Despite rumors that some popular ports and some big cruise lines will remain closed until 2022, the cruise business is beginning to show signs of recovery. There is pent up demand for cruises despite the fact that many cruisers got stuck on ships for a long time when the pandemic first hit. People seem to love this form of travel and many can’t wait to resume this type of travel despite the risks.
Ruth and I are not planning a cruise in the near future. Many potential cruisers report that it’s not the cruise they fear but getting by commercial flight to the departure site is the issue stopping them. Our first trip after COVID begins to fade will include one or more of the following five destinations.
Colorado Springs. We almost stopped in this city we have not visited for years last summer when we were heading for an underrated attraction with great hiking possibilities called Paint Mines Interpretive Park. Most of the scattering of visitors we met while there were spending vacation time in Colorado Springs and had come to Paint Mines for the day. Our main incentive is that our son unexpectedly moved to Denver in 2020, and he tells us about his frequent jaunts to Colorado Springs. We would like to revisit some of its old attractions like Pike’s Peak, the US Air Force Academy, and the Broadmoor and check out some of its newer or at least yet-to-visit spots like the figure skating hall of fame, the only one of its kind in the world.
Temecula. We almost went to this California city south of LA last year with a growing reputation, but we liked Paso Robles so much that we lingered there instead. We know the area around Temecula from past visits to Ruth’s Aunt Edna in nearby Fallbrook, where she and her husband operated an avocado grove. Temecula’s population has fairly recently topped 100,000, and its 40 or so wineries are up and comers. With fires raging in the Napa and Russian River Valleys, Temecula is getting more attention. It’s Old Town sounds like fun.
Tucson. We had planned to spend a day in this Arizona city last year with a list of new attractions to visit when we went to Phoenix, but we never made it there. So far in 2020, the virus has kept us from going anywhere, but a friend recently announced that she is buying a home and moving to Buckeye soon, so we have a new incentive to revive interest in Tucson.
Hot Springs. We lived in Missouri and visited beautiful Arkansas often, especially Crystal Bridges and the Clinton presidential library in Little Rock, but we have gone through but never stopped at the urban National Park in this resort city. I was not aware that this state has 6 other national park sites besides Hot Springs even though we have been to and liked its Fort Smith National Historic Site when we went to Oklahoma. We have always found value in National Park facilities despite our experiences with overcrowding.
Oakland. We have skirted but never been to this California city in the Bay Area. The fact that my brother now lives there is our incentive to check it out.
Hank
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