Midwest Camping in a Pandemic

Midwest Camping

We planned a camping trip to the Midwest this summer, but were concerned about the risks because of the pandemic.   Big Guy and I are both high-risk for multiple reasons.  Ultimately, we decided that travel would be safer during the summer than the fall.  Another consideration, we are older and have health issues and do not know how long we will be able to travel.  So,  Carpe Diem, we decided to seize the day!

Our Path

We hope to ultimately camp in all fifty states.  This summer we planned to pick up some middle America.  It was a pretty ambitious plan, considering the pandemic.  We did not really know what to expect or what kind of shutdowns might occur.

We camped in five new states:  Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri.  Arkansas and Tennessee were stopovers to get to our new camping areas.  We visited fourteen campgrounds, which included several state parks, a Corps of Engineers (COE),   a county park, and private campgrounds.   Rates varied from $10 a night to $50.  The COE was the $10 and the $50 rate included full hookups,  a nice laundry, and a pool.

Links to Posts for Each State

I do a memory post of our trips.  If you would like to read about any of our new states, below are links.

Illinois Camping During a Pandemic

Wisconsin Camping During Covid-19

Minnesota Camping in a Pandemic

Iowa Camping During a Pandemic

Missouri Camping in a Pandemic

Midwest Camping and Meals on the Road

Checking out local cuisine is one of our favorite things to do while camping. However, this trip was vastly different.  Our plan allowed for takeout or outdoor seating.   In some of the camping areas, restaurants offered little or no outside seating.  However, we were able to find some great outdoor options in Iowa and Missouri.  In fact, we had our best barbecue ever at Jack Stack Barbecue

Many, if not most,  fast food was drive through only.  That worked if unhitched, but was a problem when towing our tall camper.  We consumed  so many meals in our SUV!  I got very tired of that.

Normally, we would have a few breakfasts out.  This trip,  breakfast was always in the campground.  Lunch and dinner was often in the campground as well.

Midwest Camping and Safety From Covid

While we wanted this trip, it would not be worth it if we contracted Covid.  We tried to be careful by staying outdoors and distanced from others most of the time.  Our masks were always on when we had to go inside where there were other people.

We visited a few museums, including the Lincoln Presidential Library.  Most places required a reservation to limit the number of people.  Almost all required masks.   The only time I felt at risk at an attraction was the Mark Twain Home.  It was not requiring masks.   When a group came into the small area where tickets were sold, we waited outside until they had moved on.

The occasional stop for groceries was also somewhat risky.  Almost everyone wore masks in some places and at others almost no one did.   When the stores were crowded, it seemed the most risky.  We did not shop on weekends or at night to try and minimize the number of people shopping.

Health Issues

I have a lung condition that has become considerably worse in the last year.  My doctor has me using a nebulizer twice daily, which takes a good bit of time and effort for the process.  Sadly, it added a level of complexity to our trip.

Activities on the Road

We spent much more time at the campgrounds this trip.  A couple of the campgrounds had nice pools, which we enjoyed.

I am happy to say that we also went on several hikes/walks.  It was nice to be outside among nature.  Ultimately, we spent lots of time at the campgrounds.

We were seeking safe things to do outside.  So, we visited two botanical gardens, a sculpture park, and several beautiful parks.

Now that we have made it back home and enough time has passed that we can feel confident we did not contract the virus, I am so glad we took this trip!  But, we have cancelled our planned fall trip because many of the states we were going to visit have travel restrictions.

Hopefully we will be camping again before too long.  Stay safe out there!