The COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench into almost all of our plans last year. This includes any vacations we may have set up.
Americans may wonder where they can travel now that the world is beginning to open up. Fortunately, there are plenty of options.
Adventurers, beach-lovers, and history buffs can all find a place to go. There’s a place accepting vaccinated travelers on almost every continent, from South America to Europe.
Like and subscribe for advice on how to find the best travel destinations. Watch our video to learn the answer to that burning question, “where can Americans travel right now?”
Anguilla
Incoming travel to Anguilla was put on hold in April of 2021. Once the doors are open again, you’ll need to provide proof of vaccination and a negative test before arriving and apply for entry. You’ll also have to get tested again and quarantine upon arrival.
Anguilla has specific travel bubbles where you can roam freely. The Meads Bay Bubble includes 9 properties, a range of restaurants, and the entire space between the Frangipani Beach Resort and Carimar Beach Club.
Anguilla is only 35 square miles long with 15,000 residents, but it’s also a hot spot for celebrity vacations. It’s quiet and filled with beautiful beaches. The Caribbean food is delicious, and adventurous travelers can explore ancient caves and places of worship as well as archaeological dig sites.
Bahamas
To enter the Bahamas, you’ll have to be completely vaccinated and wait out the 2-week immunity period. Fill out a Bahamas Travel Health Visa and you’ll be ready to go without testing or quarantining when you arrive.
You can visit all 16 islands, but conditions vary in each. Check what’s open before you decide where to visit.
The Bahamas are only a 3-hour flight from New York, making them one of the easiest island destinations for East Cost Americans to visit. You can see the beautiful low islands or cays of Exuma or the Versailles Gardens in Nassau, get a chance to dive with tiger sharks on Tiger Beach, and take in the beautiful architecture all around you.
Barbados
Vaccinated travelers to Barbados must have a negative COVID test at least 3 days before and upon arrival and quarantine until the results are complete.
Most restaurants in Barbados are open for in-person dining, and bars and boats can reach 50% capacity. The beaches and parks are open but close at 7 p.m.
Visit Harrison’s Cave to find beautiful rock formations and underground waterfalls. Look at the boats and shop at the vendors in Bridgetown. Your food and drink options are plentiful, including mahi-mahi, macaroni pie, conch, black cake, and rum.
Belize
The restrictions in Belize aren’t as strict as in other countries. You’ll need either a negative COVID test or proof of a full vaccination 2 weeks before entering.
You’re also free to roam about the island but encouraged to stay in the Tourism Safe Corridor. This area includes Gold Standard hotels, tour operators, and transportation companies that can help you have the best possible trip within the 10 p.m. curfew.
The Belize Barrier Reef contains over 500 marine species and is the 2nd largest in the world, second only to Australia’s massive Great Barrier Reef. The country has other marine spectacles like The Great Hole and ancient Mayan jungles if you prefer to stay on land.
The British Virgin Islands
Before traveling to the British Virgin Islands, gather your $105 BVI Gateway Traveller Authorisation Certificate as well as your proof of vaccination and negative test. Once you arrive, you’ll have to take another test and quarantine until you receive the results, even if you’ve already been vaccinated.
Most businesses in the British Virgin Islands are open with social distancing in place. You’ll also be able to enter beaches and spas and take a ferry between the major islands. As long as you wear a mask in public, you can go wherever you like.
One of the most famous of the British Virgin Islands’ many beaches is The Baths in Virgin Gorda. It’s full of white sand and lined with boulders. You can also go snorkeling or sailing in Cane Garden Bay on Tortola or check out over 300 shipwrecks on Anegada.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria offers several methods for American travelers. One option is to provide proof that you’ve received full vaccination and undergone the 2-week immunity period. The other is to show proof of recovery from COVID or a negative test taken 3 days before arriving.
Most of Bulgaria, including its public transportation, is open. Some places may have reduced capacity, but you’ll be free to roam if you wear a mask and adhere to social distancing protocols.
Visiting Bulgaria is one of the most affordable European vacations you can go on. It’s worth the money to see beautiful cities like Sofia and Plovdiv, enjoy the architecture of the Rila Monastery, see the coastline of the Black Sea, and visit the Central Balkan National Park.
Croatia
Croatia’s restrictions require you to complete an entry form and provide proof of vaccination or recovery from COVID.
Much of the country has opened back up, including popular tourist sites like Plitvice and Dubrovnik Old Town. The primary restriction is that you can’t purchase alcohol after 11 pm.
Croatia’s capital Dubrovnik was the set for King’s Landing in the hit HBO show Game of Thrones. Even if you’re not a fan, you can enjoy the country’s history and Balkan culture while visiting towns like Split and Hvar Town and national parks like Plitvice Lakes.
Cyprus
Cyprus reopened for vaccinated travelers in May. You’ll need a Cyprus Flight Pass and proof of full vaccination to enter.
Restaurants offer outdoor seating, and museums, galleries, and archaeological sites are all open. Bars and clubs are closed, and the country’s famous beaches and nature trails are only open for exercise. You’ll also have to contend with an island-wide curfew of 11 p.m.
Cyrpus sits between Greece and Turkey and has a rich history. Enjoy historical sites like Kourion, Salamis, and Aphrodite’s Rock and Beach where legend says the goddess was born.
Denmark
Denmark opened to American travelers on June 5th. You’ll need proof that you’ve been fully vaccinated and completed the 14-day immunity period.
The country’s famous restaurants and eco-friendly hotels are open again, but there are also new sights to explore. They include a Hans Christian Andersen museum, pop-ups at Tivoli gardens, and more.
Denmark’s capital Copenhagen is famous as a perfect summer destination due to its ideal weather. You can ride bikes and drink beer along its colorful canals.
Like and subscribe for more on the best places for Americans to travel today. Keep watching for more delightful destinations, including everything from island paradises to ancient cities.
Ecuador
Ecuador reopened in March. You’ll need to provide proof of vaccination or recovery from COVID. If you want to visit the famous Galapagos islands as well, you’ll need a safe travel document known as a salvoconducto and a negative test even if you’re vaccinated.
Restaurants and public spaces are open, as are all national parks and reserves.
Ecuador is only a 6-hour flight from New York. It’s an affordable location, and you won’t even have to convert your currency because they use the American dollar.
The Galapagos Islands are one of the most famous destinations in Ecuadordue to their range of unique wildlife. You can also see an active volcano at the Cotopaxi National Park, trek the Andes mountains, or see the Papallacta Springs.
France
France requires proof of vaccination and either a negative test within 72 hours or a negative antigen test within 48 hours. You’ll also need to complete a health declaration form.
France has survived lockdowns before and is slowly coming back. You’ll be able to visit famous museums like the Louvre, check into hotels, and experience the country’s beautiful sidewalk cafes. Just remember that there’s an 11 pm curfew.
Paris is the country’s most popular destination, but it has more to offer. Try visiting the French Riviera, historic Nantes, the villages of Alsace, or the lavender fields in Provence.
French Polynesia
To visit this beautiful spread of islands, you’ll need both an ETIS health registration and a quarantine or exemption form as well as proof of vaccination and a negative test. When you arrive, you’ll need to take an antigen and a virological self-test within 4 days.
Restaurants, bars, hotels, beaches, and more, are all open. A curfew from 11 pm to 4 am still exists in the islands of Tahiti and Moorea.
Reaching French Polynesia requires a long plane trip of over 24 hours and may require you to charter a few flights. Once you arrive, you’ll be able to enjoy several gorgeous sights, including waterfalls, palm trees, and crystal coves.
Republic of Georgia
Visitors to Georgia must provide proof of complete vaccination and fill out a travel authorization form.
A 5 a.m. curfew is in effect. Use your time to visit museums and shop at markets. You can even enjoy live music in local restaurants.
Georgia is an inexpensive destination with an experience for every type of traveler. You can lounge on the beach of the Black Sea or ski on the Caucasus mountains. It’s also one of the world’s oldest wine-making countries and has delicious food like khachapuri.
Greece
Georgia opened its doors to vaccinated travelers on April 19th. You don’t have to quarantine when you arrive if you provide proof of complete vaccination and fill out a Passenger Location Form.
Many restaurants and cafes only offer to-go options. Famous archaeological sites like the Acropolis and Parthenon are open. Fit your itinerary into the country’s 7 pm weekday 9 pm weekend curfew.
Greece has an almost endless amount of historical sites to visit, but it’s also full of gorgeous beaches and seaside towns.
Guatemala
Guatemala requires proof of full vaccination at least 2 weeks before you leave or proof of recovery from COVID within 3 months. You’ll also need a health pass.
Popular attractions like Semuc Champey and Tekal are open to visitors. Public places like Guatemala City and Antigua are operating at limited capacity and close between 6-8 pm. All restaurants only offer to-go services.
The entire country of Guatemala is approximately the size of the state of Tennesse, but it packs plenty of attractions into that small space. You can explore Mayan ruins in Tikal, stand under the waterfalls of Semuc Champey, and visit the beautiful beaches of Lake Atitlan and the Caribbean Sea.
Iceland
Iceland requires you to provide proof of full vaccination or recovery from COVID.
Check which attractions are open before you arrive because closures fluctuate. On a positive note, The Blue Lagoon recently reopened and most of Iceland’s most beautiful tourist attractions are outdoors.
Waterfalls, black beaches, glacier lagoons, and frosty mountains are just a few of the natural phenomena you can expect to see.
Lebanon
Lebanon requires proof of vaccination at least 15 days before you travel. You’ll have to take a $50 test and download the covidlebtrack app once you arrive.
Public places like restaurants and cafes are open at 50% capacity and have a 9 pm curfew. Attractions in the capital city of Beirut, such as the National Museum, Sursock Museum, and Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque, are all open to the public.
Lebanon has a reputation as a resilient country with a hospitable, fun-loving population. Visit the capital and see the ruins at Baalbek, Tyre, and Byblos.
Montenegro
Montenegro requires proof of vaccination at least a week before arrival.
Hotels are exempt from the curfews and restrictions that stores, restaurants, and bars are under. You can also enjoy museums, ski resorts, theaters, galleries, and national parks, but clubs are still closed.
Montenegro is full of beautiful beaches and seaside towns. It also has wild forests, tall mountains, and beautiful national parks.
Nepal
Nepal requires proof of full vaccination or recovery from COVID at least 90 days before traveling. When you arrive, you’ll need another negative test result and several entry documents such as proof of accommodation and travel insurance.
7 mountain trails, including the one that goes to the famous Mount Everest, were recently reopened. Hotels, restaurants, and businesses are also open in the capital city Katmandu.
Nepal has plenty of delicious food such as dal bhat and momos. They’ll give you the energy to go on major outdoor adventures like trekking the Himalayas or visiting one of the country’s 6 UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Seychelles
Travelers to Seychelles must provide proof of vaccination and that they’ve met the 2-week immunity period. They must also fill out a travel form and get a negative test when they arrive.
Public facilities like restaurants and pools are closed, but the country’s beautiful beaches are all open to the public.
Seychelles is an expensive destination that requires at least a 24-hour flight to reach. However, it’s the perfect vacation for beach bums and offers a range of delicious seafood.
COVID-19 left us dying to travel, and now is the time as restrictions begin to lift. As long as you meet the requirements, you’ll be able to find the perfect trip to your dream destination.
Will you be booking a vacation to any of these gorgeous destinations in the next few months? Let us know in the comments below. Like and subscribe for more travel news and tips.