Check this link, it has hotels included: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/05/23/861325631/from-camping-to-dining-out-heres-how-experts-rate-the-risks-of-14-summer-activit?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwAR2BFriAXoLcNaOjpzMj2Jr175ysaeKMwSDB1_o0K88SxLcs0y5CYNPfTsQ

I have always brought Clorox wipes and Lysol spray for planes and hotels. I wipe and spray everything as soon as I get to my seat or my room.

Call the 3 hotels and ask the managers what they're doing to keep rooms and lobbies safe for guests.

I usually take an airbed when I travel. You could take an airbed and your own linens.

If this were my trip, I would do anything possible to minimize stayovers.

Do you have another driver, can you make it straight through with stops as necessary for the animals?

If you're alone, can you make it in two long days instead of three?

Thank you for your responses. Unfortunately I am the only driver as my Husband passed away one month after the purchase of our condo. It would be so much better if I could do it in 2 days but after about 7 hours I start to drive stupid. My only other option would be to charter a plane and have my vehicle shipped to Michigan.

Hotels don't worry me too much, so long as I can maintain social distance, so I would make sure I could use the stairs instead of the elevator to get to my room, and prefer a hotel with virtual check in and electronic keys. If I were very concerned about surface contaminants I might rent the hotel room for the night before my arrival, so nobody would have been in the room cleaning just prior to my arrival and germs in the air or on surfaces would have had the opportunity to die off.

Reserve in advance a bottom floor. Or if your knees can stand it, take the stairway - I use paper towels to hold onto railings. And to open doors. The type of key won't really matter if you travel with disinfectant wipes. Of course it will be important to find pet-friendly hotels/motels, especially in case if the weather is HOT.

You are in a tough spot, @kathy. Not only do you have to worry about hotels, but all of the stops for fuel and bathroom breaks along the way. I was thinking about that when considering what we would do if we couldn't fly in December. I'm not sure our exposure would be much less by driving. If we made the 22 hour drive in one session, we would still have the fuel stops to make.

Sometimes, you just have to do the best you can under the circumstances and not worry about it too much. I might take my own sheets and pillows because I can't imagine that hotel pillows get washed regularly. Otherwise, I would make sure that I disinfect those commonly touched surfaces...faucets, door handles, remotes, drawer handles, hangers, phone, etc.

Kathy, enjoy your trip, don't let the worry-warts drag you down.

The worry-warts are conveying common sense. It's unfortunate that you want to criticize that. If you want to live carefree, go for it. Most of us live in areas where Covid-19 is more prevalent than the backwater place you live. There's no need to ridicule others who take more caution than you.

I‘m sorry for your loss, @kathy. I can not only imagine how difficult it must be for you to carry on with the tasks of daily life without your partner, but with the “big stuff,” too, like relocating. Hopefully with our collective genius 🤓 here at The Kitchen Table we can help make this trip a little less difficult for you.

My only other option would be to charter a plane and have my vehicle shipped to Michigan.

Is this a realistic option? If so, I think it’s a great one! (I‘ve actually looked into private aviation as an alternative to commercial airline travel myself fairly recently.)

You could look into an "empty leg" flight which is a plane returning to another state empty ( Deadheading) It is about $2,000 an hour.

My only other option would be to charter a plane and have my vehicle shipped to Michigan.

Or leave the car & get a long-term car rental in Michigan.

where Covid-19 is more prevalent than the backwater place you live.

Was that said with a sneer? Do I detect an attitude of cultural superiorty? What do you think of all those urban dwellers who absconded to 'backwater' places to avoid Covid? Are they sell-outs, cowards who should forfeit their street creds?

No sneer from me. Sounds like you may be trying to interpret something there. You're putting in a lot of effort to assume you know my intent. "Sell-outs," "cowards." Not sure where that's coming from. I live in a major city that started out being a hotspot. I would have gladly retreated to someplace less crowded if I could have. I don't think of myself, or anyone else, who would do that, as a sell-out or a coward. Do you?

Raye Smith repeatedly likes to tell everyone there are no / few Covid cases in her small community where she lives.

And I think you may really be meaning "geographical" superiority vs. cultural superiority. Not knowing anything about Raye Smith I know nothing about her culture.

Here, check out the definition of "culture"

- https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture

May want to also look up the definition of "backwater" too. There are several.

Most places have stepped up disinfecting protocol. They are saying the chance of surface to person contact is lower. It is higher with person to person prolong contact. The first floor is a good idea because of the animals. When I travel by car I always bring my own pillows. Wash your hands and if it makes you feel better take some Lysol and spray the knob and such. Find an nice outdoor restaurant, have a good meal, take a dip in the pool and crash for the night. Driving long distance is stressful and tiring. You need a good nights sleep more than you need to be staying awake all night worrying about maybes.

Remember this is Airborne! Hotels are cleaned after each guest. YOU WILL BE FINE IN THE ROOM!!!! Stay in motels not hotels. Your car to your hotel door except for the lobby getting the key and checking out. We have had many snow birds return and had no issues with hotels. I was concerned they wouldn't find accommodations. Stay away from people, wear your mask you will be fine!!!

You mean this definition of backwater?

From the urban dictionary:

Somewhere out of the way; in the middle of nowhere; desolate. See boondocks.

"Where the hell are we?"

"I don't know, some backwater hick town. I can't find it on the map."

Perhaps you are unaware of the derisive meaning?

ci_lantro, I see you want to argue. Guess you'll need to find someone else to do that with. I'm not all that interested in carrying on with you like that.

Let's face it. no one wants to stay overnight anywhere right now if we don't have to. However, since it's an absolute must, I think if you are staying at a good Hotel chain, you are pretty safe. As long as you're going to have to do this. I see no difference between one, two or three nights. That being said, if you really need peace of mind and a good nights sleep, you can pack three trash bags with a flat sheet, light-weight blanket, your own pillow and a towel. throw the flat sheet over the bedding and just sleep on top with your own pillow and light weight blanket or another sheet. Throw everything back in trash bag # 1 except the pillow. Take Trash bag #2 the second night along with pillow and do the same. When you arrive at your condo, just throw everything in the washer and wash. Experts now believe there is very little chance of contacting the virus from surface to surface. It's mostly from direct contact with another person. I only offer this suggestion as an alternative if you are still that uncomfortable. You can also pack a hand towel to set on bathroom counter for toiletries.

We drove home to Michigan from Florida and spent 2 nights at hotels. We did stay at Hampton Inns and were clean, but we came in with our Clorox wipes and cleaned most surfaces. They did not offer breakfast in the morning, but we just did fast food all the way. Also, I brought cheap plastic bags to put the remote controls in so we didn't have to really touch them!

Pull up your panties and go girl. You can do this safely.

Kathy G in MI

I've taken that three day drive from Florida to Michigan. It was beastly. I was so glad to get to the hotels. I would use the wipes and avoid human contact and I think it is probably less dangerous than going to the grocery store.

Buy a camper van!!!

Gotta ask, Michigan is an absolute mess with an awful governor, wouldn't it be much better to stay in well run Florida for now?

Family & tolerable summer weather in Michigan, Raye. vs being alone & summer stew-in-your-own juice Florida. Nicer for the pets if they spend any time outdoors, too.

My home is in Oakland County which is one of the hardest hit. My zip code has been stable for a number of weeks. The number of new cases in Michigan is really starting to decline. Our governor has been slowly opening up our state. The reason for wanting to go home is to be near family and our Doctors. All of my yearly appointments are coming up and trying to get a Dr. here has been very difficult. Miss my home, property, and our beautiful Michigan summers.

The Covid19 numbers in the Upper Peninsula are extremely low. I live in a county with 0. South of me, that large county has 4. Our summers are spectacular with lower temps, low humidity and cool breezes off of sparkling lakes.

I guess it depends on how heavily populated you like an area and how much you enjoy heat and humidity.

I live in a rural community in northern Oakland county on 15 acres. We only have 30 cases and have not seen an increase in a number of weeks. I planned on leaving Florida the beginning of April as I am not a heat and humidity girl but decided to stay here and wait out the virus. The numbers are starting to go up in Florida and down in Michigan so the time has come to go home. It will just be a difficult trip for me as I am a germaphobe in the best of times.

For safety reasons (theft or room invasion), I would recommend staying in a hotel (interior doors) versus a motel (doors open to parking lot). If you must have an exterior door, bring a door stopper.

I would think wearing a mask, using a napkin for elevator/door knobs and wiping down/spraying all surfaces in the room would be sufficient. I would also bring my own pillow and remove the comforter (not cleaned after every person).

Advice not directly virus related: pack water and snacks where you can easily get to them. Tune in to some lively music. Study your driving route in advance, so that you know the major highways, major cities, even if you have GPS. Try to avoid driving through big cities at rush hour (although many people are working from home so traffic isn't as bad as it usually is). Stop for a well-ventilated stretch break at least every 2 or 3 hours. Drive safe -- not too fast, not too slow.

Be sensible (review mdln's short and sweet advice above) and you will be fine. Best of luck :-)

I have done some long distance traveling alone with pets. You have to hope that the temperature is not excessive so that you can momentarily leave them in the car while you go into a restroom. I open the sunroof.

I prefer to stop at McDonald's along the way for bathroom breaks for me. I park in the shade if possible, run in, use the toilet, then return to the car and go through the drive-through.

The rest stops along major highways have you park farther from the building as compared to McDs. But most of them have a dog walking area.

Although there are signs not to do so, I have been known to bring my dog into the bathroom stall with me when there was no way I could leave him in the car due to the heat. Ah, but you have a cat.

With regard to COVID-19, try to remember that the current thinking is that contagion is mainly person-to-person, with close distance and time together the factors that increase your opportunity to contract it. Social distance yourself, wash your hands, keep your hands off your face, and you will be fine.

Believe me, the hotels are just as worried as you are! They are all doing everything possible to not have a guest become ill. They do expect the same courtesy - not staying in their hotel if one is ill.

It will just be a difficult trip for me as I am a germaphobe in the best of times.

Oh, Kathy, don't think of it like that. You should see it as a plus and a reason to worry less. Because you're already doing the stuff that will help keep you safe. It's become second nature to you vs people like me who will quick grab that chicken nugget I dropped before the dog gets it. Some of us have to do hard time in virus training camp. You're way ahead!

(I don't eat chicken nuggets in real life. :-)

Good luck to you & have a safe trip. Oh, & it would be cool if you check in on your journey up-nort'. I would say that I'll keep the light on for you--except I'm in Wisconsin & it's a bit of a mess to get to MI from here. (Summer up here has been toastier than normal, so far.)

Valium? I do not understand 'germ-a-phobes who travel. The stress and extra "to do" lists would keep me home!! Good luck. Just remember this is AIR BORN so if there are no halls or stairs or elevators you are much safer. If Motels were not safe they wouldn't be EVERY WHERE!!!

Thank you all for your wisdom and kind words. I am sure I will do just fine. I have to tie up some loose ends here and then I will be able to hit the road. Arcy maybe germaphobe was too strong of a title, lets just say I washed my hands before it was cool. Never used antibacterial anything in my home before, as I know the world has both good germs and bad germs. I now own disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, and 70% alcohol in a spray bottle.

I'm a germaphobe and I travel. There's no stress involved - it's just how I roll. And what "extra to do lists?" For what?

I've always used a wet wipe on my seat, tray table, and surrounding area on an airplane, and I wet wipe down my hotel room. I wash my hands and carry hand sanitizer. Covid isn't turning me into a germaphobe. I'm holding off any travel in 2020 though.