On the Road Again ...
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Greetings from the dreamy, expansive vistas of the American West! We’re in the midst of what’s been a deeply gratifying road trip, reconnecting while caravanning in an RV with another SSS associate's family. Like many of you, we’ve been experiencing many post-safer-at-home “firsts” over the past few weeks. From seeing our beloved barber or hair stylist, dining out in favorite restaurant and returning to leisure travel, reemerging into the world has felt downright surreal.
Since we’ve been exploring some damn beautiful parts of this country on our road trip and have seen firsthand how some A-list communities are keeping the pandemic at bay, we decided to share some notes from “the frontlines”.
If you’re looking for some creative ideas for smaller meetings or incentive trips in stunning natural settings, we’ve scoped out some of the West’s bests while on the road these past couple of weeks. Our impromptu National Park RV road trip took us to Zion, Bryce, Moab, Jackson Hole, Sun Valley, and Yellowstone National Park. It’s been one jaw-dropping landscape after another, and so much gloriously fresh air. Based on our personal experience, we can confirm that Park City, Jackson Hole and Sun Valley are very well-suited to safely host incentive trips and meetings. They’ve amped up all safety protocols and are committed to protecting their communities from COVID-19. It was glaringly apparent that health safety was a top priority, amid the re-emergence of tourism in these small towns. Here’s what we experienced on our visits and what you can expect:
Hotels: Prior to entering, signs are displayed to kindly wear a mask and remain 6 feet apart from other guests. Dots on the floor of the lobby areas indicate where to stand to check-in. Plexi-glass partitions are at all front desks with hand sanitizing stations throughout the lobbies. Mobile check-in with keyless entry is an option at some hotels. Those that provide keys have a sanitizing bucket displayed at the front desk to drop keys when you depart. A list with safety protocols is provided to each guest upon check in, along with disinfecting wipes and masks – if requested. Lobbies are re-imagined with furniture (awkwardly) re-positioned for social distancing. Instead of the complimentary self-service coffee station in the lobby, every morning there is a server in the lobby pouring coffee for you. Housekeeping has become a by-request service in the rooms but in the public areas housekeepers were very visible cleaning all high touch surfaces.
Retail: Every store in these small towns has masks outside and a hand sanitizer pump at the entrance. Employees are stationed at the door to ensure no one enters without a mask and sanitized hands.
Restaurants: All tables are at least 10 feet apart and restaurants are offering a “no touch” experience. Some had digital codes assigned to each table outfitted with scannable menus. Like many communities, “pop-up seating” has been added to sidewalks and streets, allowing patrons to be outside and away from others. The alfresco dining atmosphere is reminiscent of some of our favorite European villages, and we are so on board with that!
Activities: Signature activities are starting to operate again with safety top-of-mind. Jackson Hole Rodeo is a must do, and the social distancing measures actually turned it into more of a VIP experience. The seating usually accommodates 600 people, but 250 is the current max, leaving three rows of seating between each family or group. Not a bad seat in the house! Rafting the Colorado River is another epic outdoor excursion that now has an inherently exclusive twist. Outfitters are allocating one boat per family or small group. Transportation companies have also doubled their fleets in operation at any given time to keep group sizes to a minimum.
Please reach out if you’d like to learn more about some of our favorite hotels and sites in Wyoming, Utah and Idaho.
