Watch CBS News

Residents Opting For Local 'Staycations' This Summer After Changing Travel Plans Due To Coronavirus

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — People in Southern California have been getting creative with their vacation plans during the coronavirus pandemic.

Instead of going out of town, some are opting to stay closer to home.

For Melissa DeMorell, a stay at the Hotel Figuroa in Downtown Los Angeles is a welcome change of scenery.

"I live here but I am still on vacation," she said. "I am seeing new things. Everything has just been new since I've been down here."

While the start of summer is days away, taking a vacation this year will look different.

"It feels nice to be able to do this again, but there's no service, things are a bit limited to what it was before," said guest JP Pacca. "It just feels good to be out of my own house."

Those staying at hotels during the pandemic will look a bit different as guests are required to follow strict guidelines issued by the state.

Some of those guidelines include contactless room service, employees and guests being urged to wear cloth face coverings, and physical distancing.

Some hotels are also considering leaving rooms vacant for up to 72 hours prior to or after cleaning.

"We've implemented rigorous cleaning standards, sanitation throughout the hotel, we're even utilizing UV technology in between guest stays to make sure everything is completely safe at the hotel," said Hotel Figuroa Managing Director Connie Wang.

"It really makes for a more relaxing vacation at the end of the day when you can toss those worries aside and just focus on having a good time," she said.

While some are still hesitant to book a stay, other vacation options, like RV-ing and camping, are filling up fast.

"In the last four or five weeks, we've had a record number of sales," said El Monte RV's Gordon Hewston. "We've been up over 50 percent of where we were last year and we've never seen anything like it, to be honest."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.