When Will We Be Able to Travel Again?
Happy Cabin has been buttoned down with the rest of North Lake Tahoe since the shelter in place began nearly three months ago. Through the miracle March of overdue snowfall and the first flowers of spring. Through the dawn of Covid-19 and it’s steady march through the state, nation and world. Like so many others, we scour our feeds for good news. We look for peaks that plateau or plunge downward and promises of a vaccine. We hope for the best. I can’t tell you how many times, I’ve typed “When will be able to travel again?” into my browser, searching for guidelines, a timeline, a hint of news. Even today, nobody really seems to know. But there are rumblings that this summer is a possibility. Here is what we know:
Second Phase of Stage Two
A few days ago, at a May 22, 2020, press conference, California Governor Gavin Newsom said 43 out of the state’s 58 counties have met criteria to move into the second phase of Stage 2 and reopen restaurants with dine-in service and shopping malls with curbside pickup. He promised plans to reopen barber shops and hair salons in “days” and guidelines to open churches and casinos by June 8. Placer County and Nevada County, home to much of North Lake Tahoe, are among the counties eligible to move into the second phase of Stage 2.
Long-Drive Travel is Best
Most experts agree that cruises and long-haul air travel are less safe ways to travel in the near-term, making long-drive destinations a better bet. For west coast residents, North Lake Tahoe fits the bill. But are short term rentals safe? That depends. Some booking platforms, like AirBNB, are implementing strict cleaning protocols and 24-hour vacancies between bookings to give hosts time to clean and sterilize their homes using best practices. Experts recommend that travelers plan to sterilize rental homes upon arrival just to be sure. Booking a home with a single quarantine group, such as an immediate family, is also a good plan.
North Lake Tahoe Hopes to Welcome You “In the Near Future”
North Lake Tahoe is taking a slow and cautious approach to reopening the community for tourism. As of May 22, 2020, the region was slowly opening more businesses for local use but still urging visitor’s to follow Governor Newsom’s shelter-in-place order and stay home. While there is still no timeline for reopening to visitors, North Lake Tahoe Tourism website “GoTahoeNorth” ended its most recent message with a hint of optimism: “We hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend and can’t wait to welcome you back with open arms, hopefully in the near future!”
To visit Happy Cabin during your trip to North Lake Tahoe / Tahoe Vista / Kings Beach, click here.
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