Iceland
As of time of writing, Iceland is now welcoming travelers to its country, as long as you have proof of vaccination. (Presenting a negative Covid-19 test remains in place.)
Now, there are two reasons I haven’t included this country in my list all the times I’ve been in Europe: (1) it’s not on the mainland, and (2) it’s expensive. With the (very) limited amount of choices U.S. citizens have to travel outside of North America—heck, even Canada is still closed—this country is a no-brainer. Perhaps an extended weekend of up to five days?
Mexico
Like Iceland, Mexico has been accepting American tourists so long as you arrive at the country by plane—arrival by land for tourism is still prohibited. Thing is, I’m not really a fan of going to Mexico for its beaches, wonderful as they are. I prefer to actually visit its major cities and soak in a bit of culture. I’ve been studying Spanish (European, but the friends who I practice with speak either the Colombian or the Puerto Rican variety) for about a year and change now, so this would be a good opportunity for proper immersion.
Las Vegas
Look; it’s been 11 years since I was last in Sin City. I may still not be interested in gambling heavily (not to mention there are casinos here in the Northeast in places that’s not Atlantic City) but I do miss the entertainment aspect of the Strip.
Shows are slowly coming back, respecting social distancing rules and making sure to operate at less than 100% capacity. As of March 2021, Carrot Top, Absinthe, David Copperfield, Fantasy, and the Australian Bee Gees are back. Should things continue in the positive trajectory that it’s going now, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that more will come back next season.
Croatia, Romania, Serbia
Last year, I was actually supposed to fly to Croatia for my annual holiday. Unfortunately, weeks before my flight was to happen, the country experienced a surge of Covid-19 cases, prompting a suspension of travel. They have since “recovered,” relatively speaking, and have once again opened their borders to Americans.
Along with proof of a negative test (or proof of completed vaccination—meaning the two doses, except for Johnson & Johnson—14 days before arrival), tourists also need to show fully paid accommodations for their entire stay in Croatia.
Romania is a similar case, and truth be told, I have always been interested in the country not just for its, um, vampiric draw, but also because it’s quite an inexpensive destination, when comparing to the bigger, more popular countries in the Schengen territory.
Finally, Serbia is a country in between Croatia and Romania that’s also open to travelers from this continent. I don’t really have much knowledge about visiting there, save for a good friend being Serbian. Should plans come to fruition, I won’t hesitate to ask for advice from him.
Montréal, Quebec
Last one on my list is my favorite city in North America. I don’t think I’ve kept secret the fact that I love to visit Montreal whenever I can, even if it’s just for a quick sojourn. Although Canada is still not accepting tourists, I am hopeful for a resolution to this by July or August.
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