Where can I travel this fall without eating indoors?
August 24, 2022 1:32 PM Subscribe
I have an aging relative who is eager to travel and is willing to take some risks. I also have a preschooler and a desire to avoid getting COVID. Is there anywhere we could all travel from the East Coast of the U.S. this November that might meet our needs?
I am willing to stay in a hotel, go to museums and the like with a mask on, and eat outdoors at restaurants. Destinations we've enjoyed in the past include easy beach vacations and European towns and cities, with some walking. Help me keep peace in the family without developing lifelong health problems!
I am willing to stay in a hotel, go to museums and the like with a mask on, and eat outdoors at restaurants. Destinations we've enjoyed in the past include easy beach vacations and European towns and cities, with some walking. Help me keep peace in the family without developing lifelong health problems!
This is pretty easy where I am now (San Francisco Bay Area). So many outdoor dining options. It's especially comfortable to be outside if you're south of SF/slightly away from the coast, where it's warmer (say, Mountain View, but I realize that's probably not an appealing travel destination). Maybe you'd like Carmel/Monterey/Pacific Grove. It's unlikely to rain before late October at the earliest. It should be nice to be outside, unless there's wildfire smoke.
posted by pinochiette at 1:47 PM on August 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by pinochiette at 1:47 PM on August 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
Have you considered the Caribbean region? I was in the Turks and Caicos islands last November and it was really nice. The island is so spread out that even in high season you never see a crowd - including the beaches. Nearly every restaurant is outdoors. The islanders are VERY careful about COVID protocols.
There's not much in terms of museums and other touristy attractions, everyone goes for the beaches and water activities.
You would, however, need to rent a car since there's no public transportation and taxis are very expensive. But a car is very useful there. I'd even look into renting a VRBO condo or villa instead of a hotel. That's the ultimate in distancing and having a little kitchen is highly useful when you have children.
Many airlines have direct flights to Providenciales (PLS), including JetBlue.
posted by JoeZydeco at 2:01 PM on August 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
There's not much in terms of museums and other touristy attractions, everyone goes for the beaches and water activities.
You would, however, need to rent a car since there's no public transportation and taxis are very expensive. But a car is very useful there. I'd even look into renting a VRBO condo or villa instead of a hotel. That's the ultimate in distancing and having a little kitchen is highly useful when you have children.
Many airlines have direct flights to Providenciales (PLS), including JetBlue.
posted by JoeZydeco at 2:01 PM on August 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
This would be relatively easy to do in Southern California as well. Can't guarantee no rain or wildfire smoke in November, and the weather might be somewhat gloomy, but it'd be pretty easy to accommodate outdoor dining only in LA and nearby beach cities. San Diego could also be a good option, or the San Luis Obispo area, where you'd also be in driving distance of Hearst Castle.
Really though, I think any city on the beach in California is going to have plenty of outdoor dining options for you, the only question is if it'll be too chilly to make that comfortable. You'd be slightly more assured of temperate weather if you bump this trip up to October.
Also, this is likely too late to be helpful to you now, but last year I went to Greece in September, and we comfortably did outdoor dining the whole time, save for on the plane or the couple times we ate in our hotel rooms, and we remained COVID-free after that trip. November is the off-season for the Greek islands though, and it'll likely be too chilly to make this pleasant then.
posted by yasaman at 2:02 PM on August 24, 2022
Really though, I think any city on the beach in California is going to have plenty of outdoor dining options for you, the only question is if it'll be too chilly to make that comfortable. You'd be slightly more assured of temperate weather if you bump this trip up to October.
Also, this is likely too late to be helpful to you now, but last year I went to Greece in September, and we comfortably did outdoor dining the whole time, save for on the plane or the couple times we ate in our hotel rooms, and we remained COVID-free after that trip. November is the off-season for the Greek islands though, and it'll likely be too chilly to make this pleasant then.
posted by yasaman at 2:02 PM on August 24, 2022
Do you have any more specific ideas? I mean, are you interested in car commuting or ok with a flight (which seems really weird if you are concerned about COVID in a restaurant (airports are far worse), but whatever)?
The vast majority of the US will have decent outdoor dining options (even small towns) and November is the fall, so temps will generally be comfortable unless a cold front is specifically affecting the area when you are traveling.
posted by The_Vegetables at 2:05 PM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
The vast majority of the US will have decent outdoor dining options (even small towns) and November is the fall, so temps will generally be comfortable unless a cold front is specifically affecting the area when you are traveling.
posted by The_Vegetables at 2:05 PM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
AFAICT, this is not a COVID question. It's basically "where is it going to be dry and at least X degrees in the month of Y"? Very difficult to answer without knowing your value of X (70 degrees?) and the month Y you plan to travel (upstate New York is a different place in September and November, for example), and your budget in time and money.
posted by caek at 2:06 PM on August 24, 2022
posted by caek at 2:06 PM on August 24, 2022
You're willing to fly? The Nordrhein area of Germany has a very strong outdoor dining culture, even before covid. The Altstadt in Dusseldorf is generally known as "the longest bar in the world" because it's packed full of restaurants right next to each other, all with outdoor seating along pedestrian-only streets.
posted by backseatpilot at 2:07 PM on August 24, 2022
posted by backseatpilot at 2:07 PM on August 24, 2022
San Diego could also be a good option
Yeah, I was going to suggest this! SD has a few places that might especially appeal to a preschooler: the San Diego Zoo is excellent, and Legoland is only a day trip away. (Though I'm unsure whether you'd be comfortable in a theme park environment, even outdoors—but that's your call.) Balboa Park, which houses the zoo, has a bunch of other museums that you could probably spend a good chunk of time working through. The mellow weather means eating outdoors shouldn't ever be an issue, at both upscale places and more casual ones.
Out of curiosity, how long are you planning this trip to be? I feel like some places are going to be way better for a long vacation (e.g., because a lot of the cost would be baked into travel) and others for a short one.
posted by the tartare yolk at 2:14 PM on August 24, 2022
Yeah, I was going to suggest this! SD has a few places that might especially appeal to a preschooler: the San Diego Zoo is excellent, and Legoland is only a day trip away. (Though I'm unsure whether you'd be comfortable in a theme park environment, even outdoors—but that's your call.) Balboa Park, which houses the zoo, has a bunch of other museums that you could probably spend a good chunk of time working through. The mellow weather means eating outdoors shouldn't ever be an issue, at both upscale places and more casual ones.
Out of curiosity, how long are you planning this trip to be? I feel like some places are going to be way better for a long vacation (e.g., because a lot of the cost would be baked into travel) and others for a short one.
posted by the tartare yolk at 2:14 PM on August 24, 2022
Germany tends to be cold and wet in November and restaurants won’t open outdoor seating in those conditions. Exception may be tightened covid restrictions but these would be triggered by high case numbers which would defeat your objective.
posted by koahiatamadl at 2:33 PM on August 24, 2022
posted by koahiatamadl at 2:33 PM on August 24, 2022
What I would do in this scenario (and what I have done in a similar one) is not to rely on outdoor dining, but rather get an Airbnb or VRBO close to appealing restaurants. Then go to museums etc with your mask on , and if it's cold or rainy, get take out from the restaurants to eat together at home. It's hard to find anyplace in most of the US with guaranteed nice weather in November except the places already mentioned here.
posted by ojocaliente at 2:53 PM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by ojocaliente at 2:53 PM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
Just wanted to reiterate the recommendations for Southern California. Outdoor seating year-round was a norm even before the pandemic. And in response to the pandemic, many municipalities allowed restaurants to significantly increase their outdoor seating areas, moving into the parking lanes on adjacent streets, for instance. In my neighborhood at least, those extra areas remain in place (and I'm thinking the cities will have to fight the restaurants to get them back).
posted by mr_roboto at 3:01 PM on August 24, 2022
posted by mr_roboto at 3:01 PM on August 24, 2022
restaurants won’t open outdoor seating in those conditions
From experience, the Altstadt in Dusseldorf is open year-round with awnings and heaters to provide an escape from the weather. Maybe not everyone's idea of a good time, but it is a possibility.
posted by backseatpilot at 3:23 PM on August 24, 2022
From experience, the Altstadt in Dusseldorf is open year-round with awnings and heaters to provide an escape from the weather. Maybe not everyone's idea of a good time, but it is a possibility.
posted by backseatpilot at 3:23 PM on August 24, 2022
I've been eating outside in Portland, Oregon all year, including the coldest and rainiest days.
posted by bluedaisy at 3:44 PM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by bluedaisy at 3:44 PM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
Just confirming that Southern California is a very eat-outdoors place. San Diego tends to have slightly larger patios and gardens; in the more cramped parts of LA you're going to get a table on the sidewalk a few feet from a parking spot. We're still mostly sticking to delivery and takeout - also a great option in SoCal in November, when days will still be exceedingly pleasant and there's both parks and parking lots - consider renting a minivan if you can get one so you can just drive to a nice bluff-top or beach area and have a bit of moving-around space to eat in the car.
There's always patio heaters, too.
Even though airbnb is a blight, consider doing that or similar instead of a hotel. Or use a suite hotel with kitchenette. Being able to breakfast a preschooler simply and easily, and have snacktime and naptime in-room, is a lot easier than trying to juggle every single meal outside somewhere.
posted by Lyn Never at 4:02 PM on August 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
There's always patio heaters, too.
Even though airbnb is a blight, consider doing that or similar instead of a hotel. Or use a suite hotel with kitchenette. Being able to breakfast a preschooler simply and easily, and have snacktime and naptime in-room, is a lot easier than trying to juggle every single meal outside somewhere.
posted by Lyn Never at 4:02 PM on August 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
Bermuda or the 30A region in Northwest Florida should both be very pleasant at that time.
posted by cyndigo at 4:13 PM on August 24, 2022
posted by cyndigo at 4:13 PM on August 24, 2022
I live on St. Martin, and almost everything is outside, including the vast majority of restaurants. Aside from my own apartment, I usually go indoors about once a week to buy groceries. I think most of the Caribbean is about the same.
posted by snofoam at 4:40 PM on August 24, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by snofoam at 4:40 PM on August 24, 2022 [4 favorites]
Key West will have 99% probability of comfortable outdoor dining in November.
posted by credulous at 7:04 PM on August 24, 2022
posted by credulous at 7:04 PM on August 24, 2022
Seconding the Bay Area though it will likely be on the cooler side in November. For outdoor dinners, you should plan for some temps in the 50s and be pleasantly surprised when it's in the 60s, even assuming a 5 pm mealtime because of the preschooler and elder. Many places with actual patios also have heat lamps, so having a nice thick wool sweater is sufficient. Though microclimates are A Thing - it's going to be colder west of the fog line in SF, the inner East Bay (Berkeley Oakland) will probably be warmer than SF.
Southern California will likely be warmer than the Bay Area, but it too will cool off in the evening when the sun goes down. If you want a pleasant beach vacation with at least some downtown to walk around, I can recommend Santa Monica. You've got the Boardwalk for people-and-seagull-watching, a world-class farmers' market every Wednesday, you can rent bikes and carts and go up and down the beach path for miles in either direction. On Sunday nights, a couple of miles down the beach, there's the Venice Electrical Light Parade that I have on my list to check out next time I'm down there, people on bikes and skates and all sorts of contraptions lit up like Disneyland.
One caveat: based on our experience in March 2022, San Diego was taking far fewer COVID precautions than Los Angeles at the same time. LA had about 90% masking compliance on transit, similar to the Bay Area; San Diego was like 50/50. People remained mostly masked indoors in LA, especially restaurant workers; in our hotel in San Diego, we were two of maybe five people masking in a lobby filled with about three dozen others, and not even all the hotel workers were masked. We met up with friends at Belmont Park, and most people there weren't wearing masks, even though the crowd in the arcade was very clearly kids with their parents. And based on our drive to and from SoCal, San Diego was about as mask-encouraging as the other cities we passed through on I-5 and 101, which is to say they really just weren't; the Bay and LA and the Monterey Peninsula stood out in that regard.
We are six months down the line from that, even the Bay Area is relaxing on masking a little, especially outdoors, but if you're concerned, it's worth finding out more about attitudes and the current rules and trends in specific places.
posted by Pandora Kouti at 7:16 PM on August 24, 2022
Southern California will likely be warmer than the Bay Area, but it too will cool off in the evening when the sun goes down. If you want a pleasant beach vacation with at least some downtown to walk around, I can recommend Santa Monica. You've got the Boardwalk for people-and-seagull-watching, a world-class farmers' market every Wednesday, you can rent bikes and carts and go up and down the beach path for miles in either direction. On Sunday nights, a couple of miles down the beach, there's the Venice Electrical Light Parade that I have on my list to check out next time I'm down there, people on bikes and skates and all sorts of contraptions lit up like Disneyland.
One caveat: based on our experience in March 2022, San Diego was taking far fewer COVID precautions than Los Angeles at the same time. LA had about 90% masking compliance on transit, similar to the Bay Area; San Diego was like 50/50. People remained mostly masked indoors in LA, especially restaurant workers; in our hotel in San Diego, we were two of maybe five people masking in a lobby filled with about three dozen others, and not even all the hotel workers were masked. We met up with friends at Belmont Park, and most people there weren't wearing masks, even though the crowd in the arcade was very clearly kids with their parents. And based on our drive to and from SoCal, San Diego was about as mask-encouraging as the other cities we passed through on I-5 and 101, which is to say they really just weren't; the Bay and LA and the Monterey Peninsula stood out in that regard.
We are six months down the line from that, even the Bay Area is relaxing on masking a little, especially outdoors, but if you're concerned, it's worth finding out more about attitudes and the current rules and trends in specific places.
posted by Pandora Kouti at 7:16 PM on August 24, 2022
Phoenix will be dry and temperate in November with outdoor dining options. No beach but chandler has lots of family friendly pools.
posted by Tandem Affinity at 7:29 PM on August 24, 2022
posted by Tandem Affinity at 7:29 PM on August 24, 2022
In your place, reading the comments upstream, I'd pick L.A., but not for the beach. (I lived there for many years and loved it, but November, by my standards, is cold.)
If you're willing to fly (for the record, I'm not, yet), Hawaii done with a relaxed "local style" plan might work...local residents are still masking indoors, and the less touristy beaches let you spread out far enough away from others. We don't have as much outdoor dining as one might imagine, but both that and takeout from all sorts of places have improved as a result of the pandemic.
posted by LadyOscar at 10:17 PM on August 24, 2022
If you're willing to fly (for the record, I'm not, yet), Hawaii done with a relaxed "local style" plan might work...local residents are still masking indoors, and the less touristy beaches let you spread out far enough away from others. We don't have as much outdoor dining as one might imagine, but both that and takeout from all sorts of places have improved as a result of the pandemic.
posted by LadyOscar at 10:17 PM on August 24, 2022
Just wanted to reiterate the recommendations for Southern California.
I'd actually recommend against SoCal during November. Most of the US has nicer weather than CA in November - it's only in the summer (and I guess the winter, if you hate the cold) that SoCal shines.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:53 AM on August 25, 2022
I'd actually recommend against SoCal during November. Most of the US has nicer weather than CA in November - it's only in the summer (and I guess the winter, if you hate the cold) that SoCal shines.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:53 AM on August 25, 2022
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posted by at at 1:46 PM on August 24, 2022