).

The other popular one this year (typically from the NY and NJ families that drove up without any plans):

We just got here. What should we do?

My favorite response to that was: “Well, what are your expectations for today?” I didn’t come up with that one, but I used it a lot, and it was very effective. I could usually steer them in the right direction finding out what they were interested in. I can see using this question during normal years as well.

Alongside having a knowledge of Salem, a friendly, approachable attitude, and a willingness to deal with the Public and all their foibles and demands, the most important part of the gig is the Costume!

I have amassed quite a collection of costumes, so I can easily grab one, but a lot of them are dependent on weather. Some are nice and warm for those chilly October days, and some are thin and cool for those Global Warming October days. I try to rotate my costumes throughout the season, so I’m not wearing the same thing each shift, and I try to add a new one to the rotation each year. Each year, I find myself working during a rain storm, and each year, I struggle to find and outfit that works. I had an epiphany during a cold rainy shift in 2019 – one of those days that the rain blows sideways and umbrellas turn inside-out. I could be the Gorton’s Fisherman! I’ve had the yellow overalls, jacket, and Sou’wester hat in my “buy later” list for a long time. I could easily whiten my beard and stick a box of fish sticks to my bag or something. When it looked like Halloween wasn’t happening this year, I didn’t go through with it. Maybe I will for 2021.

The first shift’s outfit is traditionally what I have come to call “Ambassador Witch” This was the first costume I put together for the Info Booth, and it now feels like my uniform (this year with the addition of a mask).

Ambassador Witch (2020 version)

Since this year’s shifts were so last-minute, and I didn’t want to repeat, I went to social media to ask my friends to vote for the next outfits:

6 Variations in Search of an Answer:
(l to r, top row) Trade Merchant, Ravenclaw Alumnus (modern), Ravenclaw Alumnus (vintage)
(l to r, bottom) Kilted Autumnal Ren Faire Mishmash, Herbology Professor, Norma(n) Desmond

I told everyone that I would wear the outfit that got the most votes (with a caveat about the weather). Norma(n) Desmond got the most votes (obviously), but that outfit requires a cool, dry day, so I had to go with the runner-up:

It was a VERY warm day, so the “natural air conditioning” really was the best choice

While I did not make the boots, kilt, bag or belt, I did make the vest, shirt, hat and mask.

Because there were not a lot of us that were willing to volunteer, I was scheduled to work on Halloween day. It was my hope that I could wear Norma(n) Desmond (I made a much better matching mask and turban than in the above picture), but the day started with rain and it was very chilly, so wearing satin pajamas, slippers, and a satin kimono* that dragged behind me didn’t seem like the best idea, so I went with one of the Ravenclaw outfits:

Forgive the spooky frame and low quality.

The only things I made on this outfit were the hat and the mask. The blue Vintage Ravenclaw robe is based on the Fantastic Beasts movies. I purchased the robe and the tie at Remember Salem. My “wand” was the telescoping pointer with tiny hand I used each shift for pointing out all of the Hocus Pocus film locations on the guests’ maps. It was a big hit. What you can’t see is the Marauder’s Map backpack I made filled with disposable gloves, bottled water, extra maps (for walking to/from the booth), stickers, and a carabiner bottle filled with hand sanitizer.

Halloween Info Booth by the Numbers:

For those of you who are new to this, each shift is 2 hours long, and we have a clicker to count guests. If you are asked a question, or offer help to someone, you click it for the number of people in their group. So one easy question for a family of 8 or a dance troupe of 20 can really add up. Each of the numbers below are the totals for each shift. There are 2 listed on the 17th because someone called-in sick, and I didn’t want someone to handle the second shift alone, so I pulled a double.

October 3rd: 137 (Ambassador Witch)
October 17th: 277 (Black & White Beetlejuice Suit, top hat, black shirt, cravat & pocket square – seen here)
October 17th: 215 (ditto)
October 24th: 301 (Kilted Autumnal Ren Faire Mishmash)
October 31st: 301 (Ravenclaw Alumnus, vintage)

Total for 2020: 1,231 people helped over 5 shifts (10 hours).

In comparison:
2019: 1,388 over 5 shifts (10 hours).
2018: 1,967 over 6 shifts (12 hours).
I don’t have the 2016 and 2017 numbers. Also, these are all the “official” numbers. I wear my “Ask Me, I’m a Local” button anytime I’m walking around Salem, and because I am aggressively helpful, I stop to help loads of people on my way to and from the booth (hence the extra maps and stickers in my bag), so add a few dozen to each of those numbers.

You will notice that the numbers are not that far off 2019 to 2020, considering we were in a pandemic. Given the nice weather, the extra weekend, and the Saturday Full Moon Halloween, it is clear that this would have been a Haunted Happenings for the record books, had things been normal.

All-in-all, I am glad that I was able to get out and help people, especially since my free (to Salem residents) Covid-19 tests all came back negative.

Fingers crossed for a safe 2021 Halloween!

*I made Norma(n) Desmond on a lark. I had been working from home since March 12, 2020, and hadn’t left the house to do anything, so I remarked to a friend (on Zoom) that “If I’m forced to live like an eccentric recluse, I’m going to start dressing like one!” When my quarantine hair was out of control, I watched a video to learn how to tie a turban as a joke. I had already made a cotton kimono out of some Hawaiian fabric I had, and had designed and made a caftan just to learn how to do it. So, when I saw this video of Glenn Close, I knew I HAD to make that outfit (or something close to it):

https://youtu.be/4Y-hmaltmxs

I wore it one night (slightly drunk) while watching the original movie and once on Zoom as a surprise for a friend’s birthday. Since then, I’ve added gloves and a ring and upgraded the turban, so if you come to Salem in 2021 or beyond, maybe you’ll see it in person…

Practical Pandemic Protocols

Posted in Family, Quarantine, Salem, Uncategorized, WorkTagged , , , , Leave a comment

All we can do is our best to keep ourselves, and each other, safe.

My husband is a teacher, and the school has decided that he will teach in person and that the students will be grouped into 2 cohorts and will rotate 2 days live/2 days virtual. His classroom had markings on the floor where he can stand and his students sit (desks will not be moved), with multiple cameras and a TV screen at the back (so he can see the students at home) and front (so the students can see the other students?), plus 3 cameras: teacher, students, board. The school put in a lot of money to outfit these classrooms and create procedures that keep the faculty and students safe. He feels safe and is proud of what the school has put in place.

To keep us both healthy and safe, here are the protocols we have implemented (adapted from a friend’s wife, who is married to a nurse) for his arrival home (any grocery shopping, gas fill-ups, etc. are done on the way from school to home):

HIM: Walk in, go directly to the guest bathroom to strip and shower, putting all of his clothes and his cloth mask (the disposable liner will have been disposed of at school) into a sealed laundry basket or zip-top bag.

ME: (Wearing gloves and a mask) disinfect the outside back door handle, the inside door handles and anything else he may have touched on his way in. Once every few days (to be determined), I will collect the laundry bin or sealed bag and put it directly into the laundry, and disinfect the laundry basket with each load. Shoes will be kept in a covered bin that stays in the back hallway (sprayed with Lysol when possible).

He is tested at school twice a month. I have access to free testing through the city of Salem whenever I need or want it, so we will monitor our results.

I don’t know how long we will keep this up, or what changes we may need to make to it, but I thought I would share, in case anyone else is dealing with a similar situation. If you have any ideas, please leave them in the comments below.

Stay safe!

Quarantine Staycations – Part 2

Posted in Discussions & Opinions, Family, History, Nature, Popular Culture, Quarantine, Salem, SERIES, Vacation PlanningTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Note: This is the second installment of a two part series. Part 1 can be found here.

Background:
In an earlier post from April, I offered advice on creating a “Verifiable Weekend” while working from home by either creating or breaking routines (if you missed it, I suggest taking a look at Making Time When It All Blends Together – the weekend section is at the end). With all of our travel plans cancelled and the inability to leave (or return to) the state without a 72-hour COVID-19 negative test, health attestation application, or 14-day quarantine, I have not really thought about taking vacation time. As the end of Summer looms here in New England, and as the Zoom fatigue starts bearing down, however, maybe now is the time to take some time away. I blocked time in my boss’ calendar to make sure she took some time off to de-stress and re-center. I should do the same for myself, and so should you.

Part 2: What if you can leave your house, but can’t leave the state?

Part 1 focused on suggestions for those that have to stay at home. Part 2 will broaden the scope to those that are healthy enough to travel locally, but cannot cross state lines. Since I live in Salem, I will be highlighting day trips within Massachusetts – however, I hope the ideas might inspire you to search for similar trips in your area.

Where to begin?

Planning:
The key to any successful trip, in my opinion, is very careful planning. I chose those words intentionally – I am not saying completely planning every moment, but thinking strategically about the entire trip and being carefully selective in planning key elements. Taking the time to research and make these plans ahead of your vacation will ensure that your time on vacation is spent relaxing and enjoying yourself.

One thing that is very important to schedule: Serendipity. Wait, what?!? “But Eric!”(I hear you say) “Serendipity is defined as the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. How can I schedule that?!” When planning your vacation, be sure to schedule free time to let unexpected things happen.

Consider these scenarios:
After arriving at your destination, a local gives you a suggestion of something you simply must do when you are there. If you’ve scheduled every moment, you would be forced to chose whether or not to cancel one of your plans to fit the new adventure in. Or maybe, because you’ve scheduled so many activities or tours, there is no time to enjoy the beautiful pool, the fire pit, or the hot tub where you are staying. What if something took longer than you expected on your Day 1 itinerary? If you’ve scheduled serendipity for Day 3, you can go back and finish anything you skipped, or go back to check out that quirky-looking antique book store that you quickly passed during the hidden secrets walking tour.

Brochures found at the local visitors center

Or, if you are adventurous, you can throw caution to wind and play Lobby Brochure Roulette! Each member of your party closes their eyes and grabs a random brochure, then everyone agrees on one of those chosen (depending on cost, distance, if reservations are needed, physical limitations, etc), and that is what you are doing for the day! As a very good friend of ours used to say:

Let whimsy be your blind date!

James Nance, Gentleman & Scholar

Of course, please also schedule downtime. If you go on three major hikes in three days, you are going to need some time to rest and recover.

Day Trips

A few years ago, I noticed that we worked so hard during the week that we never thought about the weekend until we were in it. Sick of wasting time, and longing to do some of the things we always talked about doing, I filled a jar with day trip ideas. The plan was that we would choose one (Friday night or early in the morning) and that would be what we would do. Here is the list I came up with all those years ago, in case you want to start your own Day Trip Jar (again, this is only going to appeal to the Massachusetts crowd, but note there are some out-of-state options included):
DAY TRIPS

Here in Massachusetts, we are in phase 3, step 1 of reopening, which allows for restaurants (indoor and outdoor), hotels, museums, gyms, outdoor venues, and movie theaters to be open. All businesses that have been allowed to open so far have been given very specific and strict restrictions and regulations to keep both their employees and the public safe.

Please research and adhere to all regulations posted by each place you visit. Most businesses require you to wear a mask when in their establishment, and to practice social distancing requirements. A good rule of thumb, when in doubt, is to wear your mask and stay 6 feet from others, even if it is not required. Be a good citizen. Protect yourself and help to protect others.

Finding the Fun: Vacations should be relaxing, yes, but they should also be fun. Whether you have a family, are a solo traveler, or it’s just the two of you, remember to play.

Play Tourist: Is there a museum, attraction, or historic spot in your own home town that you have never been to because that’s for tourists?! Well now is your chance to be a tourist. In all likelihood, the crowds that usually flock to these places are not doing so right now, so you will have the luxury of it not being crowded, and you will be supporting your local economy. Find a walking tour, either self-guided, or by a local expert. We are lucky enough to have Salem Food Tours, and I expect the nationwide trend of eating/playing/drinking locally means that you probably have one in your city, or one nearby. Maybe you can find a tour of haunted places, or hop on a Segway, a trolley, a kayak, a schooner, or a duck boat that brings you all around the city. You’ll be surprised at the things you learn, and you’ll be better prepared with options when you have future visitors that are looking for something to do.

Play Photojournalist: Here on this blog, I tend to let the photos speak for themselves (see Salem Willows, Witchcraft Victims’ Memorial in Danvers, and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, for examples), usually because I’ve taken too many photos! Try to be more like the staff of The Atlantic: take your camera (or camera phone) with you and take photos of everything you see, noting special details on a small pocket notebook (or in your phone’s Notes), so when you get home, you can create a full narrative of your day. Try making a short slideshow video with narration or subtitles and post it to YouTube, or start a blog and write-out a full story, weaving the photos throughout. If you are a savvy social media Influencer, create interest in your content by posting the photos in a series, releasing one photo at a time with accompanying captions on Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok. Heck, you could even create your own book to give as gifts! In the same way that playing tourist in a familiar place can make you see things you’ve overlooked, photographing something with the intent to convey the feeling and sense of a place to someone else can be a wonderful exercise in seeing the world in a unique and meaningful way.

Play Researcher: We don’t have children, but this is definitely the kind of thing we would do with them on a regular basis if we did:

1. Pick a location.

2. Go to the Library (or the internet, if your libraries aren’t open) and do research pertinent to that location.

3. Visit the location, where the Researcher acts as guide and teacher for everyone else.

Examples: Pick a historic place and have the researcher point out the things they learned in their research. Find an autobiography of a local person and visit their home, or all of the local places mentioned in the book. Choose a specific period/style/culture and visit an art, history, or science museum, where the researcher acts as docent. Learn about local flora and fauna and take a walk in a nearby forest, beach, or tide pool, where the researcher can identify specimens. Choose one animal or a remote location (like the Serengeti) and visit a zoo where the researcher can teach about the natural habitat or attributes of the animals. Choose a city block that contains many different architectural styles or features and point out the ones they have learned about. Learn about the three major classical orders of columns (Doric, Ionic, & Corinthian) then walk around a city and point them out.

Several of the items found on the Day Trips list lend themselves to these approaches, and I believe these approaches bring a form of engagement to your activities that can make everyone appreciate and enjoy the trip in a special way.

Overnight Trips

As I mentioned earlier, hotels are now open (with restrictions), as well as campgrounds, home shares, and B&B’s in Massachusetts. Basically, the only things not open are arenas, gambling facilities, theme parks, and other high-capacity venues, along with any non-medical close contact services (massage, waxing, etc.). So if your plans involve large gatherings or a stranger getting up-close-and-personal, then you are out of luck.

A lot of the same rules and ideas apply, but keep in mind:
1. Research what is open and what the local regulations are.
2. Wear a mask (bring several – at least one per day, or plan to disinfect it).
3. Always stay socially distant from those people that are not part of your pandemic pod.
4. Find out if you may need to reserve a specific time to enter certain museums or buildings, and plan accordingly.
5. Check all of the meal options in the area. Do the restaurants offer delivery or pick-up? Consider packing a cooler with pre-made muffins, sandwiches, charcuterie, snacks and water to limit the contact with delivery persons to one meal per day.
6. Pack disinfecting wipes, disposable gloves, and hand sanitizer.

Hotels:
If you walk into a hotel and the person behind the desk is not wearing a mask (or wearing it incorrectly), turn right around and stay somewhere else. This goes for any member of the staff.

If you can, check before you book if the hotel is making safety a priority. Feel free to call them and ask what they are doing to curb the pandemic. If you do not feel comfortable with their practices, book somewhere else. The most important thing right now is that you feel safe during your vacation.

Camping:
My husband’s idea of camping is staying on the Club Level at the Wilderness Lodge, but we have family with RVs and campers. I think those that have the money (and parking space) for an RV are the luckiest during this time. While some campgrounds still remain closed, there are many that are open with restrictions (communal bathing houses and restrooms are hard to control). If your hotel room is on wheels in an RV, you have the most control over your environment. You know if every surface has been thoroughly disinfected, and you can sleep in comfort knowing that you are safe. Unfortunately, this is a luxury most of us cannot afford. If you are camping in a tent, the idea is similar, however, you may be beholden to using the campground public facilities, which can be risky.

Home Sharing:
Unlike corporate hotels, Home Share sites have no governance when it comes to requiring compliance with CDC guidelines and keeping a safe and clean accommodation. I suggest, when making your search for such an accommodation, that you only consider properties where you can contact the owner directly and can ask them how they clean the house between guests. If you do go this route, I would highly recommend bringing your own disinfecting wipes and cleaning products. This is easily done, since you are likely driving to this location – no flight restrictions!

Cash or Card?:
COVID-19 has further divided the populace on the question of cash vs. card. I have seen both extremes, with a drive-through cashier refusing to handle a card (even with gloves) to gas station attendants not accepting cash. It’s hard to know what you will face, so I suggest being ready to use either. Remember: you are the visitor, the guest, in this place – act with grace and humility. If someone balks at you handing them cash, whip out your card, do NOT argue with them or become a Karen. They are risking their health, and the health of their families to provide you with whatever service you are asking for, so please be civil and patient.

Packing Clothing:
Unfortunately, I think you will have to pack twice as much as you normally would. We don’t really know how long the coronavirus can stay active on clothing, but if an asymptomatic carrier should cough on you, or you somehow brush against a hard surface that is infected, you are not going to want to wear that clothing again until it’s been washed and disinfected. Pack large zip seal bags in your suitcase to collect dirty laundry, and wash your hands thoroughly after putting them in the bags. When you get home, wear gloves when handling the laundry, or wash thoroughly after putting them in the machine. Make sure you use a high heat setting on the dryer.

Scared yet?

It is certainly not my intention to frighten you out of taking a vacation – just the opposite. I want you to have the vacation you deserve and to do so in a healthy, relaxing, and memorable way. It’s in my nature to plan for the worst and expect the best, but I am also an advocate for adding fun and frivolity to everyday life to keep it interesting.

I hope you enjoyed this series of posts. I’d love to hear your thoughts on how you make the most of your vacation time during a pandemic, and if you’ve taken any of my ideas, I’d absolutely love to hear how it went! Leave a comment below.

Stay safe.

Quarantine Staycations – Part 1

Posted in Discussions & Opinions, Disney, Nature, Popular Culture, Quarantine, Reflections, SERIES, Vacation PlanningTagged , , , , , , , 1 Comment

In an earlier post from April, I offered advice on creating a “Verifiable Weekend” while working from home by either creating or breaking routines (if you missed it, I suggest taking a look at Making Time When It All Blends Together – the weekend section is at the end). With all of our travel plans cancelled and the inability to leave (or return to) the state without a 72-hour COVID-19 negative test, health attestation application, or 14-day quarantine, I have not really thought about taking vacation time. As the end of Summer looms here in New England, and as the Zoom fatigue starts bearing down, however, maybe now is the time to take some time away. I blocked time in my boss’ calendar to make sure she took some time off to de-stress and re-center. I should do the same for myself, and so should you.

Where to begin?

Planning:
The key to any successful trip, in my opinion, is very careful planning. I chose those words intentionally – I am not saying completely planning every moment1, but thinking strategically about the entire trip and being carefully selective in planning key elements. Taking the time to research and make these plans ahead of your vacation will ensure that your time on vacation is spent relaxing and enjoying yourself.

Part 1: What if you have to stay at home?

Think of your space differently:
If you have been working from home like some of us, you likely have a room, or just a space, where you work remotely. Plan to erase all signs of work from that space when it’s time for vacation. Put your laptop, notebooks, files, coffee cup, pens, lamps – whatever you added to that space to make it a workspace – into a closet or someplace where it is out of sight and out of mind. You want to be able to use this space during your vacation, and don’t want to be reminded of work. Reclaim it for relaxing. Set-up a puzzle, or a complex board game, or tools for a new hobby on your desk. If you’ve taken over the dining room table for working, make sure it’s cleared and use it for it’s original purpose. Eat all of your meals there2.

Change your bedroom into a hotel room by ordering a new set of sheets or duvet cover online, wash them, and wait to put them on until the morning your vacation has officially started. It’s like you’re in a new bed! Put some water bottles and a magazine or two by the bed, and maybe add a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket on the dresser. Plan to “make it an early night” (wink wink) one night and open that bubbly, or plan to wake up on one of the mornings and stay in bed being lazy with a magazine and a mimosa. Make an agreement on who is going to make the coffee and bring it to the other – maybe you switch each day. Order some luxurious bathrobes that you don’t use until the vacation. Spend your lazy day wearing nothing but those robes. If you have the space (and the physical ability), re-arrange the furniture so your bed is in a different spot. If you have the luxury of owning a guest room, stay there during the vacation The idea is that you want to make it not feel like your every day experience.

Turn your bathroom into a Spa. Like the sheets and the bathrobe, maybe you can order a plush set of new towels. They could just be a new color. If you want to go whole-hog, buy a new shower curtain and bath mat to match. Once you have these things, they can be integrated into your everyday or saved for special staycations in the future – either way, you will associate the fond memories made during this time with these items every time you see them. The night before your vacation starts, swap out all of the soap, shampoo, toothpaste and mouthwash with travel toiletries you’ve collected from hotel rooms in the past. If you don’t have any – order some fancy sample-sized bottles (try Ulta, Sephora, Aveda or this guide). Pull all of the facial masks, nail polish, scrubs, bubble baths, and other unused products out from under your sink and use them! Give each other a massage or paint each other’s toes.

Think of food differently:
You may have noticed that I included your coffee cup in the list of things to hide earlier, and I mean it. If you drink from the same mug every day at your “desk,” then hide it and use a different one during your vacation. Do you have unused china tea cups and saucers in a cupboard? Use them. Why not change your coffee brand or blend for this time, or switched to iced coffee or tea? Your morning brew isn’t the only thing that can receive an upgrade. If you do have a set of dishes that is only used for special occasions, use it for all of your meals. This is a special occasion, and you’d be surprised how a plain old lunch sandwich can look right-at-home on an antique Royal Doulton gold-rimmed salad plate!

If you have the money (and you might, since you are saving so much in airfare, hotel, and other costs!), plan to order delivery for every dinner. Think of it as Room Service. Alternately, you can pre-plan most of your meals by prepping them in advance, start a trial meal subscription service to coincide with your vacation, make your own box based on a recipe you’ve been wanting to try, or find a complicated or time-consuming recipe that will give you a chance to work together in the kitchen preparing the meal. Try your hand at making croissants from scratch. The process can take 2-3 days (mostly downtime), and on the day they are baked, plan to enjoy breakfast croissants with jam, picnic sandwiches on croissants, and maybe a croissant bread pudding for dessert that night. Can’t think of meals? Research the menus from your favorite restaurants, or ones that you’ve always wanted to go to, and try to re-create a dish that intrigues you. When planning any this out, think of clean-up. There is no maid coming in to clean your room every day, and you don’t want to spend most of your time washing dishes.

Do you ever make Brunch at home? If not, now is the time to do so. Similarly, if you skip breakfast during the work week, think of taking the time to make yourself a full breakfast – pretend you’re at a diner and make some eggs, bacon, toast and homefries. Now is the time to indulge in a doughnut or bagel from the local bakery. Dust off that waffle iron you’ve barely used, or prepare an overnight breakfast casserole that you can slip in the oven while you are making coffee to bring back to bed for your loved one.

Turn lunch into a picnic, even if you don’t have an outdoor space. Picnics can be romantic (and bug free) in the living room, in bed, or on the floor of the kitchen. We have 2 parking spots behind our condo, and we’ve been using the empty one lately as a patio where we set-up beach chairs and sit with our coffee or read a book. And, I don’t think I really need to give you permission, but remember: You are on vacation, so wine, beer and cocktails (especially fruity or frozen) are acceptable during any waking hour of a vacation. A Mimosa or a Bloody Mary during breakfast/brunch, wine with lunch or dinner, a preprandial and/or postprandial cocktail, or a nightcap are all acceptable (in moderation – best not to include all in one day – don’t overdo it). Invest in some proper glassware3, decorations and garnishes if you are going for something tropical. Find a few new drinks to try. I highly recommend diving into a few episodes of How to Drink.

Think of activities differently:
What types of activities do you usually do on vacation? Do you go to theme parks, camping, hiking, site seeing, or maybe for a cultural experience? Try to find correlations in the activities you are able to do while confined to home with your favorite aspects of your typical vacation.

Keep in mind these three tenets of successful quarantine staycationing:

Enjoy this time off from work: You deserve it.
Relive and cherish the memories of past vacations.
Do not dwell on the fact that you cannot be there right now.

If you do find yourself becoming depressed, start to plan your future trip. Even if you can’t book a date, you can start to make a list of what you want to do, and start a budget to be ready for that moment when you will be able to take that dream vacation.

If your typical vacation revolves around a theme park, really think of what it is that you most enjoy during those trips. Is it the food? The entertainment? The attractions? The togetherness? The food can be recreated (even Dole Whips) with just a little effort. Try making one of your favorite special treats. Find a playlist online of the theme park’s music and play it while making and eating these treats. Look through those photo albums that you made that are collecting dust on the shelf (or the 137 photos and videos you took on your phone last time) and re-live those memories (or live vicariously through someone else’s). Find videos of the parades, rides, or fireworks that you love and watch them together.

If your typical vacation involves camping and hiking, see what national parks or campgrounds in your area are open and accepting visitors. Pitch your tent in the living room (or make one out of blankets) or in your back yard. Turn off the lights and turn on a personal planetarium while you tell scary stories around some candles or a flashlight. Turn off the air conditioning and open all the windows to listen the sounds of the outdoors. Get a field guide of local flora or fauna to identify things in your neighborhood, or download a mobile app to track local bird sightings in your yard. Spend most of your time outdoors, including meals. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, or you are forced to stay indoors, use this time to plan your next adventure. Research a National Park you’ve always wanted to visit, or read accounts of hikers on a trail you feel you aren’t ready for. Work on a puzzle of a place you have been, reliving stories from that trip, perhaps while listening (or creating) the ambient sounds of that location.

If international travel is your raison d’être, spend your time at home immersing yourself in a culture you either have experienced, or wish to. Learn the language, or, if you are already fluent, work it into your daily speech. Try your hand at the cuisine, taking care to research regional specialties and new ingredients. Watch movies or television from this culture (subtitles optional), read a biography of one of their most influential residents, listen to the music, search for an online museum where you can view the art and history, study the map to find interesting regions or towns to research, and take notes in a journal to reference when you are finally able to visit these places.

If a quick weekend in NYC is your go-to vacation, sign up for a free 7-day trial of BroadwayHD, make yourself a sausage roll (extra onions), listen to some live jazz, do some online window shopping (with or without breakfast), watch Sex & the City (or any of these movies – be sure to pick a few from different eras), take a drone flight over your favorite neighborhood, visit the Met, the Guggenheim, or the Statue of Liberty, and put this on in the background.

Think of clothing differently: 
If you’ve been wearing pajama bottoms with a dress shirt and tie for your video calls at work, change things up by wearing actual matching clothes. Think of what you would pack (or go ahead an pack) in a suitcase for your typical vacation. Make it a game by choosing your possible outfits before the vacation, and then only allowing yourself to wear those clothes you’ve “brought with you.” Don’t forget a bathing suit for the pool, or evening wear for the elegant dinner you were planning. Maybe it is warm where you are, but you were planning a cruise to Alaska: crank-up the A.C. and put on your winter clothes indoors (don’t forget your scarf). Or maybe it’s winter, and you were planning a Walt Disney World trip to Florida: turn-up the heat and wear your shorts, tshirts, and bathing suit indoors. Often, people buy new clothes for a vacation, especially for cruises. Think about where you are going, and what you might need to buy. Maybe you need a sarong or a cover-up for the cabana, or big floppy hat for the beach, or some appropriately themed accessories.

In conclusion:
However you spend your time away from your virtual office, remember to enjoy yourself. Vacations are a privilege, but also a reward for the hard work we’ve put in. Make the most of what you have and what you can do, but do it for fun and for relaxation.

I hope these suggestions and tools will help you to make the most of your time off during these difficult and uneasy times. If you have suggestions or ideas of ways to enhance your own staycations, please comment below. And if you take any of my advice, I’ve love to hear about it!

1 Our Disney friends all know about my “Psycho Disney Day Planner” – a spreadsheet that is customized for each trip that plots out each day in 30 minute blocks where we can insert dining reservations, FastPasses, parade or show times, park hours, confirmation numbers, flights, and other details all on one page view. It’s extremely helpful in visualizing how the trip will flow. We take special care to include whimsy and serendipity into the scheduling, as well as rest and pool days. One day, I may share the template on Disneypages.com, or I may try to offer it as a paid service or tool for others.

2 We have seen a lot of death and heard a lot of stories of regret in the past few years, so we are both of the opinion that you should use what you have now, while you can. That includes using the “good china” and silver as often as you’d like and eating at the dining room table every day (not only on holidays).

3 My Nana used to say that tea tasted best out of a bone china cup and saucer. I stand by that, and add that proper cocktails should always be served in the proper glassware (and NEVER in plastic cups)!

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