August 2020 is like few others. This year, globally, our wings have been well and truly clipped. So, what’s the plan? Give up on travel this year? Stay local? Plan vacations ‘away from the crowds’? For travel bloggers, it doesn’t matter where you are in the world, every one has the same concerns with varying restrictions on where we’re able to travel to. So, where are travel bloggers travelling this August? We asked a few …

Solo trip to Cinque Terre, Italy

This August I’m planning a solo trip to Cinque Terre in Italy from my home in Provence, France. It’s a place I’ve been dreaming of going for years, and seeing as it’s only 5 hours’ drive away, I’m not sure why I haven’t yet! I’m going to base myself in La Spezia (for free thanks to Home Exchange) and take the train into the Cinque Terre villages for 2-3 days of my trip, reserving the fourth day for a look around La Spezia and doing some coastal walks. I’m really looking forward to discovering the five villages of Cinque Terre at my own pace, and also hiking, swimming and sampling the local wines!

Nadine, Le Long Weekend

Exploring Pakistan

Under normal circumstances, I would be traveling to China in August in order to continue my undergraduate studies. However, due to the current travel restrictions, I had to change my plans completely and came up with something very special to me.

Having just arrived in Pakistan a few days ago, I’m planning to dedicate the next few months to exploring more of this beautiful country’s cities, food, and culture. I am currently based in Lahore but plan to travel south after Eid on a loose schedule visiting various cities and villages and hoping to see all of the cultural treasures the country has to offer – all while remotely continuing my classes online.

Arabela, The Spicy Travel Girl

Long weekend getaway to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park

After being cooped up for several months, I’ll finally be packing up the car and making the drive to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park for a long weekend getaway! I like to give experiences instead of stuff, and this trip is my birthday gift to my partner, who loves the mountains.

We’ll be going with a very small group of friends to get outdoors, do some hiking, and knock another California national park off our bucket list. We hope to see the giant sequoia trees, and enjoy the crisp mountain air in this part of California. Visiting national parks is all about unplugging for us, so we’re looking forward to a laid-back trip where we can reconnect with nature.

Ale, Sea Salt & Fog

Road tripping in France

This year we have decided to stay home and try some of the best road trips in France. Starting from Paris, where we live, my partner and I want to go south at our own pace and explore the regions of Burgundy and Provence, with a stop in the beautiful Annecy on the way back. All these areas are very touristy during the high season, from June to the end of September, but this year we all expect to see lesser visitors so it is a good opportunity to see some of the top places to visit in France with the good weather and without the crowds. We also plan to transport our bikes in the car so we can combine sightseeing and short bike rides around.

Elisa, France Bucket List

Bulgarian mountains trip

I’m a resident of the Czech Republic, which is handling the crisis relatively well and restrictions, including travel-related ones, have eased. There’s a list of countries where I can go without having to quarantine upon return. Bulgaria is one of them.

Each year I go with a group of friends on a trip to the Balkans with a Czech outdoor travel agency. This year most of their trips have been cancelled and Bulgarian mountains trip is the first one this season.

We’ll be crossing the mountain ridges of Rila and Pirin, sleeping in mountain huts and in between we’ll enjoy some wine and relaxation at the town of Melnik. This is my first trip since the pandemic started and it will feel strange, but being isolated in the mountains sounds like a good idea. Also, since the agency owner is my friend, it’s a good way to support him through these difficult times.

Veronika, Travel Geekery

Road Tripping Nova Scotia

This August I plan to spend one day each week road tripping in my home province. There are so many things to do in Nova Scotia and although I grew up here I haven’t visited some of the smaller, lesser known spots.

The plans aren’t to do grand things to spend lots of money, but to take the rural roads instead of the highway and stop off at bakeries or art galleries along the way. To walk along to ocean boardwalks and find local restaurants with outdoor seating and good seafood and incredible Nova Scotia wine. There’s no need to jump on a plane to travel when we have so much to explore in our backyard.

I’ve been asking friends and on Facebook groups what their favourite spots are that no one knows about and I have such a long list I almost have too many places to visit. But that is a really good thing, it’s a new travel bucket list.

Ayngelina, BaconisMagic.ca

Solo 10-day desert adventure by car

One of my favorite areas to travel is through the American Southwest, and over the years I’ve taken a number of road trips through California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah. This fall I will be heading out solo for another ten-day desert adventure, by car. If you’ve never traveled in the desert, you may be surprised to learn that it is actually a place full of life. Small desert creatures, cacti, and wildflower blooms survive despite the harsh conditions. Late summer/early fall is a great time to go as temperatures slowly start to dip back toward comfortable.

Several stops that cannot be missed are: Seven Magic Mountains – a colorful art installation against the Nevada desert backdrop; Death Valley in Southern California – the largest National Park in the US (outside of Alaska); the famous Grand Canyon in Arizona; and Zion National Park in Utah.

Monica, This Rare Earth

Exploring the German Alps

After exploring locally (and visiting beautiful places near Frankfurt), we have decided that in August, it’s time to go farther away. Since we’re not ready to travel internationally yet, we are going to rent a car and drive to Southern Germany.

We’ll go with two friends for a week to see the German Alps. Our plans involve lots of hiking and outdoor sites, which will allow for social distancing. One of the hikes we looked into goes up to Germany’s highest lake, which offers some of the most beautiful views in the area.

We have also booked tickets to Neuschwanstein already. The castle books out weeks in advance and due to distancing rules, they only sell a limited amount of tickets. Even if we can’t go abroad, we think this summer will give us the chance to explore the beauty of the country where we live.

Daniel and Ilona, Top Travel Sights

Exploring Snowdonia, North Wales

This August we are going to Wales for our summer holiday. Myself and my 7-year-old are going away with my Mum to a self-catering cottage in the heart of the Snowdonia area. We booked it well over a year ago. Long before Covid-19 changed our world. We’ve been following the news with anticipation waiting for them to reopen their borders. Luckily for us, we can still take this holiday.

We plan to visit castles, family theme parks, the pretty Portmerion and hopefully take a ride on an iconic steam train. We are booked in for a week and I hope the weather will be kind to us, especially as we are hoping to eat outside as much as possible. I’ve missed having my meals cooked for me.

Suzy, Yorkshire to do with Kids

Tasmanian Road Trip

This September Steve and I are planning a trip to Tasmania. From Hobart, we are doing a two week road trip exploring the west and north coasts.

Strahan is our base for week one where we’ll walk and raft through the wilderness in Franklin Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. We’ll have a look around the historic Macquarie Harbour area too.

In week 2 we’ll set up camp near Devonport in the north. September is tulip season so a trip to Wynyard to take in the tulip fields is a must.

We want to see the little penguins in Penguin and spend some time at Narawntapu National Park near Hawley Beach spotting everything from wombats to Tassie devils.

As we return to Hobart, if time permits, we want to go on the half day Tasman Island cruise and hopefully spot a whale or two.

Natalie and Steve, Curious Campers

Exploring Alaska

The scenic Alaskan landscape wowed my husband and me 17 years ago when we visited there with my sister and her husband. Now, the four of us are traveling to the Last Frontier with our children to share this experience with them.

Flying into Anchorage, we’ll rent a car for a nine-day road trip exploring Alaska’s vast countryside. Our Alaskan adventure includes fishing for salmon in the Kenai River, listening to thunderous glaciers calve while on a boat tour out of Whittier, visiting the cool blue ice of Exit Glacier, and hiking numerous trails in Cooper Landing, Girdwood and Talkeetna along the way. Finally, if the clouds cooperate, we have hopes of viewing mighty Mount McKinley, now officially named Denali. And who knows – maybe we’ll even see a bear or two.

Either way, we’ll enjoy introducing our children to Alaska’s majestic mountainous countryside while creating lasting family memories.

Deanne, Scenic and Savvy

Coromandel Peninsula Road Trip, New Zealand

It’s winter here in New Zealand in August and our borders are closed. In August the bag carrier and I are off on a motorhome road trip around the stunning Coromandel Peninsula. We are looking forward to seeing the world-famous Hot Water Beach and Instagram-famous Cathedral Cove on the Coromandel Peninsula without having to compete with hordes of overseas tourists. It is a great opportunity for us New Zealanders to rediscover our beautiful country. We are making the most of it!

We will leave Auckland and travel down the Seabird Coast past Kaiaua and Miranda to the historic township of Thames. Then drive up the scenic coastal Firth of Thames to Coromandel township where we will stop for the night and enjoy some fresh steamed mussels. Next day we will drive over the hills enjoying the beautiful native bush and pristine beaches on our way to Whitianga. From Whitianga, we will do a day trip to Cathedral Cove and end up at Hot Water Beach for the night. If the low tide is right we will spend the next day digging our own little spa pool in the sand and soak in it! We can’t wait!

Maureen, So Many Places! So Little Time!

Staycations in Ontario, Canada

The long, hot, lazy days of summer are finally here and we are looking to get away. As has become our tradition in August, we anxiously await ‘the cottage’. We rent one, not wanting the hassles or expense of owning a property in cottage country. In the province of Ontario, you will find various ‘cottage country’ locations depending on where you are: Toronto = Muskoka and Haliburton, Ottawa = Gatineau, London = Tobemoray and Lake Huron. I have a fondness for Lake Huron as it’s a large lake with no foreseeable landmass on the horizon. When the wind rushes in from Michigan, it’s almost like being at the ocean.

Grand Bend is a short 50 minutes from London and 2 hours from Detroit. With beautiful sandy beaches and plenty of walking trails, we will also enjoy the burst of colours on Sunset Beach. The location is ideal for side trips to small towns scattered along the shores of Lake Huron.

Later in the month, I’m planning a romantic getaway with my husband to Niagara-on-the-Lake. This is wine and hiking country in Ontario I look forward to a hike in the Niagara Gorge and then wine tasting flights at a few local vineyards. Life could not be any sweeter in Ontario!

Margarita, DownshiftingPRO.com

Walking the Caminho Português

In 2017 by husband and I walked the Camino de Santiago for the first time, and since then we have walked a different route of this medieval pilgrimage trail every year. Starting on 1 September 2020, we will be walking the Caminho Português, beginning in Lisbon, Portugal and finishing in Santiago de Compostela, Spain about a month later.

Since we live in Lisbon, the Caminho Português was an obvious choice for this unusual year, when staying as close to home as possible seems to be a good idea. Even though walking the Camino de Santiago is often painful for me because of plantar fasciitis, I still look forward to it every year. It’s a much-need opportunity to unplug and escape from the modern world for a little while. Even though I’m not a religious person, I always find it to be a spiritual experience.

Wendy, The Nomadic Vegan