On a bus tour of South Dakota and Wyoming during the coronavirus pandemic

What does a guided tour look like during this time of pandemic precautions?

In September, AAA employee Doug Shupe packed his Stetson and his face mask and joined a AAA Member Choice Vacations tour of America’s Cowboy Country. Doug and 18 fellow passengers experienced the Wild West as it once was—all while observing COVID-19 safety rules.

Doug, a communications and programs manager, moseyed down the streets of historic Deadwood, South Dakota; visited the Wyoming cowboy towns of Jackson Hole and Cody; and spotted buffalo in Yellowstone National Park. Here’s his report:

How did the pandemic change this tour?

Before we left, tour guide Mark Godin sent participants a letter outlining all the pandemic safety protocols in place. He had us fill out a mandatory personal health questionnaire.

When it came to food, instead of eating at buffets, we were served meals individually. Households sat at separate tables in hotel restaurants. 

What other steps did they take to ensure the safety of travelers?

Our state-of-the-art tour bus could hold 52 passengers but was limited to 50 percent of capacity. 

It was cleaned daily. While aboard, we had to wear face masks and leave at least a row of space between households. In addition, the bus had hand-sanitizer dispensers to use when you entered or left. They also did a mid-trip temperature check.

We stayed in a variety of hotels that had different safety protocols. Some sealed the rooms after cleaning to ensure nobody else had been in your room. They removed a lot of the things that are commonly shared in rooms, such as hotel stationery and the ice bucket; you had to ask the front desk for ice.

Why take a group tour? Couldn’t you have arranged this trip on your own?

Had I done this myself, I never would have seen and learned as much as I did. Our tour guide explained the background of each place we visited. The tour company did all the planning. We didn’t have to worry about where to go next; we could just enjoy the comfortable bus ride and the beautiful views.