Top Ten Best Places In America To Travel Right Now And Avoid The Pandemic

Six months ago I wrote about the top ten best places in America to travel at the time and avoid the risk of exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To compile this list, I overlaid more than half a dozen maps and criteria like the CDC COVID Data Tracker, the Harvard-Brown COVID Risk Level Map, and TripAdvisor reviews, including current case counts, population density, average weather, public health guidance, proximity to outdoor activities, and drive times from at least two major American metropolises.

I also looked at new cases per 100,000 people, 7-day rolling averages, total cases, and total deaths to assess the current coronavirus infection risk relative to historical trends dating back to the beginning of the pandemic.

Almost half a year later a lot has changed. An effective COVID-19 vaccine is no longer a Warp Speed pipe dream. More than 1.8 million doses are being administered to Americans every day, increasing herd immunity. The “winter surge” experts predicted has blown through without the potentially catastrophic hospital overloads and fatalities they feared. On a national scale, case counts and new infections are down across the board even as more states and cities slowly ease their grip on residents and businesses and open up.

Some things also remain the same. In many places, limitations still exist on dining, shopping, entertainment, indoor gatherings, and schools. More than 100,000 small businesses including bars, restaurants, hotels, and tourist attractions still are temporarily closed or shuttered altogether. Physically, we all remain anxious whether we admit it or not about being around anyone who’s not in our “pod”.

Yet with winter unwinding, there’s finally some hope that warm weather will return, businesses will start gradually re-opening, parks will re-fill, and people will become less afraid of one another. And with that comes the unthinkable proposition that having fun finally might become normal again soon.

So I decided to cut through the data again and rank the top ten places to travel right now and avoid the pandemic. There’s no better time than right now to start reawakening that last shred of spontaneity you have left before it’s too late for summer.

The small businesses in these towns also will thank you for showing up, spending money, and supporting the local economy. The pandemic is still far from over and everyone needs all the help they can get to pull through.

(NOTE: All of the COVID-19 data noted below are based on the most currently available data as of February 20, 2021 from the CDC COVID Data Tracker and the Harvard-Brown COVID Risk Level Map. All travelers need to assess their own comfort level as well as adhere to local and state public health guidelines.)

1.    Carson City, NV (Douglas County)

·     New Cases/100,000 People: 0.0

·     New Cases (7 Day Rolling Average): 0.0

·     Total Cases: 726

·     Total Deaths: 8

The upside: One of Nevada’s most historic towns settled during the silver boom of the late 1800s. Minutes from world famous Lake Tahoe, the bright lights and casinos of Reno, historic Virginia City which was once the largest silver town in America, and all the outdoor adventure one can handle in the Sierra Nevada mountains including skiing, hiking, mountain biking, camping, and RVing.

2.    Vancouver, WA (Clark County)

·     New Cases/100,000 People: 7.9

·     New Cases (7 Day Rolling Average): 38.4

·     Total Cases: 18,612

·     Total Deaths: 224

The upside: This city of 34,000 on the Columbia River right across the water from Portland, Oregon has a thriving historic downtown and endless opportunities for outdoor exploring and water sports activities. Perhaps most therapeutic for anyone who’s been cooped up all winter during the pandemic, Vancouver is also the newest epicenter of Washington State’s thriving viticulture boom, with more than 40 wineries and tasting rooms located in and around the city. Mt. St. Helen’s and Mt. Adams, two of the iconic volcanic peaks along the Cascade range, are also within an hour’s drive, offering some of the best mountain biking, hiking, mountaineering, and climbing in the country.

3.    Camden, ME (Knox County)

NOTE: Currently all out of state travelers coming into Maine must quarantine or show a negative COVID-19 test within 3 days of arrival. Residents of New Hampshire and Vermont are exempt

·     New Cases/100,000 People: 6.1

·     New Cases (7 Day Rolling Average): 2.4

·     Total Cases: 620

·     Total Deaths: 5

The upside: Half way up the New England coast between Massachusetts and Nova Scotia, Canada is Maine’s historic “jewel of the coast”. Classic New England sea town along with its neighbors Rockport and Lincolnville, complete with working fishing boats, schooners, and boatyards, and a constant supply of fresh fish and lobster. Boutique chic galleries, shops, and restaurants lining downtown with plenty of upscale places to stay including B&B, guest houses, and vacation rentals. The nearby Camden Snow Bowl offers skiing, snow tubing, ice skating, a 400-foot toboggan chute right outside of town with Atlantic Ocean views all the way to Nova Scotia.

4.    Branson, MO (Taney County)

·     New Cases/100,000 People: 7.9

·     New Cases (7 Day Rolling Average): 4.4

·     Total Cases: 4,542

·     Total Deaths: 82

The upside: Known as the heart of the Ozark Mountains and home to a thriving live music scene (though that is somewhat on hold due to COVID-19; consult local health guidelines). Historic theaters and honkytonks line its 76 Country Boulevard. For families the strip also includes the Marvel Cave, the Wild West-style Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede Dinner Attraction, and Silver Dollar City, an 1800s-themed amusement park with live music. Outside of town, the Ozarks cater to boaters, bikers, hikers, campers, and fishermen and the famed Lake of the Ozarks is just over an hour north.

5.    Natchez, MS (Adams County)

·     New Cases/100,000 People: 18.2

·     New Cases (7 Day Rolling Average): 5.6

·     Total Cases: 2,316

·     Total Deaths: 74

The upside: 300-years of American history meets a vibrant food, arts, and nightlife scene with a deep side Southern hospitality. Natchez’s historic downtown is an Instagrammers heaven lined with dozens of meticulously kept Antebellum mansions and churches and walking tours with breathtaking views of the Mississippi river. The Magnolia Bluffs Casino offers adults some after-hours time to unwind and dine watching the sun set over Louisana. The hand-crafted Southern home-cooking with a modern twist would win awards if anyone knew about it.

6.   Santa Fe, NM (Santa Fe County)

·     New Cases/100,000 People: 7.7

·     New Cases (7 Day Rolling Average): 11.6

·     Total Cases: 9,510

·     Total Deaths: 133

The upside: Legendary as a global epicenter for arts and culture, particularly celebrating New Mexico’s Native American history and contemporary artists. Unmatched eclectic, local vibe with world-class, 5-star hospitality and an award-winning restaurant scene an hour’s drive north east of New Mexico’s capital, Albuquerque. Outside of town lies an endless high desert landscape where you can socially distance until you crave human interaction again. An hour farther north the Taos ski area offers some of finest lower-altitude, light powder skiing in the West.

7.    Apalachicola, FL (Franklin County)

·     New Cases/100,000 People: 9.4

·     New Cases (7 Day Rolling Average): 1.1

·     Total Cases: 1,273

·     Total Deaths: 13

The upside: The Oyster Capitol Of The World and still beating heart of Florida’s northwest “Forgotten Coast”. The historic, still fully-functioning seaport is one of the last in the state and produces an endless stream of oysters, clams, and fresh seafood year round. The hip, historic downtown teems with eclectic boutiques, local eateries, art galleries and music venues tucked into brick, tin-roofed warehouses. On the water, Apalachicola is a boater’s paradise with mile after mile of some of the most wild and remote beaches in Florida.

8.   Terlingua, TX (Brewster County)

·     New Cases/100,000 People: 7.8

·     New Cases (7 Day Rolling Average): 0.7

·     Total Cases: 878

·     Total Deaths: 10

The upside: Few places offer a more thoroughly eccentric “Texan” experience while getting you further off the grid into social, stargazing isolation. Deep in the West Texas desert 12 miles from the Rio Grande river and Mexican border, this former 1880s ghost town turned off-the-grid, chic outpost is now home river guides, retirees, artists, lost souls, prickly introverts, and die-hard desert fanatics. Nearby Big Bend National Park and Big Bend State Park are two of the most naturally, stunningly beautiful landscapes in America. Forget about the standard chain hotels here. Think glamping teepees, ghost town motels, and adobe-luxe retreats.

9.    Hot Springs, VA (Bath County)

·     New Cases/100,000 People: 0

·     New Cases (7 Day Rolling Average): 0

·     Total Cases: 246

·     Total Deaths: 8

The upside: Hot springs, hot springs, hot springs. You don’t have to travel to Iceland to get all of the natural, therapeutic benefits of super-heated, mineral waters to sooth your winter-weary, pandemically-atrophied joints and muscles. The iconic, historic Omni Homestead Resort, which has hosted 23 U.S. Presidents over 200 years due to its proximity to Washington, D.C. (three hours by car), will be happy to help you with that, along with offering 4-star hospitality in the heart of the yawning Shenandoah valley. Step outside of Hot Springs’ historic downtown and there’s nothing but space to hike, bike, and socially-distance for miles in every direction.

10. Salmon, ID (Lemhi County)

·     New Cases/100,000 People: 7.1

·     New Cases (7 Day Rolling Average): 0.6

·     Total Cases: 492

·     Total Deaths: 9

The upside: One of Idaho’s most scenic, historic mountain towns located on the outskirts of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, one of the largest roadless areas left in America (no social distancing issues here). Built on mining, lumbering and ranching with the history to show for it, and now revitalized by an eclectic community of adventurists, artists, thrill-seekers, and local entrepreneurs. Main Street is quintessential Old West architecture populated with an eclectic mix of art galleries, restaurants, boutiques, and bars. For water rats, the Main Salmon and Middle Fork of the Salmon rivers offer some of the most exhilarating and challenging white water rafting in the world year round.