8 Tips to Stay Safe and Healthy While Traveling

The world as we knew it has likely changed forever, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy future travel. As we begin to navigate what the new normal will look like for summer travel and beyond, there are many ways we can ensure our own personal health and safety. Here are eight tips that will help you to stay safe and healthy during your travels.  

1. Use a Purse Hook 

How often have you sat down at a restaurant only to plunk your handbag on the ground beside you? Think about how many germs are on the ground, especially if you are sitting outside on a terrace or patio. Ew. A simple, and much cleaner solution, is to use a purse hook. These handy devices attach to any table and keep your bag off the ground. 

Bonus: it also keeps your bag in plain view and makes it much harder to steal. Keeping your personal items close and in full view at all times is very important. Ensure they stay safe and clean with a purse hook.  

2. Pack Lounge Clothes 

When out-and-about sightseeing all day you will inevitably sit on a multitude of benches and chairs. The same seats that everyone else sits on. Restaurants clean the tables, but rarely their chairs, and park benches likely never get a good wipe down. 

After resting your tired and weary feet, you then bring all those germs back into your hotel room. Once you plunk your tired self on the couch or bed, you have transferred all those germs to these clean surfaces. A better idea? Slip into something more comfortable, and clean, before you relax in your hotel room.

3. Wear a Watch 

We have become so accustomed to looking at our phones to see what time it is that we don’t realize that we are continually covering them in germs and bacteria. Every time you grab your phone to check the time, you are transferring germs from your hands onto it. When traveling, we often have a schedule that requires us to know what time it is. Wearing a watch enables us to quickly and easily check the time without loading our phones up with more and more germs.  

4. Sanitize Your Personal Items 

As a follow-up to number 3, even if you decide to wear a watch, you will still touch your phone, camera, and other personal items multiple times per day. Your phone will get put on restaurant tables and your purse on park benches, so it’s a great idea to wipe them down every evening before you retire to bed. Think of it as part of your bedtime routine: brush your teeth, wash your face, and sanitize your personal items. 

5. Bring a Reusable Water Bottle 

Many travelers will simply take the water bottle from their hotel room or purchase one from a local corner store. They will throw them out at the end of the day and repeat this same routine the following day. Not only is it much better for the environment to use your own reusable bottle, but it’s also more sanitary since you’re the only one that has ever touched that bottle. 

Save your health and the planet by carrying your own water bottle. A triple-walled bottle will keep your water cold all day without sweating so you don’t need to worry about it getting anything wet inside your bag.

6. Take Vitamin C 

Germs and bacteria are everywhere and, no matter how hard we try, they are unavoidable. This is why it’s a great idea to travel with the immune-boosting power of Vitamin C. Try a flavored, powdered format and add it to your water for a delicious daily boost to help ensure you stay healthy during your vacation. 

7. Visit Touristy Spots During Off Times 

It goes without saying that it’s safer to be in less-crowded places. Whenever possible, plan your day so that you can visit popular tourist spots during off-peak hours. My most amazing visit to Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris was by attending a Sunday mass. The cathedral was closed to public visits during mass, so I was able to sit and enjoy the melodic organ music while admiring the ornate and awe-inspiring architecture. A memorable experience unlike any other. 

8. Use the ‘Do Not Disturb’ Sign 

Fewer people inside your hotel room equals fewer germs. Yes, housekeeping is there to clean your room, but it also means that there will be unnecessary people coming in and out of your room. 

Bonus: by not having housekeeping change your sheets and towels every day, it helps save the environment as well. Many hotels will even give you a credit to use on-site if you refuse daily housekeeping. It’s a win-win situation.

Conclusion

I hope you’re getting excited to travel again. Whether you’re ready to hit the road now, or are cautiously optimistic about when you’ll travel again, I hope that you will utilize these eight tips to help you stay safe and healthy while you’re enjoying your travels.