Nomadic Matt's Travel Tuesday Update

Hey {NAME}, Hello from Boston! After two weeks and 2,400 miles, I’m finally at my parent’s house. It was a long, long journey. Along the way, I got a first-hand look at how different states were handling COVID. There was a lot of good. Most places run by the National Park Service required masks and advance reservations. If you plan to visit any parks, attractions, monuments, or campgrounds this summer, look up their visitor requirements as you will most likely need a reservation. (I learned this lesson the hard way.) Moreover, most businesses I came across were either still shut, on limited hours, or restricting the number of people who could enter at once. Most restaurants required masks and spaced out tables. I even saw a few places with plastic partitions! Servers often had masks (and, in some places, gloves too). Tourist attractions, if they were open, were mostly by appointment only. However, the further I got from major cities, the more people seemed to not take COVID seriously. It was more a rural/urban divide than a red state/blue state thing. Metro areas = masks, social distances, most things closed. Smaller cities / rural areas = an attitude of "What COVID?" I saw enough people not taking this seriously that my trip home didn’t give me much hope things will get better anytime soon. It was really disappointing and it now has me rethinking my entire route back to Austin. But I'm home for a few weeks so I have some time before I need to figure that out. The situation changes too quickly anyways to make any real plans. So, please wear a mask, social distance as much as possible, and always wash your hands! Let's do what we can do to beat this back so we can have some return to normalcy and start traveling again. UPCOMING VIRTUAL TRAVEL EVENTS We're hosting a ton of awesome, inspiring, and informative virtual travel events to keep you connected to your travel spirit through this pandemic. Here are our free virtual travel events happening this week: - [The Philippines: What to Know Before You Go]( (TODAY) - [How to Grow Your Online Business with Nomadic Matt]( (7/8) - [How to Create Inclusive, Diverse Travel Content with Annette Richmond]( (7/14) We hope you can make it! You can see them on our full list of over a dozen upcoming events (including some virtual happy hours) by [clicking here](. COMMUNITY UPDATES 1. If you're thinking of starting a blog, [we just updated our free PDF to show you how to do so](. It's a step-by-step walkthrough with everything you need to know to get started today. 2. This week on Patreon [we published two new videos from The Nomadic Network, a blog post on what the future of the website holds, and we're doing a Q&A with me on Thursday!]( If you want to read the post, see the videos, or join the call, [come join our Patreon!]( You also get things like free guides, signed copies of my books, live chats, 1-on-1 calls, and tons of other awesome perks Patreon is our blog within a blog membership program for those who want to help us continue to create content while getting exclusive content, swag, and other perks! 3. This month's book club email goes out this weekend so if you're interested in getting some suggestions, [come join my monthly book club](. Every month, you'll get a list of 3-5 great books I've recently read! COOL STUFF AROUND THE WEB 1. [Venice Tourism May Never Be the Same. It Could Be Better]( - This is a great article about how Venice can - and plans to - reinvent tourism. 2. [The World, Opened Up]( - A really moving article on how travel can make us feel better in our own skin. 3. [Traveling as a Black Guy]( - Friend, aviation guru, and travel blogger Kerwin McKenzie writes a poignant piece on his experience traveling the world as a black man. NEW POSTS [California Road Trip: A 21-Day Suggested Itinerary]( Since road trips are our main travel option during COVID-19, I created a 21-day itinerary around California. (Note: Don't go now. California is experiencing a resurgence of the virus. Use this for planning a future trip!) [How to See Alberta: A 10-Day Suggested Driving Itinerary]( Offering stunning mountains and serene lakes, Alberta is one of the most beautiful provinces in Canada. Here's how to make the most of your visit, save money, and have an amazing road trip! QUOTE OF THE WEEK "A person susceptible to "wanderlust" is not so much addicted to movement as committed to transformation." – Pico Iyer *** As always, if you have any questions, just let me know and I'll be happy to help. Sincerely, Nomadic Matt P.S. - If you’d like to support this website and the work we create, [please check out our Patreon]( where you can get untold travel stories, photos, weekly Q&As, free guides, courses, and more as part of your membership. Your support helps keep this website going while giving you perks and exclusive content! Sent to: {EMAIL} [Unsubscribe]( Nomadic Matt Inc., 207 E. 9th St. , Georgetown, Texas 78626, United States