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I will be around the northeast of Charlottesville this Saturday. Is there a swimming hole within an hour's drive that is either lesser known, or maybe has a good chance of being nearly empty? [more inside]
posted by FirstMateKate around Charlottesville, VA at 10:14 AM - 5 answers

Please share your advice and experiences visiting Arches, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef and/or Zion National Park! [more inside]
posted by smorgasbord around Utah at 2:18 PM - 33 answers

It is late spring and that means I start to dream about buying a lake house. We are in Chicagoland and it seems like most people go to Lake Geneva or to southwest Michigan, but are there lakes/towns that you have loved to visit that are less well-known? Preferences are down below. [more inside]
posted by AgentRocket around Chicago, IL at 12:16 PM - 7 answers

My spouse works in an industry severely affected by Covid, and has leave over the summer. I work remotely in IT. My job requires a stable internet connection, though I can deal with intermittent patches here and there. Spouse wants to buy or rent an RV and tour the US this summer, in places that are open and safe. It goes without saying that we, and our children, will practice safe social distancing, etc. I am more concerned about how to ensure a reliable internet connection - and sometimes I need serious access, if I am encoding a livestream (I am not a blogger, this is for corporate work). [more inside]
posted by heigh-hothederryo around United States at 10:00 PM - 13 answers

If a US citizen with Canadian health insurance gets Covid in NY State and needs hospitalization... then what? [more inside]
posted by marlys around New York at 3:51 PM - 13 answers

My grown daughter who lives in Northampton, MA, and I have decided we can't wait any longer to see each other and want to meet--safely--next weekend. [more inside]
posted by primate moon around Massachusetts at 6:34 PM - 8 answers

Every Mother's Day since forever, we have gone to Indiana Dunes National Seashore/Park. It is my wife's favorite thing in the world. This year of course we cannot do that, but I really want to find a place where we can at least still enjoy a nice view of a beach and the lake while we sit safely in the car. Do you know of a Chicagoland beach/viewpoint that is particularly nice from the parking lot?
posted by AgentRocket around Chicago, IL at 12:10 PM - 5 answers

We are thinking about doing an RV vacation this summer as it may be the safest and easiest way to do a small amount of travel. We live in southern Maine and would be heading up north, a little camping, biking, etc depending on what is open. I [more inside]
posted by silsurf around Maine at 4:42 AM - 5 answers

My husband has had a chronic cough since last August, and he's been seeking treatment for it the entire time. Just before Covid-19 broke (or the story broke, anyway), his doctor told him he was being referred to the Mayo Cough Clinic in Minnesota. I wasn't expecting this to come to anything during Covid-19, but they just called and want him to come in on May 5th. What do? [more inside]
posted by ashirys around Rochester, MN at 7:40 AM - 13 answers

I'm trying to figure out a plan for a friend who lives alone in case she gets too sick to take care of herself. Specifically, how does she get to the hospital, assuming ambulances might not be available? [more inside]
posted by lbergstr around Madison, WI at 10:20 PM - 17 answers

I have a family member who can no longer afford their rent in South Florida. They will be moving into a Fifth-Wheel, towed by their truck. ANYWHERE in Florida near a coast is an option. Due to Covid-19, camping in state/national parks has been cancelled. This person has two large dogs. He is youngish (30-something), physically active and skilled at a variety of landscaping/logging/handyman/boarding/grooming horses type outdoor stuff. (I am including this because some people have open land with RV hookups they may trade for labor tasks on their property). Fifth wheel is about 28 feet if that matters.
posted by caveatz around Florida at 6:30 AM - 4 answers

My parents -- both in their 70s -- and my brother and his family -- are currently on the big island of Hawaii, scheduled to return home by plane to Wyoming at the end of next week. They're starting to think about staying in Hawaii rather than travel in the midst of COVID-19, which I'm very grateful for. I'd like to help them find a good accommodation that won't break the bank. Would love any leads on 3-4 bedroom houses where they could settle for the month of April, possibly longer.
posted by spindrifter around Hawaii at 10:14 AM - 5 answers

I'm immunocompromised and have an important doctor's appointment in Minneapolis next week, so I'm driving there from Portland, Oregon. What kinds of snow conditions can I expect if I follow this route? Mainly: I-82 and 395 through eastern Washington, and I-90 through Montana, South Dakota, and Minnesota. [more inside]
posted by quartz around Minneapolis, MN at 9:19 AM - 7 answers

A couple weeks ago I reserved a hotel for two nights in Santa Cruz for this weekend so my 13-year-old son and I could check out the beach and boardwalk. #StayTheFuckHome? [more inside]
posted by Arthur Vandelay around Santa Cruz, CA at 5:07 PM - 13 answers

We had a trip planned in a few weeks that has been affected by COVID - our lodging has fallen through, but it looks like I won't be able to cancel the plane tickets and I'm okay with taking the risk of flying. But now I have no plans at our destination! What's good to do in/near Baltimore with young children? Where should we stay? More details inside. [more inside]
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty around Baltimore, MD at 7:58 PM - 8 answers

My Aunt's lived in Phoenix for the past few decades. She's mentally sharp and mobile. So am I! Last year we visited Taliesin West and enjoyed it. What do you recommend for this year? How can we best get us some culture?
posted by boghead around Phoenix, AZ at 7:11 PM - 11 answers

Hi, I'm interviewing in the area on Thursday and thought I might stay there on Wednesday & Thursday night. Are there good hotels or B&Bs that are convenient to the Museum of Natural History side of the Harvard campus? [more inside]
posted by internet fraud detective squad, station number 9 around Cambridge, MA at 9:53 AM - 17 answers

A friend and I are going to maybe "meet in the middle." I'm in northern-ish Illinois and they're in northern-ish Indiana. A vertical line passes approximately between us through Gary, IN. Does anyone have recommendations for low-key but non-chain food or coffee within a 10-20 mile radius around Gary, IN? Or even a favorite, safe-/clean-feeling, franchise-chain-filled highway oasis?
posted by zeek321 around Gary, IN at 4:28 PM - 5 answers

I have several extra days tacked onto a work trip to Santa Fe in March, and I'm looking for advice to what to do with them. We've been to Santa Fe several times and enjoy it, but we're interested in recommendations on where else to go after Santa Fe. [more inside]
posted by soleiluna around New Mexico at 6:14 AM - 13 answers

I’d like to hear about bicycle garages — or even better, publicly available climate-controlled bike rooms — with spaces for monthly rental in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Jersey City. Automobile garages that also have spaces for bikes could also qualify. The most important features are 1) protection from the elements 2) some security against theft 3) ease of access during business hours, but 24-hour access would be even better. I’ve checked a couple on this list but they’re pretty exposed to potential thieves or are outrageously priced (as much as it would cost to park a car).
posted by theory around New York, NY at 5:34 PM - 4 answers