Guys it’s been so long since I’ve written a blog post! I thought I would write a short blog so we can stay in touch and to let you know what’s going on with me and how we got away to enjoy a socially distanced beach staycation recently!
Let’s Catch Up….
Like many of you, we had been in the thick of finishing out distance learning and for me that meant conducting homeschool with a 5 and 4-year-old as well as an infant simultaneously. My days were long y’all. Blake had an exceptional type-A teacher. When Star-testing was cancelled across the state due to Covid, his teacher found a third party to conduct standardized testing in math, phonics and Spanish. The show had to go on LOL! In addition to nightly homework assignments and two 2-hour Zoom sessions each day, Blake also competed in his school’s math-a-thon where he won 1st place! He also earned high honors and was named his class Salutatorin for the kindergarten graduation. My heart was so full! Additionally, Bryce who frequently unmuted himself to participate in Blake’s kindergarten activities, was brought on as an honorary member of the kindergarten class.
After three months of hardcore quarantining we decided it was time to reward the sacrifices we made for safety and the hard work it took to finish out the school year with a family vacation- or socially distanced staycation for that matter! We packed up our bags and went on a staycation at the Embassy Suites in Channel Islands in Ventura County! It was everything we needed to rest, relax and recharge! Here’s how hotels have changed to provide safety to guests.
New Hotel Guidelines
- Pools, Spas and Gyms are closed. While the pool and jacuzzi would normally be a highlight on a vacation, due to Covid the pools and gyms were closed. However, we planned this vacation around the beach. So while we couldn’t swim in the pool, the beach was literally right behind our room which was even better. We buried the kids in the sand, danced in the waves and collected sea shells. I can’t put into words how good the beach staycaytion was for our souls and sanity.
- Hotels are operating at half capacity. It provided extra peace of mind to know that hotels cannot be booked past half capacity. The first day we were there , only one other family was anywhere nearby. Having half the normal amount of guests there severely limited our interactions with anyone.
- No breakfast buffet or dine-in seating at the hotel’s restaurant. While I typically look forward to a cook-to-order breakfast buffet when I stay in a hotel, I had to understand when we were provided grab-and-go continental breakfast boxes. We could order dinner only from the hotel restaurant which we ate in the privacy or our hotel room.
- Speaking of eating inside your hotel room,- There is no housekeeping during your stay to avoid or severely limit any contact guests have with hotel staff. With that being said, I would request a broom before you get there or upon arrival. Additionally I would bring my own cleaning supplies so you can wipe down the surfaces when you get there and after meals.
- Must wear masks inside. Additionally there are glass partitions between you and hotel staff for check-in or any communication for that matter
In spite of all the amenities we gave up for a safer stay, we still had a blast on our socially distanced beach staycation! We hope to go socially distanced fishing on our next family adventure. Do you have any camping or summer vacations planned? If so what safety precautions are you taking? For more ideas on staycations please consider a stay at the Legoland Hotel as they are opening soon with similar safety measures.
