Considering that traveling is part of my DNA, I had a difficult time functioning at the beginning of the lockdown. By June of 2020 I decided that day trips were the short term cure for my wanderlust.

So every weekend, we set out to an outdoor destination, carefully planned of course, with masks and gloves and all things necessary to keep us protected and homemade lunch in tow. We spent the days mostly walking (like we do everywhere we travel), and taking photographs of places which we thought were the perfect reminder of our favorite destinations.

We rediscovered bits of Europe throughout the wine region, an hour’s drive from San Francisco and spent our days reminiscing about our past travels. Although the wineries were closed, we stopped at every villa which reminded us of Italy, French Chateau style architecture housing the sparkling wine, and even the Spanish Colonial and the German ones too, and snapped photos as if we were actually somewhere else.

Some other days were spent in a park on a bench by a fountain, our imagination whisking us to the Luxembourg Garden in Paris. While other times, we chased waterfalls, and stood by the gushing waters to pretend we were in Hawaii. We contemplated canoe rides, but opted not to on account of me always getting motion sickness. But never the less, we spent hours on a bench watching others row or peddle their way around a lake, all the while comparing the setting to the Cotswolds in England.

Small towns were strolled. Hills were climbed, parks were explored, trails were discovered, and beaches revisited in and around the San Francisco bay area. And I have to say, it was the most joy I felt, under the worst of circumstances.

This twist on traveling will be part of our lives, no matter if the world is ready for full-on travel.

What creative travels did you embark on?

Disclaimer: Please click on links below photos for full credit