Yes, cabin fever is a real thing. If you didn’t believe it before 2020, you do now. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as “extreme irritability and restlessness from living in isolation or a confined indoor area for a prolonged time.” You don’t need a CDC-approved test to know you’ve got it bad.
Your friends at AAA are here to help.
Like many of you, once we’re confident enough to travel again, we want to GO BIG. Here are five of our most desired excursions. See you there!
SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, CALIFORNIA
“Walking among giants” is not hyperbole. Sure, there are 800 miles of trails up mountains, through canyons and into caverns throughout both parks, which neighbor each other in the southern Sierra Nevada east of the San Joaquin Valley. But if you’re looking for us, we’ll be in the trees. We’ll be stopping to hug the General Sherman Tree, a massive sequoia in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park that is 275 feet tall. It’s got a grove full of friends in Giant Forest that we want to meet as well.
After the sun rise at Haleakala, explore the national park's Summit District, where rare and endemic Hawaiian species thrive. Photo By Gottfried Reidler/stock.adobe.com
SUNRISE ON HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK, MAUI, HAWAII
High on many a bucket list, this unparalleled sight requires getting up mighty early. You’ll likely need a reservation to enter the park for sunrise. Sunset is often just as inspiring but not as popular, perhaps because once the sun is down, it’ll be dark and you’ll be on the side of a volcano. But, hey, you’re in Hawaii; sunrise or sunset will be a treat from any locale.
A campfire, a sky full of stars, and the company of family of friends. Photo By Gottfried Reidler/stock.adobe.com
RENTING AN RV AND SETTING OFF ON A ROAD TRIP IN THE US
Why fly in a crammed tin can when you can drive in one equipped with all the amenities of home? Just as important: You get to choose your traveling companions, and you can stop, stretch your legs, and check out that huge ball of twine and other roadside attractions. While this mode of travel may seem like trading one “cabin” for another, it will do you good to get out on the open highway.
Keukenhof"s spring-flowering bulbs have delighted visitors since 1950. Photo By Mari79/stock.adobe.com
TULIP TIME IN KEUKENHOF GARDENS, LISSE, THE NETHERLANDS
Imagine a field of more than seven million colorful tulips. When we say “field,” Keukenhof Gardens is 79 acres of blooms. Each spring, the countryside surrounding Lisse, near Amsterdam, is filled with tulip fields. The garden grounds can get extremely crowded on weekends, and the experts at Keukenhof recommend visiting on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. Not quite ready for a trip to Europe? We’ll wager that you’ve got some fantastic gardens near your own town just waiting for visitors.
"The sound of water is worth more than all the poets' words." - Octavio Paz. Photo By Monkey Business/stock.adobe.com
WATER, ANYWHERE
Be it ocean, lake or river, humans have a primal need to jump in, float upon or simply pause beside water to harmonize the rhythm of our lives with the motion of the currents. We’re looking forward to revisiting seaside childhood vacation spots, hidden fishing holes and inner-tube-worthy rapids. C’mon, you know you want to.
