Getting back to our summer home in Minnesota lake country was a bit of a challenge during the Covid-19 Pandemic. We had to wait until roadside facilities were open as well as places to stay and eat during a 5 day journey of over 2000 miles. We decided to head up the east coast on I95 and then cut over to Columbia SC and then Greenville to then head NW through the Appalachian Mtns with a stops at Whitewater Falls near Cashiers, MN, Dry Falls near Highlands and Bust Your Butt Falls near Franklin. After overnight in Dillsboro NC. we continue west with stops at Byrson City park and Nanatahal Outdoor Center. Few people around. By taking this route we avoided highly populated areas and were at least able to have some scenic drives through the Blue Ridge Mtns to make the trip a little more enjoyable. We were able to find hotels along the way with only a few cars in the lot and rarely ran into anyone inside other than desk staff. With digital check in and check out - minimal contact with people. Some Hampton Inns allowed us to get a digital key to enter the facility and room and we never had any human contact in those facilities. So we felt very safe. With few to no restaurants open, it was take-out and fast food drive-ups for culinary experiences!
