TripAdvisor Traveler photo of hurricane force winds in Curacao
As travelers are gearing up for a Labor Day of leisure, Hurricane Earl is unleashing rain, rough seas, rip tides and wind gusts along portions of the East Coast.
Not exactly the relaxing, last hurrah of summer we were all hoping for, right?
According to a poll conducted on TripAdvisor.com of more than 1,500 U.S. respondents, 28 percent are concerned that the developing Hurricane Earl may put a damper on their weekend travel plans. With hurricane season running from June 1 – November 30 this year, we asked TripAdvisor’s Brooke Ferencsik to share his top five tips on traveling to hurricane-prone areas:
1. Rest Assured with Travel Insurance
Before traveling to a hurricane-prone area during hurricane season, it’s often a good idea to get travel insurance for your trip. Make sure to read the policy thoroughly, so you know exactly what would be covered in the event of a hurricane. Some things to look for include, coverage of flight delays or interruptions due to a storm, and coverage to cancel your trip entirely due to a hurricane in your travel destination.
2. Gravitate Toward Cruises and Properties with Hurricane Guarantees
Check with your cruise line, hotel, or resort to see if they offer a hurricane guarantee. These guarantees often give travelers credits for any days of their trip that are interrupted due to hurricanes.
3. Designate an Out of State Contact
It’s a good idea to designate and out of state contact that you can keep informed about your trip. In addition to leaving them with a copy of your itinerary, pick someone that you can rely on should you be forced to evacuate.
4. Always Travel Prepared
While travelers should always have an ample supply of medication and their perscriptions with them during a trip, this tip is even more important when vacationing in a hurricane prone destination. Travelers should carry their doctor’s names and telephone numbers and consider packing more medication than needed in the event of a weather-related flight delay.
5. Pack Your Car Strategically
If traveling by car, be sure to keep a three day supply of food and water with you, as well as emergency equipment, like flares. It’s also a good idea to keep your gas tank full, in case an evacuation is called. If you’re traveling with children, pack additional books or games for entertainment, as evacuation routes tend to result in heavy traffic.
Additional tips from TripAdvisor’s Brooke Ferencsik, plus TripAdvisor Media Group guru’s Anne Banas from SmarterTravel and Melissa Paloti from Cruise Critic can be found in this ABC News.com article.
One Comments
We just returned from a delightful few days at The Barclay Intercontinental Hotel in New York. We always are well taken care of by Shauna McCormick. We have often been in New York for medical procedures and Shauna makes sure that we are most comfortable in our room.
She is the reason we continue to go back to the Intercontinental Hotel.
Thank you Shauna,
The Kornbluths